Seven motorcyclists are dead after colliding with a pickup truck in New Hampshire

[Claviger]

No. US motor vehicle class licensing requirements are a joke.

GVWR authorizations vary state to state, they're not even called the same thing.

Class C in one state is another states Class 1, and yet another state calls it Class D etc etc.

US roadways are in all honestly kind of a free for all, where boating rules make more sense.

-Right of weight, not right of way
-Stay right of the oncoming traffic
-Don't get closer than you have to, to others.
-The other guy is never looking

These are some of the reasons I really don't care about speed limits and passing zones, they're established based on the lowest common denominator, and that denominator is VERY ****ED LOW.

 

[stollydriver]

Over here they now include a sat nav as part of the test. We thought that they were getting over zealous but reading news like this - I say test them more to prove they can control their vehicle. Our insurances also stop many from driving unsuitable over powered cars.

 

[Claviger]

I wish mate. Make a teen pay $2,000-$3,000 to get their provisional license at 16, with probationary status until 18. Require both practical exercise and class room instruction. Many countries are in line with this, and they take driving more seriously as they have invested in getting their license.

Here I think it's about $100 and a joke of a written test that only requires a 70% score on (varies state to state), and then a 10-30 minute road test and you're out the door with a license to kill.

 

[stollydriver]

In my opinion - this makes an already tragic incident far worse. It seems your driving test requirements are archaic. Thanks for the reply and the interesting information. We in the UK are mostly oblivious to laws overseas.

 

[Navigator]

It's been almost too difficult to read the daily news updates because it is so horrific. How this clown could have crossed over and plowed into a formation of bikers is beyond me. I must agree with others in that I don't like riding with a group of riders. I belong the the VFW Riders and we never bunch up, maintaining sufficient space between riders to preclude this kind of tragedy.

I'm extremely gratified that this guy is being charged with a felony. Cam, the friend who now has my R3T, was nearly killed a few years ago when a young girl turned left in front of him on a two lane rode. I wrote a note to one of the moto journalists at Quick Throttle mag about it, pointing out that in most of these accidents, the offending driver gets off with a $180 "Failure to Yield" ticket, as did the gal that almost killed Cameron. He devoted his column to it in the next issue.

It also happened to the 18 year old daughter of a friend of ours about 7 years ago. The guy ran a stop sign and critically injured her as she was riding her 250cc Kawasaki through a local intersection. He never even got out of his truck to see how she was as this 5'2inch young lady lay in the middle of the intersection. He got a failure to yield ticket and nothing else. Her mom told me he was bragging to his buddies about getting away with it. This is the country in which we live.

 

[atlsrt44]

We still dont know why he crossed over. Could've been a hell of a truck driver and was texting. Maybe nodded off.

 

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

Now allow me a question.

Is that size of trailer usually towed by a pick-up?

I see know how so much carnage was possible.

Pretty common rig out here in Idaho. I have seen them all over the country. Not being funny, but many places call them "Hot Shots".

 

[Bigjaype]

In Oz they have a reasonable system...learners have to do 120 hours of supervised and logged driving before they can do their drivers. This consists of a hazard perception test followed by a road test. If they pass they then follow a 3 year probationary term with limits on what they can drive, zero alchohol, no mobile devices, only one peer in the vehicle with them unless they are siblings and a few other restrictions. However, you still get lawless idiots who do whatever they please.

 

[Claviger]

That sounds like a reasonable middle ground.

Yeah, Hoons gonna Hoon.

Very curious what the negligent part of the charge hinges on in this case vs vehicular manslaughter.

Intuition tell me a phone is involved.

 

[Old N' Grumpy]

Ditto on the phone.