Runaway ramps

New cdl drivers should be nervous about going down a steep hill with 80,000 lbs on wheels. Gravity is a scientific discovery that no one has yet disproven.
That is why brakes are so important...so best that new drivers learn and understand how they work and can fail!

Smoke in your mirrors is never a good thing!

 

Thats where the outtires of the drives come in. Minimal damage if there is oging to be any

Unfortunately bumping people intentionally which runs them off the road as fact that holds up in Court sentences you to 25 years with Agg assault CMV. Intentions matter not here. Except facts on which millions will ride.

 

They should be SCARED. But not the kind of fear that freezes one to the weapon unable to function. That is why drill is for.

Nephew is a heavy machine gunner and has been to Bagram among other places just lie dad did and his great grandfather before him.

 

Totally agree with running a drivecam, not a gopro since drivecams are available with gps info, If you intentionally hit another vehicle that is parked or stopped, and any harm comes to them and your camera shows you intentional ran into them your going to jail. I will not intentionally put a truck into a car, You do not know why the car is there they may have broke down.
Go back to concentrating on your own good driving habits and odds are you will never go into a ramp.
I don't see how intentionally taking out a car because your out of control, and if your headed for a escape ramp your out of control is the wrong answer.
Do your job, do your pretrips, check your brakes before you start down a grade, or at least go down it slow, be a professional and learn about what you do.

 

First I DO NOT agree that hitting a vehicle that is parked in such a way to block access to a highway safety feature is going to get a driver locked up. Those areas are CLEARLY marked to stay away, AND the reason they are parked there is not relevant! In fact,I would proffer this comment. If you decided to not hit a car parked in front of a runaway ramp and kill on down that hill AND survive it, you might have to explain to your company why, to a cop investigating the case AS well as an attorney in court. YES,I agree you might have legal issues from hitting that car I am forced to agree. However, in this case you do have a legit reason. However, bypassing that ramp and killing later you are dead in the water in court!

2nd your 2nd paragraph makes absolutely NO SENSE at all. That ramp is designed to be the last option to get an otherwise out of control CMV slowed down. I guess you are now advising a driver that is out of control to continue down a hill and do as much or more damage later on. This can cause your death as a driver, your company millions in fines and lawsuits PLUS a real innocent victim that was just driving along.

However, I am in full agreement with you on the prevention angle. The best way to stay out of trouble in these situations is to drive correctly and keep your vehicle's braking system working properly. THAT is the best way to handle this.

 

One more thing about POVs parking in them. If you see one parked or abandoned blocking a runaway ramp REPORT it. You might well save somebody's life doing so. I'm not going to waste my time asking some DOT officers I know about State law in regard to this. To be honest I suspect you have a greater chance of hitting a 500 million Powerball jackpot than be placed in that situation. A lot has to go wrong. You have to become a runaway, I wonder how many times this happens in the US each year? Then you have to be in an area where there is a runaway ramp! Then add to this having a POV block that ramp just when you need it. Stay safe and follow the correct safety rules for driving heavy CMVs in these areas.

 

You can go down a hill a million times too slow it only takes once too fast. Take your time going down. I prefer smoking cigarettes over smoking my brakes. If you do have to hit a ramp there is a good chance depending on circumstance that you'll be looking for a new job. I have been on the road for 18 years and not once needed a runaway truck ramp. Jake brakes are there for a good reason I don't go faster than it can hold me

 

The stupid questions are the ones that don't get asked. There's bound to be someone who tries to burn you just take it in stride. Most of the guys who have been on the road for a decent amount of time will answer your questions.

 

My only point is that defensive driving could keep you from ever being in the position of needing the ramp, and I agree if someone is blocking it call out the troopers to deal with it.

I did not advocate for a driver needing to use an available ramp not to do so, only that hitting something for sure was a bad idea.

Prevention goes along way in to not having Oh Crap moments. But if they do arise you of course have to decide at that time what is the best course of action.