Driver in Bay Area highway collapse had history of arrests

AP wire on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 4/30/07 | Marcus Wohlsen - ap

[GregoryFul]

Another totally useless government agency.

[Tinian]

The fact that you are playing the race card without considering this fact immediately casts you as an illogical Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson wannabe.

Heh -- I live 12 miles north of Hazleton and think Mayor Lou Barletta is -- Da Man! I am very much against illegal immigration. But I don't think Mexicans are inherently unable to maintain or drive trucks safely. I also believe our LEOs are just as capable of enforcing safety regulations against brown skinned people as those with more or less melanin.

I also gave up reading WorldNut Daily sometime in 2001.

[NonValueAdded]

Confidential to FEMA and first responders: Add this to all emergency plans ... gasoline fires DO cause steel support beams to fail. Next time, don’t let it burn.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“His brother, Ruben Mosqueda, 44, an artist living in San Francisco, said his brother has been sober for more than a decade and now works as a drug and alcohol counselor with a Hispanic health organization.”

Well this makes a good headline, but does his past behavior have any relationship to the accident?

You could argue that with the risk posed by driving these materials, that no amount of time is enough after criminal activity.

One thing is for certain, lawyers will get even wealthier with this case.
And truckers insurance premiums higher or less available.

[Tinian]

The US steel industry shares the blame for its own demise.

So true. It bears repeating.

[Never2baCrat]

when we could welsh on contracts

I take umbrage at your remark. It should be ‘welch’ not ‘welsh’. I am the latter, not the former. Thank you. (Insert Smilie).

[mylife]

My grandad died in a tanker crash.
Shit happens

[TaMoDee]

Yup, You’re right. That’s the trouble with transliterasions.

I took a shot at the Arabic -——

[GovernmentShrinker]

I don’t think it’s really safe for one of these trucks to go over 60 mph in any circumstances. The maximum safe speed for these vehicles is a good deal less than the maximum safe speed for many other vehicles. Not only are they filled with explosive material that makes a crash a lot more dangerous than crashes involving other kinds of heavy cargo trucks, but the tremendous weight of the liquid fuel makes for a long braking distance.

I was about 1/2 mile away from the White Plains, NY propane tanker crash in 1994. The driver apparently fell asleep and hit the concrete support of an overpass. The exploding tank turned into a missile, flew 300 feet (in my direction), landing on a house full of sleeping people on a residential street. It sounded like a huge bomb had exploded, to people at least a mile from the explosion site. Several houses were burned down, and 23 people injured, included a 30 weeks-pregnant woman who was severely burned (as was her husband), and whose baby had to be delivered by emergency C-section and reportedly suffered some brain damage as a result of the trauma to the mother and/or the premature birth. Many of the residents of the block have experienced lasting psychological problems (post-traumatic stress disorder). There’s no way a truck loaded with groceries or building products can have this kind of effect, but fuel tankers are in a category of their own.

[Tinian]

Sorry -- I did a Dictionary.com search on it before posting.

[supercat]

I don’t think it’s really safe for one of these trucks to go over 60 mph in any circumstances.

Make a policy that drivers who go faster than that without a darned good reason are subject to being fired.

[antiunion person]

As a truck driver that drives on the portion of the highway that collapsed on Sunday, all I can say is we (truck drivers) are screwed. Everything one truckers has a wreck, the CHP looks at the rest of us like we are all involved. Now, they (the CHP) will have just another reason to stop and fine drivers for something not revelent to this accident. Everyday, car drivers cut off and stop in front of 18 wheelers and expect us to be about to stop in fewer than 6 feet. Between the load and the rig, we weigh up to 80,000 pounds. 40 tons. I’m not saying the driver of the gasoline rig was not at fault for this accident but why is it people in cars and cops don’t give the trucker the space and respect he deserves?? I’d love to hear from other drivers in FR to see if their opinions are the same as mine.
Do any of you in California who drive cars know that truck drivers cannot (CANNOT) go to traffic school for moving citations?? I consider this a double standard and not all at fair. We pay the biggest fines, the most taxes, have to pass more tests, and yet we are always at fault for something that happens on the freeways.
Lastly, don’t forget, if you have something like food, gasoline, clothes, etc.... a truck driver handled it. It has to go by truck to get to the grocery stores. Food is not grown in the store rooms in the rear of grocery stores.

[supercat]

It's time the nanny state either enacts the immedate death penalty for all felons, or accept the fact that these folks who are released from jail will need to do something to make a living. Maybe not a truck loaded with gasoline, but trucking sounds like a pretty good job for somebody who just got out of the clink and needs to reestablish a life of some sort.

Ironic that such a person wouldn't be allowed to have a single-shot .22 rifle but is allowed something far more dangerous.

[proudCArepublican]

As a Bay Area driver, I hope they go after the company. However, everytime something happens we get it in the shorts. I can see an increase in the gas tax, sales tax etc. The Bay Bridge project has cost enough now this on ramp. I just see $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ signs in my mind. and the poster that said wait for the Trucks coming from Mexico who’s laws are not like ours I can only vision it.

[mylife]

Its ridiculous the way the group think reacts.

It was a lamentable accident

We dont need new steeking laws

[Marysecretary]

“Can’t get steel like we used to?” Well, folks, take it out of our country, break the back of the industry in America and what do we expect? China could care less if they sell us their steel. Cheez. Don’t we EVER learn?????

[HisKingdomWillAbolishSinDeath]

President Bush ordered the bridge wired with explosives as soon as Nancy Pelosi became Speaker, and ex-Mayor of Oakland Jerry Brown became AG of California. Caltrans and the CHP know for a fact there was no truck anywhere near the scene. And the actor playing the truck driver is a SAG member who begged Billy Bush to star in Cousin George’s next blockbuster, in order to control the world. Even Arnold could not resist a minor role, since they got the idea from Arnold’s movie “True Lies”. As we speak, Cheney is in a bunker preparing to unleash his next attack on global warming, operation Mount Shasta.

[Bonaparte]

"Wouldn't such behavior be an echo of his former irresponsible self?"

Only 36 posts before somebody states the obvious.

[proudCArepublican]

LOL My first thought living in the Bay Area and hearing it on the morning news was this.
Will that must blow Rosie O’s and all the weirdo’s thought of what happen on 911 right out of the water.

[antiunion person]

Hey there GS, trucks have a mechanism that prevents speeding. One is called a governor, it doesn’t allow the truck to go over a set speed limit. Two, most trucks now have a computer on board that allows the employer to set a certain speed limit. Three, where the truck crashed is a half ass designed ramp that goes from Interstate 80/580 to Interstate 880. The speed limit on the ramp should be 35, not 50. Don’t forget, if you know at all, tankers are set up with baffles and compartments to limit the amount of slosh in the tank. On the ramp in question, slosh is big problem. Blame the designers and the trucker. There is always two sides to a story. It’s obvious you’ve never driven a truck, nor have you ever spoken to a trucker. Do a little research before claiming most accidents involving tankers is due to speed. It’s proven that over 80% of accidents involving trucks are caused by cars. Check it out.