Yesterday, as I drove to Crystal Lake, I saw a dangerous condition on U.S. 14 at Lily Pond Road, just southeast of Woodstock - actually, right at the City Limit.
A westbound gravel hauler semi had stopped in the westbound lane in front of the old La Tejanita Restaurant. A long line of cars and trucks was lined up behind it. On Lily Pond Road a gravel hauler was waiting to turn left onto U.S. 14. Unfortunately, a continual stream of eastbound traffic on U.S. 14 prevented the truck on Lily Pond from making its left turn.
The driver of the westbound truck was waiting, so that his buddy from the Merryman mining operation could make his turn. Apparently, he cared not a wit whether he was impeding traffic. After all, who is going to argue with a gravel hauler?
Hopefully, the Woodstock Police will start monitoring this violation. It's not likely that it only happened in front of me.
If you see a violation like this, report it to the Woodstock Police Department. This would be an ideal violation for the motorcycle units to enforce. It's at the City Limit, though, and not a location probably patrolled very often. Also, I appreciate that they cannot sit there and wait for it to happen again.
If it's recurring, though, they could pay a little visit on the gravel pit operator and ask him to inform drivers not to block the highway to "help out" their buddies. All the operator can do is ask, because the drivers are probably independent haulers and not employees of Merryman.
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8 comments:
You want law enforcement to cite them for....what? Waiting for a break in traffic?!
I don't think the westbound driver was "giving his buddy a break". I believe he was waiting for the eastbound-turning truck to make the turn so he/she had proper clearance to make the northbound turn onto Lily Pond Road!
Horrors! Two gravel truck drivers acting responsibly. What is the world coming to?
Perhaps the next time, the driver will proceed with his turn, causing an accident that no doubt will tie up traffic for more than the 30-60 seconds you had to wait.
Have you personally ever tried to separate two hung-up fully loaded gravel trucks? My father-in-law was a master diesel mechanic and had over 40 years of experience in the trucking industry and had done precisely that on a number of occasions because drivers weren't being cautious. It takes a lot longer than the 60 seconds you had to wait on Route 14!
What is everyone's problem with gravel truck drivers? I think these drivers deserve our respect and appreciation for the job that they do. I don't see you stepping into a gravel truck and showing them how it is done.
If you want to truly serve the public, perhaps a post on sharing the road safely with truck drivers would be appropriate. Explaining the stopping distance to weight ratio might cause one or two of McHenry County's drivers to stop playing "beat the gravel truck or semi". Merging 3 feet in front of a fully loaded gravel truck to make a right hand turn because you didn't pay attention, or because you didn't want to drive behind the *slow* truck or semi, is a sure way to cause an accident.
I'm sorry Mr. Philpott, but I don't think you are happy living in McHenry County. You don't seem to like anyone or anything you see or interact with in this community.
Please allow me to clarify that I was eastbound on U.S. 14, driving from Woodstock to Crystal Lake. I was not delayed at all. Also, it would have been illegal for me to slow in a 50MPH zone and/or unnecessarily stop to allow a truck on a side road to pull out.
The westbound trucker was stopped in the westbound lane. There was plenty of room for him to turn right. I was there. He was waiting for eastbound traffic to clear, so that his buddy could cross the westbound lane and turn left.
Actually, I'm quite happy in McHenry County. There are plenty of nice people here.
The only place I've lived in 71 years that I didn't like was Los Angeles. I stayed 4 1/2 months in 1989 and left.
Tonight I was also Eastbound and saw the same occurrence. The Westbound truck stopped and the truck on Lily Pond pulled partially out onto Rte 14 and guess what happened? The car two in front of me, slowed and let him out. Just sounds like basic courtesy to me. Can say any law is violated.
As long as trucks are using the Merryman pit it will be a bad situation.
I agree that, once the truck is out in traffic and blocking the westbound lane, then, if it's safe to slow to let him complete his turn, that's a courteous thing to do.
However, stopping in the westbound lane to let the truck on Lily Pond Rd. out in the first place is illegal.
May have to go there soon with a video camera.
Be sure and say 'Hi' to Jimmy Hoffa when you see him.
Why, tired, if I didn't know better, I'd feel like that was some sort of threat...
One of your buddies has already warned me to watch my back. I am!
What are you worried about? A big change at 2200 N. Seminary on Dec. 1?
Not a threat at all...just an observation of the way the teamsters do business. You might even confuse them with politicians.
No buddy of mine warned you about anything.
I may worry about some things but a change at 2200 N. Seminary in December is not one of them.
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