15 Car wreck on NBG-Beacon Bridge

[TRUCK6018 50]

...And as for Commercial Vehicles, they are always subject to heightened inspections and always have been.

I am aware they are and for good reason, I see a lot of trucks that have no business being on the road and further more I've refused to drive trucks that have no business being on the road even after threats from past employers.

My issue is when specific troopers who think they know more than they really do cite violations that don't exist (specifically in HAZMAT enforcement). To make matters worse, after appearing in court with supporting documents from both the FMCSR and NYCRR, the judge sides with the officer based the (unwritten) codes of specific towns and subsequently fines the carrier. I believe that this is due to CMVE (as 50-65 touched on) being a cash cow for the state.

Edited December 14, 2008 by TRUCK6018

[Danger 160]

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...1013&Ref=PH

Pic #10 is of the truck I was driving.

Is that Middle Hope's truck in that picture?

[50-65 205]

Is that Middle Hope's truck in that picture?

Yes. They carry a portable Hurst (?) on there and used that to pop the door. Then they let me sit in there to keep warm until NWVAC showed up.

[50-65 205]

I am aware they are and for good reason, I see a lot of trucks that have no business being on the road and further more I've refused to drive trucks that have no business being on the road even after threats from past employers.

My issue is when specific troopers who think they know more than they really do cite violations that don't exist (specifically in HAZMAT enforcement). To make matters worse, after appearing in court with supporting documents from both the FMCSR and NYCRR, the judge sides with the officer based the (unwritten) codes of specific towns and subsequently fines the carrier. I believe that this is due to CMVE (as 50-65 touched on) being a cash cow for the state.

In my years of driving trucks, I have to say that I personally have had very little problems with DOT. Even the times I have had violations, they have, for the most part, been pretty cool.

However, any program that relies on fines and penalties for its funding is ripe for abuse. They can take a brand new truck from the factory and find things to put it out of service. I have found that the driver's attitude has a lot to do with it.

The officers have a job to do and so do I. I just try not to be doing mine where they are doing theirs.

Maybe we should take the whole DOT CVE topic to another thread.

[frenchie477 2]

There are a lot of considerations and most DOT supervisors would tell you they'd rather have 2 feet of snow than a storm in the 30-35 degree range. I worked Wednesday night and the temperature hovered between 31 and 33 degrees all night in the rain. If they spread sand at 2am, 3am, 4am, etc., it would have been a waste and washed out by the time it finally froze at 8:30. That's a considerable expense, not to mention the environmental impact of laying product over the river.

I can remember one Monday morning a few years ago when the same thing happened in the Newburgh area. I was on duty crew for NWVAC and we got called for 2 rigs to an MVA. By the time car 2 called on to assist a minute or 2 later, we had the initial accident covered, but the dispatcher told him there were 4 other MVA's in town that all happened simultaneously. All in all, we did something like of 15 calls in 90 minutes as everything turned to ice.

I agree 100%- It would have been a major waste to do that. It's just one those situations that happens now and again.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Unless things have changed, the westbound span is covered by Dutchess and the eastbound span is covered by Orange. Unless traffic flow is completely obstructed (like yesterday), getting to the accident from the side opposite traffic flow would be deadly.

I don't know if Beacon and Middlehope have any way to coordinate as MHFD is on 800's and Beacon is on UHF. As far as ambulance response is concerned, I know TONVAC has 155.745 and can at least coordinate with DC911 if not BVAC directly. Mobile Life has the ability in all eastern Orange units to communicate with DC911 on UHF and should soon have UHF capability fleet-wide. I don't know if Alamo or BVAC have the ability to talk to Orange County.

I know that Beacon 33-55 has multiple different band radios in it, for just such situations. I had a friend give me a tour shortly after they received it. Read the description up top of the page.

http://www.emtbravophotos.com/NewDeliverie...aconRescue.html

I would also go so far as to assume that the chiefs and duty officers have ways to communicate with m/a departments.

[NWFDMedic 58]

I know that Beacon 33-55 has multiple different band radios in it, for just such situations. I had a friend give me a tour shortly after they received it. Read the description up top of the page.

http://www.emtbravophotos.com/NewDeliverie...aconRescue.html

I would also go so far as to assume that the chiefs and duty officers have ways to communicate with m/a departments.

Thanks for the great info. Our chiefs have the old 4 radio thing too because we are primary mutual aid to departments that use UHF, low band, high band, and 800 MHz. It's a tough system sometimes in Orange County; working in Dutchess is communications heaven.