Major Swiss accident

[Brian Ellis]

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=113&sid=4419896

The largest Swiss chain collision ever took place late Wednesday night, involving about 60 vehicles. One dead, 90 injured of whom 12 very seriously. Material damages are approaching $1M.

It took place between Niederbipp and Derendingen, in the Aar valley, noted for low-lying mist and fog, especially in Autumn. I have often had to slow down to a snail's pace round this region.

Fortunately, it happened at night, after the curfew on most heavy goods vehicles. It would have been far worse if a few 40 tonne trucks were involved.

The Solothurn Cantonal Police should have a field day collecting fines, because it is an offence to circulate in a vehicle at a speed not adapted to the conditions, with hefty fines, possibility of licence suspension or even clink!

[Fat Tone]

Sounds awful

Here we have the opposite with trucks - HGVs are encouraged to use the roads at night, and many drivers prefer it.

[Brian Ellis]

FT

No, the law states that HGVs (except those carrying perishable goods, notably milk tanker lorries) cannot circulate between 20.00 and 06.00 or from 14.00 on Saturdays until 06.00 on Mondays. This is mainly for noise reasons, but also to discourage truck drivers from 36 hour working shifts. Having lived close to a main road, about 1 km from an industrial estate, I fully appreciate the wisdom of this measure.

[The PIT]

Interesting HGV laws they should follow the same laws in the UK to ensure the guys get a rest.

[The PIT]

It always amazes me how drivers fail to appricate potential foggy conditions. Perhaps it's becuase I'm very interested in Weather that I spot the signs of potential fog pockets well before encounting any.

[Wulfman]

driving in fog is awful. you are not supposed to slow down too much, but you are not sure the driver in front of you follows this rule too... I hate that.

mfg
wulfman

[Podfrog]

how thick of a fog are we talking about here? thick enough to hide tail-lights? i remember once i had to pull alongside someone and roll down the window to give them the finger for cutting me off. but that was the thickest fog i have been in. perhaps there is a difference in fog intensity btw europe and the untied states. we have weak, pathetic, sickly, translucent fog. it's a shame.

[GT98]

Originally posted by Podfrog
how thick of a fog are we talking about here? thick enough to hide tail-lights? i remember once i had to pull alongside someone and roll down the window to give them the finger for cutting me off. but that was the thickest fog i have been in. perhaps there is a difference in fog intensity btw europe and the untied states. we have weak, pathetic, sickly, translucent fog. it's a shame.

Well I was stationed in Germany and the Fog was pretty awful out there...to the Point that the Bradleys on the range couldnt see another bradley parked less then 50 yards away from it though its Thermal sites! I've seen it that bad in New Jersey like once or twice in the past 5 years since I've been out

[The PIT]

Originally posted by Wulfman
driving in fog is awful. you are not supposed to slow down to much, but you are not sure the driver in front of you follows this rule too... I hate that.

mfg
wulfman

I'm more worried about the driver behind me. The one who thinks he's/she's got infa red and can see perfectly. Nothing worse than having to stop in fog on the motorway and you wait for the crash in the back until you pull away again.

[Technoid]

A full moon and Dense fog makes some pretty spectacular "special effects"

[Brian Ellis]

This fog visibility in the police report was 50 m which is far less than the stopping distance at the 120 km speed limit. I rather gather that the onset of the relatively thick fog was very sudden, so that the first cars put out their anchors as soon as they hit it and were then rear-ended by cars with less good anchors or more drunk drivers (it was about 11 pm!)

The latest news is 91 injured, of whom 14 are in intensive care. Still only the single death. The police have downgraded material damage to only CHF 350,000 ($270,000), which seems quite low for 60-odd vehicles involved, mangled up sufficiently for it to take 10 hours to clear a single lane.