Tailgating rules and the wreck on I-80

[herbicide]

Anybody else get stuck in traffic last night after the game? I-80 came to a standstill for about 1 hour due to a wreck on I-80. The hawk fans we rode with were commenting even before that the traffic was never that bad before, and they blame the new tailgating rules.

Before the rules, people would chill out in the lots to let the traffic dissipate, instead of having thousands of cars trying to get out of town at the same time.

Long story short, we all thought the tailgating rules cause more harm than good due to these unintended consequences.

We also thought it was a safe assumption that these rules could of at least contributed to the wreck.

 

[Clonehomer]

They had to do something, the excessive drinking was getting out of control in IC. It is easier to get really harsh and pull it back after it has been tried than it is to start small and keep adding restrictions. Now that the results have been seen, I think they should extend the hours after the game. The 1 hour after the game seems excessive, especially considering most of the parking isn't on university owned land. I like the idea of drunk driving check points after the game. Even if you are only stopping one of every ten cars or so, that possibility should keep most people responsible.

Perhaps rather than restricting the tailgating rules they should just impose breathalyzers at the entrance gates. It seems that all of this stems from an incident last year where some fans were vomitted on by some really drunk fans behind them. If you create restrictions at the gate, it should solve the problems in the stadium. Then you can let the highway patrol make their own public statements about traffic after the game and give warnings of drunk driving check points on the way home.

 

[ISUKyro]

I'm not familiar with every new rule - I take it as they are trying to shut down the lots as soon as the game is over?

 

[ZJohnson]

I am just glad this isnt the case in Ames. The best time is after a win, sitting and drinking.

 

[alarson]

Before the rules, people would chill out in the lots to let the traffic dissipate, instead of having thousands of cars trying to get out of town at the same time.

Long story short, we all thought the tailgating rules cause more harm than good due to these unintended consequences.

Ive always had the same thought about govt-imposed bar close times. When the bars close at 2 all of a sudden thousands end up on the streets, drunk. If they were allowed to stay open later, while yes, some will always drink endlessly, many more would sober up in the bar and be safer going home.

 

[herbicide]

They had to do something, the excessive drinking was getting out of control in IC. It is easier to get really harsh and pull it back after it has been tried than it is to start small and keep adding restrictions. Now that the results have been seen, I think they should extend the hours after the game. The 1 hour after the game seems excessive, especially considering most of the parking isn't on university owned land. I like the idea of drunk driving check points after the game. Even if you are only stopping one of every ten cars or so, that possibility should keep most people responsible.

Perhaps rather than restricting the tailgating rules they should just impose breathalyzers at the entrance gates. It seems that all of this stems from an incident last year where some fans were vomitted on by some really drunk fans behind them. If you create restrictions at the gate, it should solve the problems in the stadium. Then you can let the highway patrol make their own public statements about traffic after the game and give warnings of drunk driving check points on the way home.

Pulling over even 1 out of 10 drivers would cause even more traffic jams. Where would you pull the cars over to?

Keep in mind what happens when a law enforcement officer has someone pulled over, that everybody slows down, gawks and can even cause wrecks.

As far as breathalyzers at the entrance gates, that is quite a bit over the top. Sounds like a police state type of thing.

I do agree it is easier for them to get harsh as they did, then pull back as they most likely will, especially due to the wreck and following traffic jam.

 

[herbicide]

I'm not familiar with every new rule - I take it as they are trying to shut down the lots as soon as the game is over?

After an hour after the game ends, you cannot drink, and after another hour you have to leave the lots.

 

[edr247]

I was talking to friends and they said the rules were a bit too strict, or perhaps a bit too well enforced, in that people who weren't causing any problems were getting hassled as well.

Hopefully, though, the new rules raise awareness and get people to help self-enforce.

 

[Clonehomer]

Pulling over even 1 out of 10 drivers would cause even more traffic jams. Where would you pull the cars over to?

Keep in mind what happens when a law enforcement officer has someone pulled over, that everybody slows down, gawks and can even cause wrecks.

As far as breathalyzers at the entrance gates, that is quite a bit over the top. Sounds like a police state type of thing.

I do agree it is easier for them to get harsh as they did, then pull back as they most likely will, especially due to the wreck and following traffic jam.

I'm not saying that everyone gets breathalyzed. Just catch the people who look completely hammered. Set a BAC limit of something like .12 and kick everyone out that's over that limit. If there are problems in the stands, then allow the security to use the same rules to get people out of there if they are causing problems. This isn't about blanket enforcement, but there is a small percentage of people who go way too far and it can ruin the experience for everyone else. Those are the people that you need to have rules to enable your security to take care of situations as they see fit.

 

[herbicide]

I'm not saying that everyone gets breathalyzed. Just catch the people who look completely hammered. Set a BAC limit of something like .12 and kick everyone out that's over that limit. If there are problems in the stands, then allow the security to use the same rules to get people out of there if they are causing problems. This isn't about blanket enforcement, but there is a small percentage of people who go way too far and it can ruin the experience for everyone else. Those are the people that you need to have rules to enable your security to take care of situations as they see fit.

Ah, I see. You meant enforcing existing laws, (public intox) then sounds perfectly ok to me.

 

[Clonehomer]

Ah, I see. You meant enforcing existing laws, (public intox) then sounds perfectly ok to me.

Isn't that what most of these "new" rules were all about? Iowa fans were complaining that they couldn't walk down the street with an open container. Other than the tailgating time rules, the things that have been debated are something that you wouldn't do in a normal setting in any other part of town. But, for some reason, these are things that should be acceptable because they are tailgating.

 

[MLawrence]

Anybody else get stuck in traffic last night after the game? I-80 came to a standstill for about 1 hour due to a wreck on I-80. The hawk fans we rode with were commenting even before that the traffic was never that bad before, and they blame the new tailgating rules.

I don't know whether the drinking rules affected this crash but this is I can tell you what happened since I was driving the vehicle right behind the one that got T-bone. We were both heading on Dubuque Street South. Both the car in front of me and me wanted to get on I-80 East. Meaning that we had to get into a turning lane and cross over traffic heading North on Dubuque Street. The left lane of Dubuque North was moving slowly because they were trying to get onto I-80 West.

The car in front of me got the go ahead, from another driver, to cross the left lane of traffic and started to cross Dubuque Street North and get onto I-80 East. The car did not see another car coming in the other lane of Dubuque Street North. And the car that T-boned the vehicle in front of me. The car that T-bone the other car was going too fast and should have been going slower since it was heavy traffic. The car that got hit probably could have gone faster but was being more cautious getting onto the interstate.

I was with my girlfriend and she was saying that the accident could have been prevented if the car in front was a SUV instead of car. Because I was driving an Explorer, we could both see that a crash was going to happen. But regardless, each driver needs to remember that they should be more cautious in situation like that because of the heavy traffic. If that means it takes you longer to get home, so be it. Just be safe.

 

[herbicide]

Isn't that what most of these "new" rules were all about? Iowa fans were complaining that they couldn't walk down the street with an open container. Other than the tailgating time rules, the things that have been debated are something that you wouldn't do in a normal setting in any other part of town. But, for some reason, these are things that should be acceptable because they are tailgating.

Well, my whole point was about whether or not the time limits were a wise choice, not about enforcing or not enforcing current laws...

 

[herbicide]

I don't know whether the drinking rules affected this crash but this is I can tell you what happened since I was driving the vehicle right behind the one that got T-bone. We were both heading on Dubuque Street South. Both the car in front of me and me wanted to get on I-80 East. Meaning that we had to get into a turning lane and cross over traffic heading North on Dubuque Street. The left lane of Dubuque North was moving slowly because they were trying to get onto I-80 West.

The car in front of me got the go ahead, from another driver, to cross the left lane of traffic and started to cross Dubuque Street North and get onto I-80 East. The car did not see another car coming in the other lane of Dubuque Street North. And the car that T-boned the vehicle in front of me. The car that T-bone the other car was going too fast and should have been going slower since it was heavy traffic. The car that got hit probably could have gone faster but was being more cautious getting onto the interstate.

I was with my girlfriend and she was saying that the accident could have been prevented if the car in front was a SUV instead of car. Because I was driving an Explorer, we could both see that a crash was going to happen. But regardless, each driver needs to remember that they should be more cautious in situation like that because of the heavy traffic. If that means it takes you longer to get home, so be it. Just be safe.

That is not the wreck I am speaking of. The one I am talking about happened on I-80 eastbound near mm175 (just east of Newton).