2 dead, 50 vehicles involved in I-75 crash

[JRLeft]

Source: Orlando Sentinel

SARASOTA - (AP) - Authorities say multiple, multi-vehicle crashes on Interstate 75 are expected to block southbound traffic for several hours heading toward southwest Florida. At least two people were killed, media reports say.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the collisions occurred Friday afternoon near the border between Sarasota and Manatee counties.

FHP says traffic is being diverted onto University Parkway and then allowed to re-enter the interstate on the other side of the overpass.

Read more: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-massive-crash-interstate-75-20121005,0,4981781.story

[thelordofhell]

1. I wonder what the driver was texting

[cpwm17]

2. Or someone created a backup by driving slower in the left lane

which is a popular activity in Florida.

[valerief]

10. How does that create a crash? nt

[boston bean]

18. the slow driver in the fast lane

makes people change lanes to pass them.

If someone is gonna drive slow, stay in the right hand lane, please. That's where you are suppose to be by law.

[valerief]

19. I've seen people drive the speed limit in the left lane. Is that wrong/illegal?

Also, the reckless driving of other people is not the fault of the lawful driver. The reckless drivers recklessly changing lanes should, if I could use a Republican phrase , take personal responsibility.

[CanSocDem]

20. "Take personal responsibility..."

Don't forget the democratic value of public interest. Your personal interest in 'driving the speed limit' may not be in the 'public interest' if the public wants to drive faster than the posted limit. Your actions then become contrary to the public interest and in this case public safety.

Good drivers adapt to conditions in the interest of SAFETY, not to elevate themselves into the role of sheriff.

.

[valerief]

28. So you're saying to break the law "in the public interest." Okay.

[CanSocDem]

30. No. I'm saying "Use your head!" (eom)

[valerief]

31. And break the law. nt

[CanSocDem]

32. Let me ask you this...

If all the traffic around you was going 15-20 mph under the posted limit, would you still feel entitled to drive the speed limit?

Have you ever worked in a group? Or are you always the boss?

.

[valerief]

34. You can't bring yourself to say "the responsible thing is to break the law."

I may disagree with that, but you can't even state it, only imply it.

on edit:
Looks like someone wimped out and put me on ignore.

[CanSocDem]

35. Don't flatter yourself...

I have nobody "on ignore".

I will, however, move on when the discussion gets stupid. In over 20 years of truckdriving, I can easily recognize bad drivers even when they're only writing about driving.

.

[LanternWaste]

37. I agree. Our selective choices of which laws to adhere to

I agree.

Our selective choices of which laws to adhere to seems to apply more to our own convenience rather than public safety, else our discussions of undocumented workers in the US would be *much* different.

[truthisfreedom]

23. Drivers who purposefully hold to the speed limit in the left lane are pretending to be law enforcers

Make a choice. Either become a cop or move the fuck to the right.

[HooptieWagon]

42. Yes, it's a passive-aggressive action.

People who purposefully obstruct traffic in the left lane are selfish aggressive, and a danger to themselves and others. The left lane is for passing, after you pass a slower car, move over and let others pass you. In case of a congested highway, drive in the lane that is closest to the speed you wish to drive, in order to minimize lane-changing. I usually drive only 60-65, so I drive in the right lane. After passing a slower car, I move back over to the right lane as soon as possible. Never have a problem with tailgaters... yes, even on I-75.

[JudyM]

24. It's not how fast you're driving, as much as whether you are *passing* and if someone behind

wants to pass you. So if it's rush hour and traffic is going under the speed limit, all you can do is go with the left lane rate of flow, whatever the speed is. But if you don't generally keep up with the pace of the car in front of you the considerate thing to do is move a lane to the right until you want to pass, then move back to the left lane till you pass that car.

Was this not taught in your driver's ed class? Here in DC I am constantly amazed at how frequently oblivious people are in the passing lane --- just driving along at their own pace without noticing there are 15 cars stuck behind them. I wonder if the passing lane rule isn't taught any more, or in this area. And sometimes when I finally get to pass them on the right i see them talking away on their phone or even texting. I'm a rational person but this gets to me sometimes, it's frustrating. And I actually would support police ticketing these people... the passing lane should be for passing.

I also think it's interesting that the person directly behind the slow car often does nothing to get their attention, like flashing their lights -- which also perpetuates the problem for everyone down the line.

[kentauros]

25. I have flashed my lights at people driving this way.

They either ignore me, or they don't know what it means. Sometimes they even slow down!

One observation I've made locally is for an entrance to one of our loop freeways where two lanes merge to the inside left lanes, becoming both the passing lane and the next one to the right. The last speed limit sign is 50mph, while the loop speed is 60mph. All too often, there's a slew of people still going 50, seemingly oblivious to all the rest of the drivers passing them on the right. I haven't seen any of them texting, either. They are either sticklers for the last seen speed limit, or totally unfamiliar with our traffic laws, the last of which is a good possibility here in Houston.

[valerief]

29. I don't deal with the daisy chain lane. I stay in the right lane. And drive over the speed limit.

And still get asshole tailgaters!

There are just aggressive drivers who refuse to consider the public safety.

[JudyM]

36. Ha, yeah, same thing here. Can't win, surrounded by both kinds of unconcerned drivers. nt

[Robeysays]

27. agreed.

just as big a hazard as texting

[snooper2]

38. because we got places to go and things to do..

Here's what we need more of..

[darkangel218]

3. I75 is a death trap.

I almost died twice on I75 on 2 different ocasions. Both times I barely avoided the pile up in front of me by taking the shoulder!

I'll rather pay and take the turnpike, screw I75.

[RebelOne]

4. Try driving I-75 here in the Atlanta metro area.

We do not have a turnpike as an alternative, it is a nightmare. I usually take the side roads whenever I can.

[Up2Late]

14. Yeah, funny how nobody seemed to take into account that mixing the traffic from 2 major interstates

....into one in the middle of a city might cause a little traffic trouble a few years down the road, huh? Three if you count GA 400 too.

Too bad I-285 is so crowded now, or they could just re-route traffic on to it, but it's too late for that now.

[cpwm17]

5. Yes, I quickly learned to take the turnpike south soon after I moved to central Florida.

I avoid taking I95 down south. Southern Florida has the worst drivers in the nation.

When I saw that there was a major crash on I75 I assumed it was Florida.

[Aerows]

40. It really is

People are like a foot from the bumper in front of them and everyone is going 80 miles an hour. I'm not surprised in the least by this pile up. When I lived in St. Pete, I used to HATE having to get on I-75. I have no idea how I survived it, either.

[Liberalagogo]

6. I am sure

that this is Obama's fault.

[ailsagirl]

7. Car accidents scare the hell out of me

Terrible.


The only "up" thing on that link is the fact that "Big Bird" is trending...

[slackmaster]

8. That reminds me of a 1970s made-for-TV movie

Smash-Up on Interstate 5



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075236/

[Up2Late]

15. Oh that's a joke compared to when it really happens!

Ever seen pictures of the real thing?

This report shows some mild video from the 2008 I-4 crash, but it gets a lot worse than this.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/235433/250/Safety-improvements-still-needed-years-after-massive-I-4-crash

[ailsagirl]

9. Now it says that there were no fatalities

I hope that's the case.

Geez, where I used to live (Sacramento Valley) the "tule fog" got so bad that once there was a chain reaction of something like 100 cars.

And even without the fog, that kind of crash seems to be more and more common. I try to allow lots of space between me and the car in front, but sometimes the car in front slams on his breaks and you have only a few seconds to react. And hope that the guy behind you isn't following too closely behind.

[valerief]

11. I HATE tailgating. Tailgating appears to be the norm and it terrifies me, especially

with all the texting and guns.

[ailsagirl]

12. Me too

It's one thing to be able to move to the slow lane so the tail-gater can pass, but sometimes I can't change lanes! I hate it when I'm trapped like that. Driving is so dangerous, even when you're super careful.

[valerief]

16. I STAY in the slow lane and always have some clown right up my ass.

WTF? I think there are just a lot of bully drivers.

[ailsagirl]

21. It can really be infuriating

I don't drive that often, but when I do, I drive as defensively as possible. And I tend never to drive at night.

[snooper2]

39. That's when you do a brake check...

[Aerows]

41. Except that everyone is going 80

and they are a foot from each other's bumpers. I-75 is unreal.

[Grammy23]

13. My husband and I made the mistake of traveling I-75 through central Florida once----

and it was bumper to bumper for miles, going no less than 70 mph and often inching toward 80 - 85. Bumper to bumper. I was terrified and knew that all it would have taken was one false move by any one of the vehicles. It was a mix of tractor trailers, RVs, cars, pick ups, trucks pulling horse trailers, delivery trucks. You name it, it was out there roaring down the hiway, everyone hell bent for leather as they say. One blow out, take your eyes off the road for a second and all hell would have been unleashed on a bunch of us. We went like that for miles and miles and no one could move any way except forward. No lane changes were possible. It was a nightmare.

I swore if I ever got off of I-75, I'd never go on it again and so far, I have managed to arrange that. There is another road that runs along the west coast of Florida that is a 4 lane road, divided in places that is much less traveled and far less stressful. It does go through every little town along the way, but that's OK. You will get to see some of America's past.....lots of old timey motels that are VINTAGE. Plus, you can find places to eat or stop for gas easily. I think it is State Hiway 19/27.

[valerief]

17. What we say about Rte 2 here is it's bumper-to-bumper, 70 miles an hour, with the sun in your eyes.

[ailsagirl]

22. That sounds TERRIBLE

Where I live, if the traffic is bumper-to-bumper, it's typically going fairly slow (maybe 30 mph). But then, if someone brakes suddenly...look out.

[DemzRock]

26. Is this it?