I-4 CLOSED both directions south of HWY 27 due to early morning smoke/fog will be closed most of thursday 11-vehicles burned beyond recognition, big tragedy! big mess! pray for all involved!
Why was Florida Wildlife Commission burning when conditions were not good for burning?
Why did the Division of Forestry allow them to burn during a drought?
Why did the Florida Highway Trooper not see the thick fog that everyone else
did? Why, he was miles north of the fire area, the area of the thickest fog!
And why didn't the Highway Patrol not close I-4 because of the fog and smoke? They were warned by the Division of Forestry that the fog would be bad.
Four people died, and unknown number of people injured, seventy-two vehicles wrecked, questions need to be asked and people need to answer for their actions.
Don't expect the Florida agencies to protect you.
The visability at the accident scene went from good to foggy, to you can't see your hand in front of you face!
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..."
Mark Twain
Please don't be so quick to blame people that had no input into the accident. That scenario is not rare in that section of I-4, in fact it happens multiple times a year. I have driven that section many time during my career as a LEO in Florida and have seen it many times, it's just a shame that there were so many hurt and killed this time. The ultimate responsibility rest with the driver of each vehicle, not those that someone else tried to place the blame on. I have seen the fog bank there many times and I always had time to slow down before going blind, so some were just trusting their luck or had no idea what to do when approaching a fog bank. Place the blame where it belongs, the drivers, not on someone that may have in some minuscule way, had a small part to play in the overall scenario.
Bob & Betsy - USN Ret'd '78 & FL LEO Ret'd '03 & FT Class of 2002 '05 HR Endeavor 40PRQ, 400 Cummins -With-'05 GMC Sierra SLT, CC, Z-71, the pusher & our '07 Arctic Cat 500A & '08 Suzuki KQ 400A, riding in the pusher. Where the wheels are stopped
The Texan wrote: The ultimate responsibility rest with the driver of each vehicle, not those that someone else tried to place the blame on. I have seen the fog bank there many times and I always had time to slow down before going blind, so some were just trusting their luck or had no idea what to do when approaching a fog bank. Place the blame where it belongs, the drivers, not on someone that may have in some minuscule way, had a small part to play in the overall scenario.
But they don't have the deep pockets that the State has if you get the drift of where this will end up... As I'm sure you do...
The Texan wrote: Please don't be so quick to blame people that had no input into the accident. That scenario is not rare in that section of I-4, in fact it happens multiple times a year. I have driven that section many time during my career as a LEO in Florida and have seen it many times, it's just a shame that there were so many hurt and killed this time. The ultimate responsibility rest with the driver of each vehicle, not those that someone else tried to place the blame on. I have seen the fog bank there many times and I always had time to slow down before going blind, so some were just trusting their luck or had no idea what to do when approaching a fog bank. Place the blame where it belongs, the drivers, not on someone that may have in some minuscule way, had a small part to play in the overall scenario.
I retired as a State LEO and was a Accident Homicide Investigator and I worked this area for 27 years. This was not just fog, it was also thick smoke from a nearby fire. This increases the thickness of the fog many time over "just fog". Facts so far uncovered by the local media:
The FWC had a "controlled burn" that was not under control when conditions were not favorable for burning. We are in a drought and the woods are a tinderbox!
The Div of Forestry is now tap dancing why they let FWC have their burn and are acting like they did not know conditions were bad.
And Forestry told The Highway Patrol the day before that they might want to consider closing I-4 due to the fire and FHP did not. And the trooper reported conditions were "not bad" miles north of the fire area.
Lawsuits or not, the State agencies actions cannot be excused. These people did not just drive recklessly. The fog/smoke came up suddenly and without warning. Signs were put out by the Highway Patrol but indications right now are they wern not lighted. People may not of had any "input" into the accident but they sure did not do their job!
Then you of all people invmartyc, as a THI, should not be placing any blame or giving any input until a proper Major Traffic Accident Investigation at the scene is complete. Also if you were assigned to that section of I-4, then you know that fog/smoke is a common thing during this time of the year. The only part of your scenario I will even remotely subscribe to, is that the FHP Troopers should have been a little more vigilant. However, you know as well as I do, that the Troopers are spread very thin and if they had a call or calls elsewhere in their zone, then they have a very excellent reason to not be baby setting a possible trouble region. Sorry, but I won't point fingers like that.
It amazes me that drivers are not smart enough to slow it down in low visibility conditions.
Ken
KE5DFR
Vintage 1979 Silver Streak Supreme Rocket toted by a 2002 F350, crewcab dually, 7.3L,4.10 axle,SCMT. Travel with two miniature Schnauzers and one African Gray parrot. Practicing for retirement!
That's fine if you slow down. I went into a fog bank on my motorcycle and slowed to an acceptable speed, only to have some dumba$$ barreling through and skidding about 75 ft nearly rear ending my on my bike. I most certainly would have died had he not looked up, but that doesn't slow other people down. You could be doing exactly what you should and still die.
If conditions were as generally stated above, the road should have been closed before the accidents.
Dana and Natalie
2008 Chevy Silverado 3500HD LT DRW CC LB 4x4
-PPE Programmer, MRBP Exhaust, Diesel Manor Triple Gauge Pack, FS2500, 60 Aux Tank/Toolbox, Line-X, Full Tint, Curt 20K Hitch
we had a sand storm in Oregon one year and one driver actually got out of his rig and ran down the median trying to get people to stop. One semi actually could be heard speeding up just before he rear ended a bunch of cars and trucks that were already involved in the wreck in the cloud of dust. killed many people , pure stupidity
I do not know how to get a link posted here, but go to www.firehouse.com the story is posted there with a video from the AP about this tragic story. This should be a reminder to us all to thank God everyday for what we have, and tell our family how much we love them as much as we can. We should live everyday like its our last. We should also slow down abit and smell the roses. QT2
2008 Ford F-350 DRW 4x2 Lariat Crew Cab
2007 Denali 28LB-M5
Mom, Dad, Sissy (9), Brother (5), Sassy (13 yr. old Border Collie), and Daisy (7 yr. old Lab)
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