Highway Thru Hell - From TV ....

Discussion in 'Canadian Truckers Forum' started by Pullin2, Sep 5, 2012.

  1. cliochannel

    cliochannel Light Load Member

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    Family members check Drive BC, etc, etc. faithfully before heading up. I check it too. And yes, sometimes they will call from up near Zopkios and tell me that it is hellish up there, and then I check dear old Drive BC and conditions aren't updated. By the way, anyone noticed that sometimes the photos of conditions don't quite change when they should? Yup, sometimes when you know your menfolk are now driving in darkness, the camera view will still show a daylight image:) Also, when a situation occurs where there is traffic really really backed up-like hundreds of trucks stuck in Rogers Pass waiting for it to open, the image will go offline. Such a mystery that. Anyhow, the signage issue at the bottom to allow public advance notice of chains, needs to be fixed. Having a cheery message "Share highways with Motorcycles" does nothing to protect commercial and motor traffic who may want to take an alternate route. BC Trucking Association isn't going to get it done for truckers, they basically exist to protect the trucking companies, not drivers. Concerns to CTV about the need for up to date accurate information on chains and conditions needs to be available on signage at Hunter Creek. I urge all of you to let your local MLA know, if you live in BC. CTV also has a very active involved reporter Jon Woodward, and he can be reached at jon.woodward@bellmedia.ca It is high time a campaign was started by the truckers to get the signage at Hunter Creek updated and timely before we head into Hell season on the Coq. Stay safe, guys.
     
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  3. Pullin2

    Pullin2 Crusty Canuck

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    That was a good post (above). Maybe DriveBC should be privatized. We all know gov't is supposed to be accountable, we also know they're slow as molasses going uphill in February. Maybe private instead of crown with real time web cams and a private accountable company may be the way to go ..... maybe this guy with the fancy wreckers and the TV show could put in a bid ..... ??
     
  4. BoomTruckin

    BoomTruckin Light Load Member

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    If that were to happen, then tolls would have to be collected.

    In Toronto the best highway to travel, best maintained, expanded, policed and serviced is the 407. But it comes at a cost of paying high toll rates.
     
  5. CbarM

    CbarM Heavy Load Member

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    I think anyone with any common sense whatsoever and knows anything about BC highways would just automatically take the canyon if there was a major previous dump of snow. I had the option to run either, but opted for the canyon most times just to avoid all the BS n super truckers...never had a problem...
     
  6. Pullin2

    Pullin2 Crusty Canuck

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    Yeah, yer right.

    What do you think the toll would be over the hill ? Would it be worth it ?

    Winter is still winter I guess, no matter who's name is on the side of the plow.
     
  7. cliochannel

    cliochannel Light Load Member

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    Glad company hubby now has truck on with gives their guys discretion as to which route to use to get to destination-whether Canyon & Sp. Bridge to Merrit then Connector if Kelowna-of if Canyon is bad too but Hope-Princeton passable they can use Princeton-Aspen Grove to Connector, or even Keremeos-Peachland if Connector is bad too and they have to get to the Okanagan. They simply say use common sense and stay safe. Canyon to Kamloops was only about an hour longer, and same with coming through Merritt-Aspen Grove-Princeton to Hope when both Coq and Canyon were closed one winter. If you like fishing, some ###### fine lakes along Princeton-Aspen Grove. You can take a gander of a summertime trip through there on youtube.
     
  8. Gigarange

    Gigarange Bobtail Member

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    I was running the coq last winter when the show was being filmed. That cvse officer that was helping that new Canadian how to chain up...what a joke, totally for tv. There is no way in hell you'd find him actually doing that. Had 3 encounters with him on the road and don't know how many in the scale house. Only one encounter ended in a fine and me parked on the side of the hill into Kamloops for the night 6 mins from my destination right at dusk...was missing a couple oversized lights.

    I can see the point about the signs, but anyone going up there without a VHF radio is just plain crazy, and you can get 100% better info from someone who has just come thru then any sign can give you. I realize that doesn't help the general public though.

    as far as chaining both axles, they make b-trains chain both with triples regardless of the load, but will let a 53' tridem van thru with a pair of singles on. I had a set of my triples break on me at Box Canyon one night, still had 3 wheels chained with full lockers and only about 20,000 on my trains having no issues with traction whatsoever, and mr. "Helpful" cvse officer on the show turned me around, simply because I was pulling trains. When I asked if I could take one trailer at a time up he threatened to tow my second trailer if I tried that.

    The whole having no experience up there as an excuse isn't one in my opinion either. Last year was my first winter driving anything bigger then a 5-ton, and I was pulling flat deck trains fully loaded most of the time. A little common sense, airing on the side of caution, keeping my ears open and mouth shut but making sure to ask questions when I needed to got me thru an average of 14,000 Kim's a month with only 1 fine and 0 incidents, and an average of 3 round trips a week thru either the coq or the canyon.
     
  9. mhallam

    mhallam Light Load Member

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    I am an avid watcher of Ice Road Truckers and this show, and being an owner/op for 12 years now, I just looked at my wife the other night and said, I am so lucky, doing what we do, we don't venture far, home nightly or every other nite for the most part, and when it gets brutal out, we shut it down and hunker home til it passes. I honestly am amazed at what I seen on the Coke, my hat goes off to the guys who run that.

    We carry chains per company regs, but the last time I threw on jewellry was probably 10 years ago, and I tell my drivers, its your call, but when its the craps, header home, anything we haul can sit there another day or two.

    I had a unit roll over a few winters ago in a snowstorm, and between insurance deductibles, downtime, cleanup and headache, I just shut it down now.

    However, I will say, when the tow guys said that drivers just abandon their rigs on the highway and leave, I am surprised at that, if I owned a truck and the guy just left it on the highway, spun out and walked away, I would be wild... I can't believe that happens... that honestly surprised me.

    Even though these shows play up alot, sometimes us flat landers get quite a education about truckin past Calgary, and Brandon.
     
  10. Gigarange

    Gigarange Bobtail Member

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    About abandoning the truck...I would in a heart beat in winter.
    There is large sections up there where there is no cell reception, temperatures can dip down below -20C and with the amount of moisture in the air it is like -40C in the prairies. And add the howling wind in there....no chance in hell I'd stick around.

    no load or piece of equipment is worth the drivers life to stick around and hope help finds you. You've gotta go find it, a passing truck will likely pick you up, or for some of us...you'll know another driver passing by.
     
  11. nate980

    nate980 Road Train Member

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    theres only a small section where i lose service on the coke.
     
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