Traffic wreck Humboldt County style

[Joe G.]

There was a wreck in the paper this morning. A farm tractor was pulling a load of hay on a farm wagon on the freeway. Some young woman driving a Toyota tried to make a lane change to try to miss it going at least 65 and hit the wagon. That knocked the wagon off the tractor and into the ditch. Scattered hay all over the place. Then some guy in a Peterbilt dump truck tried to dodge the wreck. A car hits him so the dump truck ends up side ways in the middle of the fast lane. The whole north bound side of the freeway is blocked. The car drivers are in the hospital getting patched up. The truck driver is ok. The farm tractor driver is in jail for DUI.

 

[truckstom]

July 3rd

Just as rush hour is gettin' started in Austin,Tx. for the 4th. Empty gravel truck, 35 ft trailer starts raising up, driver doesn't notice a thing... . until he takes out some high powered power lines... . keeps going until he takes out overhead highway signs. The one that reaches all the way across the entire 8 lanes of traffic. instant gridlock. ALL DAY. :{

 

[Briar Hopper]

Originally posted by Joe G.

The farm tractor driver is in jail for DUI.

:--) SAY WHAT???!!! And in the morning, too! It's physically hard, dirty, dangerous work, I don't even want to imagine how he got anything else done while drunk!

Done enough farm work myself, to know it's a good way for even the most careful person in the world to get hurt or killed... .

 

[Joe G.]

Tom,



That was in this morning's paper. It happened sometime yesterday. I've bucked a few bails myself. I don't know how anybody could do that kind of work in such bad shape they would flunk a DUI test. On top of that, it's felony DUI since some people got hurt.

 

[Doc Tinker]

I'll bet some technicalities will come to play on those charges. Is there a law against driving a farm tractor drunk?



In Michigan, it's illegal to drive a farm tractor on the freeway.



Doc

 

[Joe G.]

I've seen some farm contraptions I didn't recognise being towed by tractors on I5 near Woodland. There is usually a pickup truck following with flashing yellow lights. This was on US101 between Arcata and McKinleyville here in Humboldt County. That section of US101 is freeway. The felony DUI law was passed just a few years ago. If anyone is hurt it's a felony. The DA has been pretty tough on enforcing that one. Nobody was hurt bad so this case may be plea bargained down.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Joe,

Is that the '50 mph special driving' section with flashing yellow lights and the radar signs or farther north?



Must be a lot of Indians in jail if the DA is a hard liner on DIUs. The fiance of a friend of mine is an EMT on the rigs that go out to Hoopa and it sounds like the majority of his calls are the results of drunken fights or DUIs.



Brian

 

[Joe G.]

It was just south of the Mad River bridge. Most people are doing 70 there. The DA is tough on the felony DUI arrests. Too many people have been killed by repeat offenders here. Last year a tow truck driver was on a call changing a tire and a drunk got him. Repeat offender driving without a license. He is in prison now.

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by Doc Tinker

I'll bet some technicalities will come to play on those charges. Is there a law against driving a farm tractor drunk?



In Michigan, it's illegal to drive a farm tractor on the freeway.



Doc

It's illegal to drive a bicycle drunk in many states.

Farm equipment and even bicycles can go on the freeway if there isn't an alternate route. Some states require warning lights.

If I recall the Mad River bridge correctly it's a looong way around it except on the freeway.

 

[Champane Flight]

DUI

I can attest to the driving a bike drunk. A very good friend of mine had his license taken away on a DUI. He bought a bicycle and proceeded to go about his life. He only lived around ten blocks from his work and a couple of blocks from his favorite bar. He was arrested for drunken bike riding (moving vehicle) a couple of weeks after his DUI. Four weeks later was arrested for public drunk as he was walking his bike home! Can't say he wasn't trying?

 

[Joe G.]

It is a long way around if you don't take the bridge. About half way to Blue Lake before you can cross the river up stream. Down stream there is no crossing at all except for a hiking trail over an old railroad bridge. The freeway has a bike lane in that area. The north bound bridge is the old iron bridge that was used for both lanes before it became a freeway. Not it has flashing warning lights when a bicycle is on the bridge. So far no body has been hit on a bike.

 

[merryman]

No wreck but real excitin!!!



Severl years ago while driving through Humbolt county, a pickup a few cars ahead lost a large roll of carpet.

All of a sudden ahead of me was nothing but dust and brake lights.

At about 65 MPH, I was suddenly faced with the choice of hitting the car in the right lane, hitting this honking roll of carpet blocking the left lane, or diving off into the median behind others who made that choice.

Fishtailing around in the median in dust too thick to see much at that speed is way too exciting. Managed to get back on the pavement in time to see a lady standing behind the culprit pickup with her hands on top her head with eyes big as dinner plates.

Mine were too!!!!!!

Vaughn