150 car pile up in California

[quigonjay]

https://www.gbnews.com/news/us/california-car-cras...

Stay safe in the fog

[vikingaero]

AIUI, rear fog lights are not mandatory on 'merican cars, although many Euro brands have them fitted as standard.

I find the US market really strange for rear lighting - all some trailers and HGVs need are a really dim red light and that is satisfactory

[andy43]

Auto headlights, no fog lights, cruise control.
If it really was 100 foot visibility a safe speed would probably be 30mph max.
‘Stay safe in the fog’ is giving me Fast Show hiker vibes though..

[Master Bean]

It's not fog it's government produced toxic dust used to control us.

[Muddle238]

I don't know about the laws in California, but some states IIRC allow you to use a mobile whilst driving. If CA is one of those states, there's a good chance a majority of those drivers were on the phone telling people how they couldn't believe how thick the fog was as they sped into the back of the pile up.

I recall a similar crash on the Isle of Sheppey around 2013, fog over the bridge and instead of slowing down, people just deem themselves invincible by turning their foglights on and carry on as normal. Until they hit the wall of vehicles in front of them, then blame the weather.

Edited by Muddle238 on Sunday 1st February 12:47

Edited by Muddle238 on Sunday 1st February 12:47

[98elise]

I remember a thread on here where about 50% of the posters didn't drive so that you could stop in the distance you can see.

I live in a semi rural area and if you drive like that then you're going to hit someone or something like a horse/tractor a few times a year.

Driving at speed in fog is similarly idiotic.

[dan98]

Recent experiences driving on interstate highways over there was an eye-opener -

HGVs driven presumably flat-out between 80 and 90 'racing' each other up and down inclines, guys in pickups lurching inbetween lanes in an attempt to get ahead, morons openly chatting and texting on phones, and a complete disregard for changes in the weather.

Extreme tailgating in darkness and heavy rain seems popular over there too, particularly amongst BMW drivers.

[Wills2]

A bit like that Sheppey Crossing bridge pile-up in Kent when 130 cars decided to have a crash in the fog.

[fflump]

At the moment seems no fatalities have been reported thankfully which looking at the pictures and number of HGVs involved looks a small miracle.

[ChocolateFrog]

Bit off topic but one of the best bits about driving trains is doing 100mph in terrible visibility. I've driven in fog with maybe 20m visibility but as long as you know your route well enough there's no need to slow down.

[vikingaero]

Wills2 said:

A bit like that Sheppey Crossing bridge pile-up in Kent when 130 cars decided to have a crash in the fog.

That's unfair. The Sheppey Crossing incident was different. When those drivers encountered the fog, they realised that they were unable to swerve due to centuries of genetic inbreeding meaning they were unable to grip their steering wheels with their webbed hands. And some of them drive better with their webbed feet....

[Rayny]

vikingaero said:

That's unfair. The Sheppey Crossing incident was different. When those drivers encountered the fog, they realised that they were unable to swerve due to centuries of genetic inbreeding meaning they were unable to grip their steering wheels with their webbed hands. And some of them drive better with their webbed feet....

again
and again

[fflump]

ChocolateFrog said:

Bit off topic but one of the best bits about driving trains is doing 100mph in terrible visibility. I've driven in fog with maybe 20m visibility but as long as you know your route well enough there's no need to slow down.

God I read your post without seeing the word trains and nearly spat my coffee out!