Passenger Trains > Metrolink 102 vs Light Utility Truck Question

Doesn't anyone find it questionable the truck driver's excuse that he only spoke Spanish? Here we have a commercially licensed driver from the State of Arizona . . . They have the 911 Emergency Phone System in Arizona as we have here and . . . We have, as does Arizona bilingual operators available for the 911 System.

I am definitely NOT hinting at any ill-intent on the part of the truck driver. . . Yes, it is a horrific accident! However, his attorney's statements are not holding water. The driver calling his son to find out what to do? What is one taught to do in any type of emergency . . . Especially a "commercial" truck driver that carries HazMat.

Any way . . . The truck driver is a "trained" commercial driver that is qualified to the transport with their HazMat . . . This is based on the truck he was driving and trailer he was towing. The requirement for the commercial license was based on the Code of Federal Regulations and the Arizona DMV.

I think we should just focus on what the accident, not on the political clashes that surround "migration." Spanish speakers were here since the 1500s and they may well be the dominate European language speakers in the next decades and next centuries. "Native" languages dominated the land for the previous 10,000 years. The reason we have grade crossing accidents has much more to do with spending tax money and rail profits on the infrastructure. Those with money to burn are not taxed enough to grade separate and the vast majority of us--the 99%--can't be taxed much more without giving up what we assume is our birthright--to live as well as the WWII generation. The times they are a-changing whether we want it so or not. The CAHSR will be grade-separated, that's the solution used on all new systems and many old systems in Asia and Europe and it works. When one realizes that folks like Bill Gates could pay for the CAHSR with a single check--and still be a billionaires--it is clear that this is much more a corporate-culture issue than a language or migration issue. As for what a lawyer said in defense of his client, it is too early to judge the truth--it will all come out in court. Let's be patient.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/15 08:11 by railwaybaron.

Phantom_of_Cajon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> I am definitely NOT hinting at any ill-intent on
> the part of the truck driver. . . Yes, it is a
> horrific accident! However, his attorney's
> statements are not holding water. The driver
> calling his son to find out what to do? What is
> one taught to do in any type of emergency . . .
> Especially a "commercial" truck driver that
> carries HazMat.
>

"His attorney's statements are not holding water." Surprise, surprise!

This isn't a question of migration . . . It is facts about a "professional" driver who is relying upon the excuse he only spoke Spanish . . . Which given the current 911 Emergency Phone System doesn't hold water. It is a fact that the 911 system has bilingual operators!

It is a fact the driver has a current and valid commercial dirver's license . . . WIth a HazMat endorsement . . . How is that racial or anything to do with "migration?"

So, I am sticking to the facts, however . . . Others want to turn this into a "political" battle when an engineer is foghting for their life because of a "mistake."

In addition, the "road" signage is based upon INTERNATIONAL standards . . . You do not need to know one language to simply operate a vehicle in any country!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/15 08:01 by Phantom_of_Cajon.

Phantom_of_Cajon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This isn't a question of migration . . . It is
> facts about a "professional" driver who is relying
> upon the excuse he only spoke Spanish . . . Which
> given the current 911 Emergency Phone System
> doesn't hold water. It is a fact that the 911
> system has bilingual operators!
>
> It is a fact the driver has a current and valid
> commercial dirver's license . . . WIth a HazMat
> endorsement . . . How is that racial or anything
> to do with "migration?"
>
> So, I am sticking to the facts, however . . .
> Others want to turn this into a "political" battle
> when an engineer is foghting for their life
> because of a "mistake."
>
> In addition, the "road" signage is based upon
> INTERNATIONAL standards . . . You do not need to
> know one language to simply operate a vehicle in
> any country!


People say anything when they are in trouble; there should be no expectation that what they say makes particular sense.

My point is not what the driver has said . . . My point is the laws and qualfications that are required to operate a vehicle carrying HazMat and the comments the driver's attorney is making for the court of public opinion.

A locomotive engineer . . . If he gets by an Stop signal is given a wiz biz test and 30 days off . . . An engineer gets busted for a DUI in their car is required to see an addiction specialist . . . And I am over simplyfying all of this. However, a commercial truck driver doesn't automatically lose their license . . .They're innocent until proven guilty and an engineer or traincrew for that matter are guilty until proven innocent.

That's because the trucking industry has better lobbyists than the railroad companies have.

Phantom_of_Cajon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My point is not what the driver has said . . . My
> point is the laws and qualfications that are
> required to operate a vehicle carrying HazMat and
> the comments the driver's attorney is making for
> the court of public opinion.

I can not speak for Arizona, but the part of the problem here in California is that it is somewhat easy for a person to obtain a Commercial Drivers License without knowing English, and without full and complete knowledge of the laws and means of operating and understanding commercial vehicles.

Do you know, according to both California and Federal law, that you can get a Commercial Vehicle Medical Exam from a chiropractor? In about 20 minutes?

trainjunkie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That's because the trucking industry has better
> lobbyists than the railroad companies have.


No, that is because John Q. Public has this insane belief that driving a car is a right and over time lawyers, Politian's and special interest groups have made it way to easy to get a drivers license and to even have and operate vehicles without a license.

You want to stop the problem of bad drivers? Change the laws. Make it mandatory that if you caught operating a motor vehicle with a proper valid drivers license, it is 30 days in jail and $1,000 fine. Caught driving under the influence? Mandatory 90 days in jail, $10,000 fine and permanent loss of license. Driving without insurance? 30 days in jail and $5,000 fine.

You want things to change? Quit slapping people on the wrist and telling them don't do that again.

Everyone is stating how easy it is . . . No one speaks to the politicians who are supposed to work for the good of the people as a whole . . . You can write to your representivies for free . . . As sarcastic as this next statement is . . . Todd hasn't figured out a way to charge us for that . . . LOL!

trainjunkie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That's because the trucking industry has better
> lobbyists than the railroad companies have.

Having spent almost twenty years in each industry, I couldn't agree more. As an example, the Hours of Service Law was taken very seriously by the railroad (1973-1992). In the trucking industry it was a joke, at least until the last several years (1993-2013).

> You want to stop the problem of bad drivers?
> Change the laws. Make it mandatory that if you
> caught operating a motor vehicle with a proper
> valid drivers license, it is 30 days in jail and
> $1,000 fine. Caught driving under the influence?
> Mandatory 90 days in jail, $10,000 fine and
> permanent loss of license. Driving without
> insurance? 30 days in jail and $5,000 fine.
>
> You want things to change? Quit slapping people on
> the wrist and telling them don't do that again.

Never happen, ever. What would lawyers do if they couldn't lie and stretch the truth to get their oh-so-innocent client off? Our whole society is based on making excuses for the guilty and blaming someone or something else for their idiocy/evilness/whatever you want to call it.

railwaybaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think we should just focus on what the accident,
> not on the political clashes that surround
> "migration." Spanish speakers were here since the
> 1500s and they may well be the dominate European
> language speakers in the next decades and next
> centuries. "Native" languages dominated the land
> for the previous 10,000 years. The reason we have
> grade crossing accidents has much more to do with
> spending tax money and rail profits on the
> infrastructure. Those with money to burn are not
> taxed enough to grade separate and the vast
> majority of us--the 99%--can't be taxed much more
> without giving up what we assume is our
> birthright--to live as well as the WWII
> generation. The times they are a-changing whether
> we want it so or not. The CAHSR will be
> grade-separated, that's the solution used on all
> new systems and many old systems in Asia and
> Europe and it works. When one realizes that folks
> like Bill Gates could pay for the CAHSR with a
> single check--and still be a billionaires--it is
> clear that this is much more a corporate-culture
> issue than a language or migration issue. As for
> what a lawyer said in defense of his client, it is
> too early to judge the truth--it will all come out
> in court. Let's be patient.

This post really gets under my skin. There is something really wrong with people who think that because someone else was successful that they should pay. Bill Gates started with nothing and had an idea that changed the world. He made a lot of money but it is HIS money not yours! It is his decision on what to do with his money as it is with any one whether they have $5 or $5billion. No one should be taxed more because they have more.
You make a widget that makes you a billionaire and then spend all your money to grade separate. Don't presume to take my money because you think i have more than you. That is selfish and wrong.
Derek

To have a Haz-Mat endorsement you simply take a 20 question test at the DMV. It's up to the company you work for to make sure your trained in Haz-Mat procedures. Most companies leave it up to the driver to be knowledgeable. Some companies just have you sign a training record showing the driver has been trained, and when something happens, they produce the training record and say the driver was trained.
If the airlines don't train pilots to fly planes manually, without the computer, do you honestly believe all drivers are trained property?

Cole42 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Our whole society is
> based on making excuses for the guilty and blaming
> someone or something else for their
> idiocy/evilness/whatever you want to call it.

It is called "capitalism"--wherein YOU are number #1 and everyone else takes a back seat.

As an ATP rated pilot, I can tell you over the course of my years flying, I have had to demonstrate flying an airplane without the aid of a computer . . . I have type ratings in Lears and FE rating in a 727 . . . Though not computer driven, I have Letters of Authorizations to fly F-51's, (P-51), F4U Corsair, T-33's, F-86's, T-38/F-5 and L-39's . . .

A commerical vehicle is required to carry "protection" as road triangles and road flares . . .

You can say that the system is failing and I agree . . . However, the laws exist and the laws aren't enforced . . .

I just heard the DA chose not to pursue a case against the driver at his time as it was "complex." How complex is a wrong turn and not following the law?

When the government holds he commercial driver to the same standards as a locomotive engineer . . . .

Sorry, but Bill Gates did not start out with nothing. His father was able to bank-roll him. He grew up and lived in one of the most desirable areas in the USA, where his ticky-tacky tract home was worth 7 figures. That said, if you are going to get money from somewhere to grade separate, then the 1% will have to do more with less and the 99% will have to trim their vision of the "American Dream" by parting with more luca as well. Otherwise, we will have to do without some of life's niceties like safer grade-crossings. That's okay with me, I always look for a train when crossing the tracks--like most railfans do. Incidentally, whose money is Bill Gates'? Well who's on the dollar bill? It's Washington. Therefore, The Book says, it belongs to Washington. Render unto Caesar--eh?



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/15 13:58 by railwaybaron.

Cole42 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > You want to stop the problem of bad drivers?
> > Change the laws. Make it mandatory that if you
> > caught operating a motor vehicle with a proper
> > valid drivers license, it is 30 days in jail
> and
> > $1,000 fine. Caught driving under the
> influence?
> > Mandatory 90 days in jail, $10,000 fine and
> > permanent loss of license. Driving without
> > insurance? 30 days in jail and $5,000 fine.
> >
> > You want things to change? Quit slapping people
> on
> > the wrist and telling them don't do that again.
>
> Never happen, ever. What would lawyers do if they
> couldn't lie and stretch the truth to get their
> oh-so-innocent client off? Our whole society is
> based on making excuses for the guilty and blaming
> someone or something else for their
> idiocy/evilness/whatever you want to call it.

Wait until you need a lawyer, before damning them.

An F-450 truck, pulling a trailer, does NOT , require the operator to have a commercial

Drivers license. Or a hazmat endorcement. Where is all this conjecture about a

having to have a commercial DL coming from?

WJEX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> An F-450 truck, pulling a trailer, does NOT ,
> require the operator to have a commercial
>
> Drivers license. Or a hazmat endorcement.
> Where is all this conjecture about a
>
> having to have a commercial DL coming from?

I don't think anyone said he NEEDED a CDL for this truck, only that he HAS one, and therefore should have conducted himself in a more professional manner.