Anyone had to use a runaway truck ramp?

Its not the hill that causes brake fade... Its the driver not knowing what they are doing...

Brake fade is simply the brakes loosing effectiveness as they overheat from over use. This can be exacerbated by lose of air which is also usually due to over use of the brakes. This can happen on ANY hill that is steep enough to cause you to gain speed if it is long enough.

What usually makes the big grades dangerous is the corners, lots of traffic, or a stop sign or light at the bottom... Sometimes there are even intersections along the grade on some back roads.

The west bound side of Ike in CO has an exit at the bottom. There is a big sign that says something to the effect of "Trucks that have lost brakes DO NOT EXIT. Upgrade in 1/2 mile"... I'm guessing That at least one person tried to take the exit with no brakes... Not a good thing to try.

 

You can go 'too slow' down a mountain many, many times.

You generally only go down a mountain 'too fast' once.

 

True and I have heard that all my life, just like most drivers. On the ice up here you can get in trouble quick going to slow though, it is hard to convince folks of that, including me when I first started running here. There is a point where gravity takes over.