Truck tips up and unloads marl in bank car park

| 12/04/2012

Scotia parking lot.jpg(CNS): Traffic ground to a halt in the Grand Harbour area on Thursday afternoon after a fully loaded dump truck tipped over on its side as it was crossing the dms roundabout near Hurley’s. Witnesses told CNS that the marl was spread across the Scotiabank car park as the truck came to rest on its side. It is understood that no one was injured in the truck smash and although police have not yet stated what might have caused the accident, one witness at the scene said that they believed the vehicle was going quite fast as it went onto the roundabout.  Photo by Dennie Warren
 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Hello All,
    For those WHO don’t know, JAKE BRAKES are used in trucks that are used on highways (freeways / high speed roads) and on hilly or mountainous terrain to enable better stopping/slowing down power. The ONLY two reasons for them being on trucks here is 1) the owners/drivers THINK they are cool sounding or 2) They came with the truck when the owners purchased the truck. JAKE BRAKES ARE REMOVABLE as they are an after market item that is added to the exhaust system of the truck.

    For those truck drivers who do not know, the installation and usage of a JAKE BRAKE increases a) maintenance costs due to increased maintenance periods b) severe wear and tear on the engine due to the fact that JAKE BRAKE close the exhaust of the engine which creates a back pressure which in turn causes the engine to slow down by restricting the movement of the pistons due to an increase in cylinder pressure. This means the more you use it unnecessarily the quicker you wear the engine out.

    So my theory is to let all the morons use a JAKE BRAKE, then they will mash up their trucks quicker and then they won’t be on the roads anymore, like so many other ones here already.

    Think man, think!

    Trucking company owner in the US.

    • Anonymously IRON CLAD says:

      Thank You, Thank You and THANK YOU.

      Perfect post!!!

      In addition we could use "A Few Good Men" like myself Policing the roads with Army Tanks and high-powered Rocket Launchers. Talk about putting a lid on these Aggressive drivers who I have positively noted, are a vast majority non-native Caymanian.

  2. Anonymous says:

    2 more disabled trucks at Hyatt Roundabout this am – big oil spill all over the road.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Back in 2008 there was a similar crash up by the airport.

    That truck (pictured on the front page of Net News) had at least four bald tyres and one was also flat. The driver apparently later claimed the brakes had failed.

    Trucks don't get like that overnight do they?

    This is all down to lack of proper vehicle checks and a failure of traffic policing. RCIPS need a proper goods vehicle inspection regime like the one the police in the UK operate in co-operation with VOSA, the Vehicle and operator Services Agency. They then need to create a large impound area and take all these wrecks off the road before the accidents happen.

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Last week I saw three passenger taxis getting re-licensed with bald, thread-bare tires and they were passed.  No emmissions checks whatsoever.    

      • Anonymous says:

        Unless one of the three or four Vehicle Inspectors starts coughing profusely from smoke inhalation on the spot, the vehicle is passed as road-worthy – that's how they test emissions.

      • Anonymous says:

        When some of the buses and taxis accelerate it looks like they are powered by a coal furnace!  This is not a great Caymankind impression for our eco-conscious target market!

  4. Anonymouse says:

    You know it would be a shame if at other parts of the Island where there is enough room for two seperate 'main' roads we do not learn from problems like this and, when improving our road system, go from two avenues to one. There are a lot of examples where a single road, no matter how many lanes, becomes blocked. The simple solution, if you have planned ahead, is not to have closed the second road.

  5. Simple Simon says:

    Some years ago when the previous Commisioner was here I had suggested that we should consider putting in Speed Cameras which although expensive would slow down traffic and slow up mad drivers. I suggested that the insurance companies may be pesuaded to help foot the bill as it would save them insurance accident  pay outs. The Commissioner was obviously un-impressed.

    I mentioned that in North Wales in the UK this approached was used and traffic slowed down considerably also a number of off duty police officers were caught, again total boredum!

    The other day I drove down from North Side to Ceorge Town behind a Police Suzuki and having followed it through several round abouts I never saw an indicator go on once!

    As for the 15 mph in Svannah at school time  and the stretch of road from Savannah to the end of the 3 lane road to the top of the Prospect Road – well that is a speedway and the speed limit does not exist.

    Where are the police?

     

     

     

     

  6. Anonymous says:

    on a different note whomever thought of and subsequantly approved 4 large media advertising TV Screens on a roundabout is an idiot. As if cell phones and texting isn't enough of a distraction

    • Anonymous says:

      Thank the CPA for that…

    • Anonymous says:

      That's Idiot…. with a capitol I.

    • Anonymous says:

      The promoters of the screens could be found liable in damages if it can be established that they caused an accident. But I agree: a totally crazy decision. Even the promoter’s initials blinking in different colors is causing a distraction already.

  7. nauticalone says:

    If the Police would do some "proactive" traffic policing much of the speeding and other reckless/dangerous driving would be reduced…and some funds (by way of fines) could be gained.

    Often the stndard response by the Police is that they don't have the "resources" (officers/cars available). Yet "after" an accident there are often 10 or more officers and 5 or more cars on the scene…with most officers just standing around.

    The Dump Truck drivers (most) can be witnessed driving recklessly everyday….and most mini-bus and School Bus drivers are doing th same. Yet i often see Police witnessing this and they do nothing. Of course the Police are more often than not, driving while chatting on their phones.

    I don't remember when (many years ago now) that i have seen a Police vehicle parked srategically doing speed/radar checks?

    • Anonymous says:

      It’s time to name and shame these police officers. Take the car’s licence number and the place and time and post it here.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Police missing a fortune $$$.  As these vehicles use excessive speed, nosiy jake brakes and the rest.   If the police would like to triple their annual budget they simply need to put out radar. Make a fortune daily in fines but do not seem interested.

    • Anonymous says:

      If they did that questions would be asked in the LA.

      LOL, the companies that own these trucks have friends in high places – remember the Matrix payouts?

       

  9. Anonymous says:

    Its a sad state of affairs when the visitors to this website are more riled up over a dump truck than the confirmation that a convicted sex offender was working at a school…

    • Anonymouse says:

      There are obvious problems that are corrected and there are obvious problems that are not. Which should we get excited about? The ones that are fixed or the ones that aren't?

  10. B.B.L. Brown says:

    Those  ##@%%&&*{&%$#@#  roundabouts!  The devil's invention.

    • Anonymous says:

      Anon 12:43,

      You sound like the ##@%%&&*&$#@# just slow your ass down on those rod-abouts, they are not a race track. if you are confused using them,then take your time to negociate the turns and USE YOUR DAMN INDICATORS.

      Some of you seem like your brain is not finished developed. you soposed to be human being with a brain…use it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Dear BBL Brown, it sounds like you shouldn’t be on the road.

  11. Anonymous says:

    I am sure that DMS is happy the new jumbotron TV's are not working yet and nobody is blaming them.

  12. Anonymous says:

    On the CITN video, is that gasoline or diesel leaking out with all of those non-emergency personnel walking around??

     

    If so, how stupid for people to be walking around a potentially explosive event!!!

  13. Anonymous says:

    What was interesting in this is the no charges were filed against the driver for speeding or dangerous driving. Does this mean that at legal speed this truck just tipped over?

    • Rorschach says:

      Geez Louise, give the police a break, nah!! I am sure anyone that is familiar with my comments will agree that I am the first one to hammer the police when they seem to be dropping the ball, but this is extremely premature to be asking about charges and such. The police have to do an investigation before any charges can be filed against anyone. Let’s at least wait a reasonable time before attacking them…

  14. Anonymous says:

    This incient is no surprise.  I am quite surprise though that this has not yet happen on the Esterley Tibbets or on the Harquail Bypass.  These truck drivers are abusing our roads with a heavy load, just to finish DART road and to help close our WB Road.  I thought their limits were 30mph, not 60mph, as they sames to always be doing.  Just for a few dollars more, risking lives.

  15. Anonymous says:

    I've been observing these dump trucks recently, because a few use illegal Jake brakes that cause explosive noises in residential areas, where they speed, sometimes at 60 mph. These problems are caused by just a handful of drivers, and I know exacly which trucks they are and their registration numbers, which are often hidden by mud or are missing. Were you to  remove about five drivers from the roads, most of this abuse of the public's patience and safety would disappear.

     

    As for the school-bus drivers, I once followed one into Bodden Town, loaded with children, as it careered along at  40 mph in the 25mph limit zone. It leaned far over as it  raced around that very sharp corner, and I was so angry I went straight to the Police station, thinking that if  the students' parents could have seen what I saw, they'd have made sure he never went near a school bus again.

    • Anonymous says:

      "because a few use illegal Jake brakes that cause explosive noises in residential areas"

      Can you show me where in the law a jake brake is illegal?  I'm asking as I'm going to be importing a truck here for my service business & want to make sure that its as legal as possible.

      • Anonymous says:

        12.58. In response to your question, I asked the community officer at the Bodden Town Police Station, and after a period of two days he called me to confirm that Jake brakes are illegal in Cayman. In any case, truck drivers should be aware that they can be heard over a radius of a mile. I assume that those few drivers who use them are either deaf, or they they simply don't care about the effect is has on residents, near and far. I live 200 yards away from the road through Savannah, and have to put up with all day, every day. It's not right.

        • Anonymous says:

          I think that you are missing the point here.  Jake brakes are not the drivers' fault.  The drivers are just trying to make a buck.  If you want to blame someone, blame the person who puts pressure on the driver tomeet quotas on their deliveries, provides them with shoddy trucks, with bald tyres and jake brakes and then runs and hides when the **** hits the fan

    • Anonymous says:

      the police will never go near one, that's for sure

  16. Anonymous says:

    This morning we saw NRA cleaning up the mess left on the roadside. Sure hope the cost of the clean up is billed to the driver.

  17. Cheese Face says:

    The driving on this island is up there with the worst I have ever seen, everyone who comes here should be made to take a driving test, no exceptions. If you can drive, you'll have nothing to worry about.

    • Anonymous says:

      Anon 09:43

      I have to agree with you. With all the different nationalities coming to our shores, with not knowing how to use our roads.

      They should have to pass through a driving instructor's test. we have to stop sucking up to situations just for a dollar.

      No Government wants to legislate this, because it will slow down their sourse of  revenue.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is a bit of a joke that there is no vision test required, not even for people over 60.    

  18. Anonymous says:

    We all understand the physics of what happened here, and nobody can be that surprised.  The question is, when will we actually see a daily traffic enforcement presence?  There are a multitude of predictible infractions that make driving here unnecessarily defensive and dangerous and it is because there are few deterrents.  Crime rages on, because, what are the odds of geting caught?  Police needn't be everywhere, but they should be somewhere outside of the Annual Purple Ribbon Winter Campaigns!  Please get in the community and demonstrate that you care.  Start fining for texting, failing to indicate, dangerous driving, illegal tint, racing, overtaking in roundabouts, bald tires – all of that stuff; and I guarantee there will be a drop in robberies, break-ins and other opportunistic crimes.          

  19. Cmon son says:

    I guess somebody …dropped a load… :3

  20. Anonymous says:

    A simple result of getting paid by the load instead of per hour.

     

  21. Anonymous says:

    It has become the norm now on Caymans roads, excess speed. 

  22. Anonymous says:

    This is the second time, I know of, where a truck has overturned on that round-about.  Luckily each time nobody was killed.  Next time we may not be so lucky.  SPEED KILLS why can't these mindless people understand this???

    • Anonymous says:

      You sound disappointed that nobody died to prove your thesis.  Crashes are attributable to the driver's attention level and ability to adapt to changing circumstances – not speed alone.  It is just as easy to crash at 25 mph while texting, putting ketchup on your burger, plucking your eyebrows, or toggling through your MP3 player.  In several studies, people that talk on their phones have had similar reaction times to drunk drivers.  

      • Anonymous says:

        I am so pleased you took the time to comment on 'speed kills', it's one of those stupid slogans that can end up being detrimental.  Speed amplifies some of the effects of bad driving, in that there is less time to react when things go wrong, but if you focus on one aspect of what contributes to accidents you will typically ignore the other factors and end up with "I'm OK to text/talk/eat etc as I don't speed" mentality.  It also takes away personal responsibility for driving according to the road conditions, driving at the speed limit in wet, slippery, poor visibility and crowded conditions is not good driving and if you focus just on speed that's exactly what you can end up with.

  23. Right ya so says:

    Surprised this doesn't happen more often the way the dump trucks drive around here. And thanks to this loser it took me over 60 minutes to get home tonight. Sure I'm not the only either.

    Just waiting now for one of the school buses (full of children btw) to tip over the way they fly down Old Prospect Point Road and through South Sound in the morning. Won't let my children ride the bus to school any more because of the bus drivers driving like maniacs.

    God only knows why they don't put traffic cops on both those roads in the morning – on the spot ticketing could make the RCIPS a healthy $1k daily.

  24. Knot S Smart says:

    And my question is – Did the Bank order any marl?

  25. Knal Domp says:

    These guys are hauling rock for Dart.'s new West Bay Bypass.

    They are being paid CI$6-00 a cubic yard to haul it. The trucks are hauling around 18 cubic yards per load, maybe more- that's over 30 tons of rock per load. The more load hauled per day, the happier Dart is, and so are the truckers. This means that to maximise profit, trucker are hauling 6 plus loads a day ($1,080 per day). To do 6 loads a day, a trucker has to maintain an average speed of better than 40 mph. To compensate for the stops and starts, loading and unloading, a truck has to be pushing 50 mph or faster in order to complete the desired 6 loads delivered a day- and 80% of each trip is on roads limited to 40 mph or less. When a truck loses its load due to loss of control by a truck driver over his vehicle, thats 30-odd tons of rocks going everywhere over the road- other road users better beware and look out for themselves, as the RCIPS (with their freshly-disbanded traffic unit) are not really in a position to discourage this dangerous behaviour, now are they?

    Dart is, though… whatchagonna do about this continual stream of 30+ ton payload moving violation, Major Dude?

    • Cheese Face says:

      Breaking news, "Truck flips on it side, Dart Blamed"

      In other news, "Bird flies into window, Dart Blamed"

    • Rorschach says:

      Nice to see you back, Knal… 🙂

    • Anonymous says:

      Knal is right. This is a direct and predictable result of the demand for fill for the new road.

      I had one of those empty trucks chasing me south through Camana Bay just last week less than one car length behind. It’s only a matter of time before someone is killed.

      It is easy to calculate how many loads can be delivered by a single truck in a given period whilst still adhering to the speed limit so the procurement contract could be adjusted to penalize a trucker who is obviously breaking the law.

      I am confident that Dart’s project managers are cognizant of the problem and will solve it for the benefit of all.

  26. Anonymous says:

    We need to re- engineer that thing. Why just a couple of years ago a perfectly drunk woman driver hit and killed someone.

    • Anonymous says:

      Whats a perfectly drunk driver?

       

      • Anonymous says:

        drunk to where you feel good, but are not responsible for your actions.  It's the sweet spot of life