What happens when someone pulls a u-turn in front of you at 85mph

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Meat_

Banned
Location
Lehi
I'm betting she stopped abruptly to look for a place to uturn, and that she never got all the way stopped before he hit.... or she would be flat.
 

SAMI

Formerly Beardy McGee
Location
SLC, UT
I'm betting she stopped abruptly to look for a place to uturn, and that she never got all the way stopped before he hit.... or she would be flat.

Kinda what i'm thinking..

Maybe next time 6 car lengths or more will be a better idea. :sick:
 

rokrash

Member
We were in the left, she was in the right lane. 3 car lengths is an estimate because I was not the one driving and was not doing calculations. She headed into our lane at an angle to get into the approach in the median to turn around. There is no way for her to turn 90 degrees to make the approach at interstate speeds. We were traveling a whole lot faster than she was because we were on her in no time flat.

Yes, we did hit her in the rear. We would have collided with the grill of our truck hitting the driver taillight of her van if my buddy would not have angle the Ex to the right. This is why we hit her in the rear and why the rear of her van is pushed to the pass. side.
 

amigo1

Amigos = Friends
Location
Kearns,Ut
I hate to be the one to bring this up, but I personally don't put ALL the blame on the old lady. Maybe it's just me, but I think you're a total moron for letting your "buddy" endanger your life, your sons life, and the lives of others around you by going 85 mph TOWING A TRAILER. A little slower speed might have given a better response time for avoiding something like an idiot doing a u-turn on a freeway.
Another word for the wise - don't admit to doing something stupid to the general populace.
 

snccoulter

www.coulters-inc.com
I hate to be the one to bring this up, but I personally don't put ALL the blame on the old lady. Maybe it's just me, but I think you're a total moron for letting your "buddy" endanger your life, your sons life, and the lives of others around you by going 85 mph TOWING A TRAILER. A little slower speed might have given a better response time for avoiding something like an idiot doing a u-turn on a freeway.
Another word for the wise - don't admit to doing something stupid to the general populace.

So you have never speed with a trailer??
Even at 65 if she stood on the breaks you are screwed 65, 75 or 85 the reaction time is so limited it would not have made much of a difference. the old lady should not be allowed to drive if she does not have the brains not to stand on the breaks on a freeway. oh and by the way do you watch the speedo when you are not driving. come on tell the truth i bet you always say slow down you are hitting 45.
 

ID Bronco

Registered User
Location
Idaho Falls, ID
I hate to be the one to bring this up, but I personally don't put ALL the blame on the old lady. Maybe it's just me, but I think you're a total moron for letting your "buddy" endanger your life, your sons life, and the lives of others around you by going 85 mph TOWING A TRAILER. A little slower speed might have given a better response time for avoiding something like an idiot doing a u-turn on a freeway.
Another word for the wise - don't admit to doing something stupid to the general populace.

Is it smart to go 85, no, but Nebraska is a long way, I could see the propensity to go a little fast. Don't be a jerk, he just had an accident. I am glad everyone is allright. You were blessed in my opinion.
 

broncomitch

dont be a sheep in a jeep
Location
west jordan,UT
wow!! your very lucky! i really truly think elderly people should not drive. what's wrong with the cage? i cant really see anything in the pic's.

i drive all day at work and at least 3 times a day without fail, i almost get into a accident( 80% of the time with elderly drivers)

just today i had a elderly woman that was in the middle of a turning lane wanting to get into my lane (10600s & redwood by McDonald's) i stop to let her in(3 car lengths at least) she points to the spot in front of her that she wants to be in,i say okay (hand signals) waiting.......waiting......traffic blocked for ever....she waves for me to pull up...i wave "OK" and start to pull up....well she decides she's had enough, hit's the gas cut's me off ran OVER a road work sign,dove into traffic on redwood cutting everyone off, car's swerving everywhere, she drove over a kerb into a parking lot,back over a kerb and back onto redwood....i could not believe it.

i see stupid crap like that everyday...no wonder why so many people die on the road's.
 

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
I hate to be the one to bring this up, but I personally don't put ALL the blame on the old lady. Maybe it's just me, but I think you're a total moron for letting your "buddy" endanger your life, your sons life, and the lives of others around you by going 85 mph TOWING A TRAILER. A little slower speed might have given a better response time for avoiding something like an idiot doing a u-turn on a freeway.
Another word for the wise - don't admit to doing something stupid to the general populace.

My guess is you've rarely, if ever towed something. I put 50k on my tow rig one year going to rock crawl events, and some were in the east. Yes, I two did the unthinkable going 85 mph quite often, and once in a while 90. To call someone a moron in this situation is a moronic thing to do. The lady, in my opinion, was 100% at fault.
 

waynehartwig

www.jeeperman.com
Location
Mead, WA
My guess is you've rarely, if ever towed something. I put 50k on my tow rig one year going to rock crawl events, and some were in the east. Yes, I two did the unthinkable going 85 mph quite often, and once in a while 90. To call someone a moron in this situation is a moronic thing to do. The lady, in my opinion, was 100% at fault.

Exactly. Not only did she do something illegal, but something stupid - ie stopping in the fast lane on the freeway and trying to use the median for a u turn.


Granted, I do believe towing at 85+ isn't the smartest thing to do, but in no way did it cause the accident. If you don't think it's smart to go that fast, then don't do it. But don't critize someone else that was just about killed when it had no effect on why the accident was caused. Now I could see doing it if he lost control and came in here posting pictures of that aftermath...
 

amigo1

Amigos = Friends
Location
Kearns,Ut
Of course I am glad there were no seious injuries involved with this accident - I'm not inhuman. I just think that people should call a spade a spade and realize that yes, the elderly people should probably not even been able to be on the road if they are so brainless as to listen and obey a machine telling them to do something so idiotic, BUT, to empathize with someone doing something stupid - well.
Could this possibly be why the insurance isn't just automatically covering the accident?
Hummmm - Speeding, driving in the far left lane with a trailer, probably not maintaining a proper following distance, not to mention reckless endangerment. Nothing was said about if there were any citations issued. My guess was he was told that it WAS partially his fault because of his speed.
I personally care more about my loved ones than getting home a little earlier, and my wife is in complete agreement in this point. Had he been going maybe 70-75, he, and his jeep, would probably be at home, all's fine, missing the crash completely.
Yes, I speed all the time, had my share of speeding tickets even, and I will be the first to admit that 99% of the time it is probably stupid of me to be doing it, BUT I don't expect anyone to support my stupidity if something were to happen because of it.
Had the elderly couple been my granny and gramps, I'd be pissed at the Idiot going 85 mph judging by the damage done to their van, and probably would have sued the living snot out of the idiot had someone died.
Also - having been a commercial OTR driver with a spotless record (no speeding tickets), yes, I have pulled a few trailers.
 

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
Also - having been a commercial OTR driver with a spotless record (no speeding tickets), yes, I have pulled a few trailers.

That makes 2 of us. Were you quick to jump to a lot of assumptions and judge your fellow truckers who had bad accidents also?
 

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
Gastown
in related news, it's also not safe to travel 120mph in a trophy truck, at night, on a dirt road in baja mexico.

No ****.


Glad to hear everyone is ok.
 

amigo1

Amigos = Friends
Location
Kearns,Ut
Yeah, why would anyone speed during a race, anyway???

dip ****.

Also glad to hear everyone, including the elderly, are ok.
 

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
Gastown
yes, but you are trying to explain the inherent danger of operating a vehicle in excess of the speed limit, and how that risk is enhanced when other variables, such as a trailer, are brought into the equation. Is this school on Sunday? The thread starter wasn’t looking for anyone to justify the circumstances leading to the accident, but rather to share what happened so that others can keep it in the back of their mind to be more careful.

Everything is a risk, and accidents happen. If one of those trucks in a "race" is speeding on the highway, where they are required to obey traffic laws including posted speed limits, and gets in an accident, would you justify the behavior because it's a race, or vilify it for being illegal and unsafe? Apparently you’d justify it because it’s convenient and easier for you to reconcile with the bare bones set of analytics you came programmed with…..dip **** ;)
 

James K

NO, I'm always like this
Location
Taylorsville, Ut
yes, but you are trying to explain the inherent danger of operating a vehicle in excess of the speed limit, and how that risk is enhanced when other variables, such as a trailer, are brought into the equation. Is this school on Sunday? The thread starter wasn’t looking for anyone to justify the circumstances leading to the accident, but rather to share what happened so that others can keep it in the back of their mind to be more careful.

Everything is a risk, and accidents happen. If one of those trucks in a "race" is speeding on the highway, where they are required to obey traffic laws including posted speed limits, and gets in an accident, would you justify the behavior because it's a race, or vilify it for being illegal and unsafe? Apparently you’d justify it because it’s convenient and easier for you to reconcile with the bare bones set of analytics you came programmed with…..dip **** ;)
nice..........clapping.
 

TJDukit

I.Y.A.A.Y.A.S.
Location
Clearfield
Hummmm - Speeding, driving in the far left lane with a trailer, probably not maintaining a proper following distance, not to mention reckless endangerment..

Well lets see, seeing as how he was driving in the far left lane and the driver of the other vehicle was in the right lane, it wasn't his responsibility to maintain a safe driving distance, which you can't do when passing somebody on the freeway.

It's been said numerous times, the thread starter isn't looking for people to point fingers, to me it seems he just wants to inform people of the possible dangers that each and everyone of us face everytime we get into a vehicle. Could it have been avoided? Sure, so can most accidents, but it happened and thank god everyone is ok.
 

JL Rockies

Binders Fulla Expo
Location
Draper
I'm glad you're OK and the kid as well. I have to say though, I never speed when I have my godsons in the Jeep. They are not my children and I would feel terrible if something were to happen to them while in my charge.

The old lady was obviously wrong here but there's no way your friend could've been driving defensively at 90mph either.

I towed all me stuff to FL and back to UT and never exceeded the speed limit; saving time is just not worth it. I bet your friend feels terrible about the whole thing and he probably will not be driving that fast again.

In Dec 2007 I was on my way to the airport in an Xpress shuttle van. There was a snow storm going on and it was Xmas so the driver was very busy and behind. We were in the HOV lane by far the fastest moving vehicle on the road (which was stupid). Low and behold, I spy of Firebird spinning across all lanes of traffic. Since every else was driving like it was a snow storm, no one else hit him. When he came to rest across the HOV lane, my driver was not able to stop in time (because he was speeding) and we t-boned the Firebird. I suffered a fractured and dislocated right elbow despite being buckled in. My driver did not get a ticket because it was not his fault the other clown came to rest on our lane. The reality was however, if he was flowing with traffic, he would also not of hit him (like everyone else). When I sued Xpress shuttle, people that counted agreed with me.

My point is just because you're not at fault, doesn't mean you're not to blame.

Be safe out there, your kid needs you to pay for college. :D
 
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