Drivers Ignoring NY I-90 (and Other) Bans.

Last week, New York had a ban of CMV's on I-90 and other highways, routes. Being the lucky guy I am, I was sent to Dunkirk, NY just as the bad weather was hitting NY. Yay me. I-90 is my regular route to Erie, PA, Dunkirk (and Buffalo), so I had to find another route that did not have a ban. Luckily 89 in PA and 5E in New York were the roads I took to get me to Dunkirk. On my way through PA, I saw a few semi's on the side of the road, one even on it's side. Numerous cars also.

Per the news, there was a 21 vehicle accident somewhere in New York (Batavia?) that involved numerous trucks , which were banned from I-90. Why would drivers ignore the ban and drive that route? Either they were not aware of the ban (although PA had alerts on I-90 stating this ban), cannot read English, or just said "the heck with it."

Your thoughts?

Rational thinking cannot always explain irrational and dangerous behavior. Rational thinking, professional truck drivers cannot understand this sort of thing. Self explanatory, it makes no sense to most of us.

The same mindset applies when an unsuspecting driver tries to drive under a well marked low overpass with a 13’ 6” high trailer. Or ignore a posted off-ramp speed of 15mph...Or speeding through a construction zone...Or following a family van too close on the Interstate. I could go on...

Why does this happen?

Could be many reasons who really knows; however inattentiveness, lack of situational awareness, ambivalent space management and ignoring basic road signage are perhaps all underlying causes.

In short? You just cannot teach stupid. Innorance is not bliss for a truck driver; for us and those around us ignorance can be catastrophic. Unfortunately as you are probably realizing, there are truck drivers who should NOT be operating a CMV. Sad,...but true.

Last week, New York had a ban of CMV's on I-90 and other highways, routes. Being the lucky guy I am, I was sent to Dunkirk, NY just as the bad weather was hitting NY. Yay me. I-90 is my regular route to Erie, PA, Dunkirk (and Buffalo), so I had to find another route that did not have a ban. Luckily 89 in PA and 5E in New York were the roads I took to get me to Dunkirk. On my way through PA, I saw a few semi's on the side of the road, one even on it's side. Numerous cars also.

Per the news, there was a 21 vehicle accident somewhere in New York (Batavia?) that involved numerous trucks , which were banned from I-90. Why would drivers ignore the ban and drive that route? Either they were not aware of the ban (although PA had alerts on I-90 stating this ban), cannot read English, or just said "the heck with it."

Your thoughts?

Yes, it was Batavia, and another on 190 in Buffalo. I was riding that out in Erie, PA. Luckily, route 5 was closed past Dunkirk, or you might have been in violation. :)

I assume you are referring to 5 being closed East of Dunkirk, because 5 in PA to Dunkirk was definitely open. Even that road was slick in spots. Saw a semi with it's nose buried and right side leaning over a little in what was probably a "ditch" hidden by snow.

Last week, New York had a ban of CMV's on I-90 and other highways, routes. Being the lucky guy I am, I was sent to Dunkirk, NY just as the bad weather was hitting NY. Yay me. I-90 is my regular route to Erie, PA, Dunkirk (and Buffalo), so I had to find another route that did not have a ban. Luckily 89 in PA and 5E in New York were the roads I took to get me to Dunkirk. On my way through PA, I saw a few semi's on the side of the road, one even on it's side. Numerous cars also.

Per the news, there was a 21 vehicle accident somewhere in New York (Batavia?) that involved numerous trucks , which were banned from I-90. Why would drivers ignore the ban and drive that route? Either they were not aware of the ban (although PA had alerts on I-90 stating this ban), cannot read English, or just said "the heck with it."

Your thoughts?

Yes, it was Batavia, and another on 190 in Buffalo. I was riding that out in Erie, PA. Luckily, route 5 was closed past Dunkirk, or you might have been in violation. :)

Governor Cuomo also proposed New Penalties for violating ban

I assume you are referring to 5 being closed East of Dunkirk, because 5 in PA to Dunkirk was definitely open. Even that road was slick in spots. Saw a semi with it's nose buried and right side leaning over a little in what was probably a "ditch" hidden by snow.

Last week, New York had a ban of CMV's on I-90 and other highways, routes. Being the lucky guy I am, I was sent to Dunkirk, NY just as the bad weather was hitting NY. Yay me. I-90 is my regular route to Erie, PA, Dunkirk (and Buffalo), so I had to find another route that did not have a ban. Luckily 89 in PA and 5E in New York were the roads I took to get me to Dunkirk. On my way through PA, I saw a few semi's on the side of the road, one even on it's side. Numerous cars also.

Per the news, there was a 21 vehicle accident somewhere in New York (Batavia?) that involved numerous trucks , which were banned from I-90. Why would drivers ignore the ban and drive that route? Either they were not aware of the ban (although PA had alerts on I-90 stating this ban), cannot read English, or just said "the heck with it."

Your thoughts?

Yes, it was Batavia, and another on 190 in Buffalo. I was riding that out in Erie, PA. Luckily, route 5 was closed past Dunkirk, or you might have been in violation. :)

Sorry, yes, that is what I meant Hamburg had a driving ban, along with Brant and a few other towns. We had planned to sneak in through PA, but that stopped us from being able to.

Ooh I love driving to Dunkirk, along the bay. It's beautiful there. Man it's been almost a year and a half since I've been up that way. Maybe I should go back full OTR.

Driving on Hwy 5 from the town of North East to Dunkirk, I glanced over to take peeks at Lake Erie. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to see more in the Summer. Where does West Side deliver in Dunkirk? FAB delivers boxes to the Cott Beverages (Welch's/Refresco) warehouse on Stegelski .

Ooh I love driving to Dunkirk, along the bay. It's beautiful there. Man it's been almost a year and a half since I've been up that way. Maybe I should go back full OTR.

Driving on Hwy 5 from the town of North East to Dunkirk, I glanced over to take peeks at Lake Erie. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to see more in the Summer. Where does West Side deliver in Dunkirk? FAB delivers boxes to the Cott Beverages (Welch's/Refresco) warehouse on Stegelski .

Ooh I love driving to Dunkirk, along the bay. It's beautiful there. Man it's been almost a year and a half since I've been up that way. Maybe I should go back full OTR.

Cott was my first load.

We deliver Toyota forklifts to a dealership in Buffalo. Sometimes my backhaul loads in Dunkirk.. can't think of the name of the place offhand, but I know it's near stericycle.. I think it was plastics.. beverage bottles? I delivered to Royal Crown in Evansville IN. Other times I've reloaded at the Morton Salt Mine in Silver Springs.