Another big pile up on I35

That, and following way too close. Tons of people follow way too close even in dry conditions.

They establish that habit and then when adversity hits, it can get bad quick.

If everyone followed at minimum 4 seconds (more in snow) lots of problems would be averted as they could stop on time.

Paying attention to the actual driving thing helps too.

I went by a two vehicle rear-ending the other day on my run, and probably 80% of the drivers approaching the scene were looking at their phones. Morons.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: ruflosn
Yeah, a car length for every 10 mph. Must have been driving 30 when she tore off her entire front end?

3-4 seconds is the (kind of) new determination.

Pick a *stationary object like a pole, line, whatever, when the car in front of you gets to it, count to 4 Mississippi.

Car lengths are difficult to determine and if it were at 50-60 mph, 5-6 car lengths isn't even close to what it takes for a car to stop.

Obviously don't stare at the stationary object. :)
 
We were traveling to Clear Lake and met this snow just north of Ames. People northbound were doing a good job of keeping their speed down and keeping space between cars. Noticed some, including a school bus, simply got off the interstate and waited for it to pass. Of course there was those that sped past everyone else but luckily they were also spaced out. Did seem to be more southbound traffic

Drivers between Ankeny and Ames have to be some of the worst - not just game days.
 
Last edited:
  • Agree
Reactions: ruflosn
This lady is here to give us a lecture on it.

http://whotv.com/2018/02/17/it-happened-again-police-say-around-70-vehicles-involved-in-i-35-pileup/

"“I was just coming down and I had, like, three car lengths of space :eek: in front of me and this other guy because it wasn't slick o_O, but it could have been o_O. I saw a white SUV do a 'U' right in front of him, and I was like, 'oh crap, I better slow down,’ but it was already too late because there were already three cars that had gone off the road. So I tried to curve my car to the other side of the road and I scrapped half the car and then spun back into everybody else,” said Erika DeSmidt.

DeSmidt says she was lucky to be uninjured, though her car isn't as lucky.

“It's totaled, I've got a wheel that's, like, sideways, my whole front end's missing...I had to kick my way out of my door,” she said :eek:.

DeSmidt hoped drivers had learned their lesson from the pileup nearly two weeks ago, but says apparently that wasn’t the case :rolleyes:.""

Like, yeah, totally I'm going to assume that this person, was, like, totally checking their Facebook while driving in on the interstate in, like, really heavy traffic and stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ruflosn
We call those things "shredders!" I think they must have been sponsored by the body shop industry! Seriously, put them in the middle of the median, not right along the edge of the lanes. I know a guy in the DOT who was involved with making this decisions. Must give him some crap this week.
Trust me the body shop industry doesn't benefit from them as you think. Most of them are totaled.
 
Like, yeah, totally I'm going to assume that this person, was, like, totally checking their Facebook while driving in on the interstate in, like, really heavy traffic and stuff.
This deserves like, a like.
 
It's called defensive driving. If you haven't been taught this, you should probably head back to driving school.

Seriously? Do I have to slap ":jimlad:" on EVERY single sarcastic post? Especially when I'm quoting a Rabbuk post? Double especially when the only person that would be serious about posting something like I posted would be a sociopath?

Come on, man...
 
80 was also closed in places yesterday. From DSM to Davenport there were probably 20 cars in the ditch.
 
nothing like a little brake checking when someone is about 2 car lengths behind you! Not saying to do it in bad weather but a tap on the brakes will get there attention.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ruflosn
nothing like a little brake checking when someone is about 2 car lengths behind you! Not saying to do it in bad weather but a tap on the brakes will get there attention.

And you could also cause your own collision.

Better bet is to increase your own front space so you have more 'control' on a tailgater. If they pass, idiots are better off in front of you if you stay clear.
 
I always keep a good distance between myself and the person ahead of me when the roads are slick. The annoying thing is though someone passing me then goes in front of me when I do that, and I have to slow down to create a distance from that person.
 
I'd be interested in knowing where these are occurring in relation to where all the new asphalt overlay is located. Asphalt may be cheaper but in my opinion is not as safe as concrete. Especially when a very noticeable difference in height between lanes was allowed to remain for miles with the new asphalt.
This may not have anything to do with the cause of these pile ups but has been a safety concern of mine since all the black stuff has been going down on the interstate.
 
I'd be interested in knowing where these are occurring in relation to where all the new asphalt overlay is located. Asphalt may be cheaper but in my opinion is not as safe as concrete. Especially when a very noticeable difference in height between lanes was allowed to remain for miles with the new asphalt.
This may not have anything to do with the cause of these pile ups but has been a safety concern of mine since all the black stuff has been going down on the interstate.
Life cycle cost of asphalt is not cheaper than concrete.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyfan4good
nothing like a little brake checking when someone is about 2 car lengths behind you! Not saying to do it in bad weather but a tap on the brakes will get there attention.
And if you’re going to get in the left lane to pass, make the pass. There’s nothing more frustrating than someone in the left lane that takes 5 min to pass another car in the right lane with nothing but free space in front of them.
 
I'd be interested in knowing where these are occurring in relation to where all the new asphalt overlay is located. Asphalt may be cheaper but in my opinion is not as safe as concrete. Especially when a very noticeable difference in height between lanes was allowed to remain for miles with the new asphalt.
This may not have anything to do with the cause of these pile ups but has been a safety concern of mine since all the black stuff has been going down on the interstate.
Concrete is more vulnerable to freeze-thaw cycles compared to asphalt. Also, the salt that is used on roads in the winter deteriorates concrete but doesn't affect asphalt. The asphalt had no bearing on this pileup.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyfan4good

Help Support Us

Become a patron