Have you ever been behind a snow covered vehicle a few days after a storm and been assaulted by a wall of ice from their car roof? We have all been there.
Maybe not on local city streets, but when you hit Rt 28, 209 or 9W at normal speeds, you can expect a few "close calls" now and then.
Well, one of those incidents wasn't one of those spectacles I'm talking about. In New Hampshure back in 2001, a wall of snow caught flight from a tractor-trailer roof and hit a following truck, smashed the windshield; causing the driver to swerve and kill a 20 year old woman. This prompted NH to institute laws regarding ice and snow removal for moving vehicles.
Members of our New York State legislature, both in the Assembly and Senate, have introduced such measures in the past. It hasn't gotten the needed attention from the rest of the public because it faces certain death in committee each year. Should we make this an issue locally?
You may ask, why do we even consider legislating something that should come so naturally to everyone driving. Well, take a look around. Cars full of snow are out there, some managed to get through several storms on our city streets without a ticket, never mind cleaning them off, and then they drive around like a moving snow bank for a week.So it makes sense. For our safety, I think its worth considering forcing common sense on people when there are cases when the slackers cause harm to innocent people.
18 wheelers are some of the worst offenders on our highways and we all know how much snow can sit on a flat trailer like that. I don't want to become a statistic anymore than you do. Does that mean we have to have additional enforcement officers in the trees? Not at all, you could start by using those cameras on the roof at the Thruway Toll Booth. Thats our best place to start!
What do you think?
6 comments:
There was a story the other day where ice from a tractor trailer almost killed a family of three. We need a law to prevent this.
Shows what I know. I thought there was already a law and have been fairly conscientious about clearing the tops of my vehicles for years.
Mike_ Super topic- I called Frank on WKNY the other day regarding lights and ice- so that they make these same announcements. The irony is that I usually clean off the ice on my car, but for some reason didnt remove the ice from the front bumper. On my way back from the Mall and onto 9W to cross into Pt Ewen, it came flying up and smashed into my windshield. Fortunately - nothing broken, but thanks for some important discussion. I am not sure if they can legislate, but would strongly recommend that with your speaking ability and name in the limelight, it should be one of the first calls that you make to WKNY and WGHQ to inform the public of this potential disaster waiting to happen. So without further adieu- take care, enjoy the Holiday Weekend and take a moment to pray for the safety of our troops overseas,
Shelly Z
Crybabies, all. Anything to get the government involved. There's no end to human problems which the government would adore to get involved with. Then they'll need more of our tax dollars to enforce. They get the tax, but don't enforce. They use our tax dollars to keep insurgents OUT and to buytheir "residence" in a do-nothing paradise.
NO. Government stay out of our faces.
Allan Wikman
845 + 802-0403
awikman$hvc.rr.com
o. Let
AW... There are plenty of examples of Government doing tremendous good for the masses. There are examples where deregulation during the Reagan era contributed to the Airline and Housing/banking problems we face today.
Safety of the general public has always been the duty of the government, because only a large cooperative the size of a state or country can attempt the evenly controlled presumed safety of a people.
Your rejection of anything government, even when its the best option, is intrinsically connected to your failed attempt to become the County's first "governing" chief executive, so its ironic that you would rail against the system.
TRB
Excellent point Allan.
If we pass a law like this, we will probably have to have a new Deputy County Executive to oversee the enforcement of the new law.
That Deputy County Executive will need a secretary and an office.
And that's only the beginning.
Ulster County politicians will use ANY excuse to create more jobs for their buddies.
It's really disgusting.
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