[imbok]

I live in Austin Texas now and I used to live in Fort Worth. I can tell you, if there is any ice or snow, I stay the fuck at home. Texas drivers have no fucking clue about ice and are dangerous as fuck.

[1050sports]

Originally Posted by imbok ↗

I live in Austin Texas now and I used to live in Fort Worth. I can tell you, if there is any ice or snow, I stay the fuck at home. Texas drivers have no fucking clue about ice and are dangerous as fuck.

Exactly and basically slowing down would of avoided the horrific tragedy

[megaman]

That lorry didn’t even try to slow down .. probably candy crushing

[TypeOnegative]

Originally Posted by 1050sports ↗

Exactly and basically slowing down would of avoided the horrific tragedy

Unfortunately, not quite. Texas roads are designed to protect drivers from the number one weather threat, which is flash flooding. The freeways are designed with grooves and in shapes that gets water off the roads. This means that Texas freeways are especially vulnerable to black ice, as any moisture in the road, in sub-freezing temperatures, can create multi-mile long stretches of invisible ice.

Vehicles in the area are also not designed for additional traction in icy conditions. Essentially you’re subject to gravitational forces in icy conditions here. You can’t slow down. Even if you hit the brakes way in advance you will continue to accelerate with momentum and gravity until you regain traction or hit something in front of you. You’re taught to counter steer and accelerate to regain traction, but in a situation where the entire road is blocked like this, brakes or slowing will do nothing. You’re basically on a luge.

[TypeOnegative]

Originally Posted by megaman ↗

That lorry didn’t even try to slow down .. probably candy crushing

Those sparks flying were from aggressive braking/air brakes. I’m guessing, anyway. They were all likely braking, possibly even a mile or two in advance of the collision. Just doesn’t help when you’re sliding on ice.

[empathyofconsciou]

Thank God for explaining that shit to me because man I thought they all had been brainwashed by Aliens or something.

[Tyrantus]

Whoever was driving the white truck at the end of the first video had the right idea (or was just super lucky if it wasnt intentional), they were able to turn their truck enough to drastically slow it down, and had them hit the pile sideways rather than head on. The difference between the sound of their impact and the others is pretty drastic... that one sounded more like a fender bender rather than anything life threatening.

I wondered if they went though all that to just get hit by another car, but one of the photos appears to show the truck (if it's the same one) relatively intact and not sandwiched by any other cars, so that's good.

-------

And I think the sparks might be from the truck scraping the side of the concrete wall.

[TypeOnegative]

Originally Posted by Tyrantus ↗

And I think the sparks might be from the truck scraping the side of the concrete wall.

That’s a possibility, though their front impact was in the center lane of the toll road. About a minute later there’s another tractor/trailer that crashes in the further lane. I believe that area of the I-35 toll road is three lanes. Riding the barrier would have been smart, as there’s no friction on the road there and they’d basically just be subject to gravity otherwise.

I used to have to take I-35 W to work every day and I don’t know why so many chose the toll road that early. It shouldn’t have been opened at all. There’s not enough traffic on it overnight to keep it from freezing and as you can see Texas roads are very susceptible to freezing. These toll lanes are less than a decade old, most of them. And I remember them being closed usually in dangerous conditions.

That’s the only hope any of them have on an insurance claim against the city. Can’t sue the weather, but it seems pretty negligent not to have those lanes closed after an overnight freeze.

BTW, when I used to make that drive they only opened the roads between certain hours. I don’t know if that’s still the case so it could be a moot point. If they did open it up for people to get trapped in that’d be pretty damning.

[TypeOnegative]

Originally Posted by empathyofconsciou ↗

Thank God for explaining that shit to me because man I thought they all had been brainwashed by Aliens or something.

It sure does look like that. I can hardly imagine the horror it must have been for many of them. When I tailwhipped around an incident like this it was so slow but terrifying. The accident was after the black ice patch which was about two football fields in length. Soon as I tapped the break my car went into ice skating down hill mode. And you couldn’t see any difference in the road condition at all. You’re just drifting and picking up speed. I learned to drive on ice in New Mexico and California. Texas is not the same. I think that’s why they have the “Jesus take the wheel” motto.

[BLACKOUTx4500x]

My husband drives truck and he goes to Texas all the time. I cried for all those people who died and was so glad my husband was not in Texas today.