Motorhome demolished, 1 killed in Teton Pass crash

[FLSteve]

Is this the same road that had part of it closed due to a landside earlier this year?

 

[GTS225]

Anybody happen to take notice of this paragraph?

"However, as the website Book Outdoors points out, using the runaway arrestors isn’t easy. “There are two runaway truck ramps, and to use them on an east descent, you need to cross to the left through head-on, uphill traffic,” the site reports."

The article claims the driver passed an arresting system a 1/2 mile before the accident. I can't help but wonder what moronic civil engineer thought it would be a good idea to force runaways to cross oncoming traffic.

Roger

 

[Rd1]

/Anybody happen to take notice of this paragraph?/

I noticed that too. Haven't been there, but from the map, looks like the ditch is on the R side going downhill and the mountain on the left. It is a 2 lane hwy, one up and one down. hence the reason. It looks like one heck of road, even worst in winter times.

one of the challenges with RVs, is that the industry tends to present RVs like driving a car or a van. Far from it. At a recent show, there were a lot of newcomers or first timers. While on a test drive and following a super C, it was unreal to observe the unit completely out of control. In a very scary manner. The factory rep was telling me he had a few heart attacks that day taking some new folks for test drive.

This is a problem in the industry where there is a need for some new innovative ideas to help new folks to get acclimated with RV driving, to avoid such tragedies. Unfortunately, bottom line seems to be the main focus.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

I understand where you’re coming from, but I feel different about it. Interstates are way too busy for me. Everyone doing 70+ miles an hour on a deadline. I much perfer a major Hwy vs interstate. Speeds are slower and the roads don’t have that concrete washboard effect. I can go 50-60 mph and not bother anyone.

I hit some of those 6% downhill grades before in my gasser. Like @Jim said no real engine braking. Now I’m not sure it’s the best way, but on the long ones, I don’t let it get over 50mph. When it hits 50, I hit the brakes and slow to 25mph. Release brakes, and let it slowly get back to 50 then repeat.

We like the US Highways and state roads - will frequently use them instead of Interstates. But do use interstates in some cases.
Down side to state roads is they can be steeper. I think last year in Oregon we had a 8% grade but don’t recall exactly where. Tripwizard planner helps us see these ahead of time and then I review the road and how sharp the curves are - to determine if we should take a longer route around.
I like the typical rule of thumb for diesel engine braking, don’t go down faster than the engine can pull you up. If you exceed that speed than the engine braking will have no chance of maintaining the speed. And, don’t care about trying to keep up with others, do what the physics say your setup can control.
On that 8% grade, following that rule, we didn’t have any issues and as usual didn’t need to use the brakes, but we were doing around 35-40mph down that hill.

 

[AbdRahim]

This is a problem in the industry where there is a need for some new innovative ideas to help new folks to get acclimated with RV driving, to avoid such tragedies. Unfortunately, bottom line seems to be the main focus.

RV Driving School. I did it when I moved to the class A. I wish I had before the class C. Dealers should partner with these folks and it should be part of the price of the rig for newbies. The cost of the would be two day course was less than half the price of repairing the damage I did to the new C on the second gas fill up. I only had one day because he ran out of things to show me. I just needed a few pointers. But it was well worth it.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

We like the US Highways and state roads - will frequently use them instead of Interstates. But do use interstates in some cases.
Down side to state roads is they can be steeper. I think last year in Oregon we had a 8% grade but don’t recall exactly where. Tripwizard planner helps us see these ahead of time and then I review the road and how sharp the curves are - to determine if we should take a longer route around.
I like the typical rule of thumb for diesel engine braking, don’t go down faster than the engine can pull you up. If you exceed that speed than the engine braking will have no chance of maintaining the speed. And, don’t care about trying to keep up with others, do what the physics say your setup can control.
On that 8% grade, following that rule, we didn’t have any issues and as usual didn’t need to use the brakes, but we were doing around 35-40mph down that hill.

I'm with you on grade speeds. Most folks understand that larger vehicles need a little more time to climb but lots think it should be just fine to fly down. Not so.

We run a gasser but I have never had any problems using the engine compression and lower gears to keep things under control. We do our best to stay off of interstates and I have yet to meet a hill that has caused my brakes to overheat.

Darrell

 

[Chuggs]

Mass x Velocity squared. You can't adjust Mass on the fly...but velocity is up to you.

 

[Ddmo]

Is this the same road that had part of it closed due to a landside earlier this year?

Yes. They are still working on it, but 2 lanes are open. No issues for trucks or RV’s.

 

[Ddmo]

Anybody happen to take notice of this paragraph?

"However, as the website Book Outdoors points out, using the runaway arrestors isn’t easy. “There are two runaway truck ramps, and to use them on an east descent, you need to cross to the left through head-on, uphill traffic,” the site reports."

The article claims the driver passed an arresting system a 1/2 mile before the accident. I can't help but wonder what moronic civil engineer thought it would be a good idea to force runaways to cross oncoming traffic.

Roger

The runaway ramp is on the right side. It is a cable/net system I’ve never seen before, hence I took notice. Not sure what I would have done if I’ve never seen it before. Looks like you are going to hit a wall of cables not knowing what is on the other side.