http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-16560795
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
"Video shows crazy Forth Road Bridge trucker"
(20 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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The driver continued on his way north to Fife but he was soon stopped by police.
He was given a warning but will not face charges.
The Forth Estuary Transport Authority, which operates the bridge, said the high-wind restrictions were clearly signposted at the time of the incident on 28 December.
It said it was releasing the CCTV footage to warn drivers of the dangers of ignoring restrictions.
A spokesman for Feta said the lorry driver was lucky that nobody was killed or injured.
Surely at the very least a charge of careless driving?
Posted 13 years ago # -
"it was lucky no-one was killed"
yet"The driver continued on his way north to Fife but he was soon stopped by police. He was given a warning but will not face charges."
Too many people seem to think they are unlucky when they have acted dangerously, and think they have been safe when they have just been lucky.Posted 13 years ago # -
slowcoach: "and think they have been safe when they have just been lucky"
unless I'm on a bike when sheer dumb luck has saved me many times from morons like that.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Very irresponsible ignoring the warning signs BUT he did a good job not losing the whole truck....Skillzz!
Posted 13 years ago # -
FETA... Whar a cheesy name...
I'll grab my cycle jacket...
Posted 13 years ago # -
What were the police thinking? The message to truck drivers who endanger dozens of innocent bystanders is that they won't even be charged with careless driving?
Posted 13 years ago # -
have to agree dave
what would would have happened to anyone unlucky enough to be on his right
or on the pathway with what could have been flying about.
given there was video evidence its surely clear cut for some form of prosecutionPosted 13 years ago # -
The guys at FETA told me a while back that they don't really have any legal powers to stop me cycling over the bridge when the high wind warnings are in place, and that they are merely advisory.
I've always assumed vehicle restrictions on the main bridge carriageway are legally enforceable, but having seen this, I'm beginning to wonder.
Posted 13 years ago # -
THe trailer blew over but he kept going and astonishingly it righted itself. Looked like the car behind was staying back to film it as well as the aerial shot from the CCTV.
A few years back a man was killed in high winds on the bridge. What follows is not verbatim as I am going on memory but the truck he was in was apparently transporting flat sheets of metal or other materials. As it was windy the decision appears to have been made that he should weight the materials down by lying on top of them.
I wouldn't cycle over in high winds but good point about no charge being made - maybe it is all only advisory??
Posted 13 years ago # -
I heard the same story about the pick up truck and the boards, not nice !
As for the crazy trucker.....typical, one trailer gets a wee bit outa shape and the drivers a loony ! I fear a (un)hidden agenda on this forum !Come the great day all lorry drivers should be stood up against the wall and shot (along side clarkson !), and the foreign ones shot twice !
I believe its not the first time, a few years, tenish, a truck was blown over on the bridge, and the driver watched his flask fall out the passenger door window.......................all the way down ! Perhaps just lorry drivers myth ?
hold on, with both ands !
scottPosted 13 years ago # -
err why all the ' ' before the '!'? :)
also, why cant i spell or capitalise properly?
Posted 13 years ago # -
"typical, one trailer gets a wee bit outa shape and the drivers a loony"
Erm.. Yes? 90-100mph winds; signs up saying closed to high-sided vehicles... It does seem a touch lucky n his behalf not to have been blown over causing serious injury to himself and/or others.
I think, in this case, 'loony' is perhaps right. It's a long way from saying all truck drivers are like that! If the video was of a cyclist crossing in the same conditions and almost being blown over the barriers he would be branded a loony as well...
Posted 13 years ago # -
"As for the crazy trucker.....typical, one trailer gets a wee bit outa shape and the drivers a loony ! I fear a (un)hidden agenda on this forum !"
If there had been anything in the right hand lane, there could have been several deaths. Look at the video again, even the oncoming carriageway is thrown into disarray and there could easily have been a pile-up there too.
It's not like he got caught out by a gust that came out of nowhere on a normal road. There are huge flashing lights everywhere saying not to cross. I know, I was there (in the car) on the same day.
Posted 13 years ago # -
err guys, I think Split was being a touch ironic...
Posted 13 years ago # -
I was struck by increasing tailback as cars behind him braked. also those on the other side -- rubbernecking? or afraid? Amazing none of them rear-ended.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Bax - re advisory signs, for a long time all height restrictions (eg on roads going under bridges) were advisory, and it is relatively recently that mandatory height restrictions could be signed.
I don't remember seeing specific height restrictions on FRB and many of the signs rely on the drivers being able to read English (and knowing the alternative route?) as well as assuming they can see the signs amidst the other traffic. So maybe (?) the driver did have an excuse for not knowing. My concern was more at the reported Police response, and having thought more about it, at the lack of care by the authorities to prevent dangerous use of the bridge.
Gembo - '"The actions arose out of a tragic accident which occurred on the Forth Road Bridge on 29 January 1989. The pursuers and a workmate named George Smith were working together in the course of their employment with the defenders, whose function is to maintain and operate the bridge. The winds were blowing at gale force during their shift that day. The accident occurred while the men were in the course of removing a large thin piece of metal sheeting which had been found lying on the south-bound carriageway. It was being taken off the bridge on the open platform of a Ford Transit pick-up van. Smith was sitting on the top of the metal sheet on the back of the van, Robertson was driving the van and Rough was following a few feet behind in a small patrol van which he was driving. In the course of their journey to the south end of the bridge a sudden and violent gust of wind caused the sheet and Smith to be thrown violently off the back of the van and over the side of the bridge."
Mr. Smith fell only a few feet onto a girder, but was killed by the force of the impact' (from a court case which referred to it)Posted 13 years ago # -
@ruggtomcat
ironic indeed, or even just trying out my sadly underused sense of humour !
The driver was clearly a loony ! Why he even attempted it is frankly incredible ! For the first time in many years on that day our manager actually closed the depot ! People all over the land were deprived of the availability of smart price cat litter or even taste the blandness ready meals !!! No doubt a public inquiry is needed ! ( i was doing it again tomcat ! )
scottPosted 13 years ago # -
Hehe, you're too subtle for me! :D
Posted 13 years ago # -
well to give it balance
I once got lost in the one way system in Gasgow city centre :o
I was in the little back streets and turned left the wrong way into a one way street!
slammed on the brakes(no ther cars on the street),reversed back into the junction,then went to turn right
at that point a nice couple of policemen pulled me up and issued me a fixed penalty notice for driving without due care (IIRC)
so its strange this doesnt deserve at least a fixed penaltyPosted 13 years ago #
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