Horrible crash in Lakewood CO, I70 closed both directions. 12 vehicles 4 semi huge fire

If any mountain in the east that has my number it's Sandstone. (I-64) probably because its usually into the teeth of winter storms up there. Witnessed too much losses there. PA is not too bad, however Ive learned what is possible or not on mine roads near Scranton which is not marked but steep enough to force your tractor to jackknife by the pressures on your 5th wheel with angle on the curves in the rain. If the tractor is being shoved side to side, you are going too fast and need to slow down to provide traction and lessen the pressure. Ive only been up there three times so I can safely say there isnt more than twice a tractor would do that to me loaded.

Finally when DM Bowman gave me that new daycab mack in the 90's with the attitude of a mountain goat, loaded me up and up to Fishertown off 56 Babcock Ridge in a proper raging ice storm to a lumber shop at 8 am perfect delivery appt. (*This is one where you will be fired if arrive at 8:01) and some of my regular work going up there.

That particular ice storm coming back down the grade was revealing the limits of what fear there is and how much it takes before I think to refuse to accept the problem down that particularly icy mountain empty with flatbed in rush no less. 10 mph 220 degree turnback curve at the bottom east bound.

This was a beginning of a sort of a love for Mack and what's possible with them on the short legs and a little steady work.

 

That's one part of it. Pretty damning as well when you see that he ran a pickup into the median on the left.

Then you understand it's a number of miles from there to the west denver crash where the people were killed. He did nothing all the way. I don't know what he was thinking once he got into denver core downtown with al that stuff into and from I-70. It would have not been good. There was even a slight hill half way between where he could have stopped to have a smoke and breathe out his troubles.

Finally there is not enough smoke on that tires to make me accept that he blew all his air and had the spring brakes fail to stop the truck. It's not calculating that way in my head on that little bit of smoke. I wonder if he got too scared to apply brakes knowing he will go through alot of air at that point on the way down.

 

Ahhhhh Sandstone. It’s been many years since I’ve been down that, but I cut my driving teeth on that particular stretch many years ago hauling fuel. Thankfully I had good teachers (fellow drivers) and I had the sense enough to be scared lol.

 

If I had made all the mistakes he did I would've at least ran into the bridge supports and taken myself out instead of using innocent people to stop my momentum.

 

A lot of states have manual is multiple languages..

 

True, but you have to test in English per FMCSA regulations. NOTE: Your not required to read the manual to take the test. So who cares what language it's in.

 

Evidently they must be taking it in foreign language...otherwise how would they pass the test?

 

And that is the million dollar question. Because if some States are allowing it then I can smell a civil lawsuit here by those injured parties against the State that allowed it.

But I suspect, the driver did pass the test in English as required.

 

Exactly..they are required to follow federal regulations as it pertains to cdl's...this could open pandoras box...i hope it exposes every state doing this.

 

I was in a Michigan Secretary of State office. One guy taking the test. His buddy reading him the questions and I assumed giving him the answers. No idea what language it was. Guess what he passed!!!!