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Trucks Are Killing Us

nytimes.com

11–20 of 248 posts

Re: Trucks Are Killing Us

#13
> About a mile before the crash, the driver ignored work-zone warning signs on the New Jersey Turnpike of likely delays

What was expected here, honestly? Should he have made a note in his notebook?

> About a half-mile later, the posted speed limit dropped to 45 m.p.h. from the usual 65, which the driver also ignored.

Truly more often than not the people who do slow down are in the vast minority and arguably the bigger road hazard.

Re: Trucks Are Killing Us

#14
post #11

Something semi-automated like speedlimit signs that radio out info which the truck receives and enforces seems possible.

Signs like those could be a godsend to teenagers out for a prank. Steal one from a road with a speed limit of 25, and put it on the interstate where the speed limit's 55, or the opposite, a speed limit of 55 in a 25 zone. I guess you could potentially add geofencing to the signs, but that means tacking up a roadsign becomes a lot more difficult as you suddenly need to spend the time to reprogram signs when you post them.

Re: Trucks Are Killing Us

#15

As a cyclist I feel the same way about cars in general, and the stats are similar.

Actually, I don't think the statistics are remotely similar (at least in the UK).

In London, for instance, every single cyclist death in 2015 has been due to the cyclist getting crushed by a truck. [1]

I don't know about the US, but I suspect the statistics would be similar, at least in cities.

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/recreational-cycling/1...

Re: Trucks Are Killing Us

#16

Until self driving machines become a reality, there are startups like Maven Machines in Pittsburgh that are tackling the problem of driver fatigue thru innovative use of machine learning. Site: http://mavenmachines.com/

They might want to pivot into something that's going to be needed in ten years.

Re: Trucks Are Killing Us

#17
The trucking industry... insists that it needs longer work weeks... so that more trucks will not be needed on the road, which it says could result in more accidents. That logic is laughable, but Congress seems to be buying it.

Yeah that makes zero sense. If drivers are driving more, trucks will be on the road more. The actual result of sane work hours would be that more drivers would share trucks and drive in shifts, which is already fairly common. If sharing trucks is somehow impossible, then the industry could buy more trucks, to be parked waiting for their drivers to become available. Neither truck sharing nor additional parked trucks are a danger to the public.

It's my understanding that drivers are typically paid by the mile. Therefore, it's difficult to see why trucking companies care about lower speeds or shorter work weeks. If a driver drives less, she'll be paid less. It's almost as if they're saying that there are no more drivers available at current mileage compensation rates. Since this is HN, I won't suggest higher compensation, but perhaps they could investigate the H-1B program?

Re: Trucks Are Killing Us

#18

Until self driving machines become a reality, there are startups like Maven Machines in Pittsburgh that are tackling the problem of driver fatigue thru innovative use of machine learning. Site: http://mavenmachines.com/

They might want to pivot into something that's going to be needed in ten years.

Why wouldn't something like this be needed in ten years?

Re: Trucks Are Killing Us

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe he's realized the inevitability of the situation and decided to jump ship. Can't completely blame him, but makes it difficult to take his opinions seriously.

In fact, I trust someone with deep experience in a topic more than an outsider.

Do you mean 1. you trust them to be more knowledgeable or 2. you trust them to be less serving than an outsider?

I don't think anyone is arguing with 1.

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