Be careful around the wire barriers dividing our highways

[Casper]

http://www.nbc4i.com/story/26240903/fatal-crash-closes-us-33-in-dublin

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/08/13/driver-was-merging-before-crash.html

The news doesn't say much, but the driver of the Viper lost control and hit the wires in the median, which decapitated him.

And this has happened before:

http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/officials-say-wire-barrier-safer-than-the-alternatives/article_c48db7ce-7887-11df-8c85-001cc4c002e0.html

http://dodgeforum.com/articles/chrysler-engineer-killed-while-driving-a-2013-srt-viper/

*Picture removed per family's request*

So with all that, imagine what happens to a motorcyclist. Be careful out there.

[BadTrainDriver]

$10 says the driver of the Viper has driving like an asshat...and if that's the case that I'm correct, better he decapitate himself than head on(no pun) a family of five in a mini van headed(no pun) the other direction.

[BadTrainDriver]

Is that his head in the picture, behind the car, in the grass?

[ScubaCinci]

Kinda looks like it

[C-bus]

Is that his head in the picture, behind the car, in the grass?

Not seeing any emergency vehicles on scene.... I'm thinking it is. Can't blow it up clearly on the IPad.

[Casper]

Is that his head in the picture, behind the car, in the grass?

 

Yes, hence the NSFL tag. It wasn't supposed to embed like that. Fixed. 

[Casper]

$10 says the driver of the Viper has driving like an asshat...and if that's the case that I'm correct, better he decapitate himself than head on(no pun) a family of five in a mini van headed(no pun) the other direction.

 

$10 says we've all driven/ridden like an asshat. 

 

These barriers are dangerous as designed. If the posts were closer together, and the lines crisscrossed (forming large X's), the chance of something like this happening would be much lower. 

[Steve Butters]

so glad these are more "safe" than guardrails

 

i hit some black ice and did a 180 into these in my mustang one winter....it fucking ate the back up....those things dont fuck around....and it pushed me back out into the fast lane, glad it was 3am

[madcat6183]

Supposedly they are safer, there were test out there once and video's showing the differences.  I don't care enough to try to find them, but I remember when they were out.  At the same time, I always wondered about stuff on a bike with these as figured something like this may happen.

 

FWIW, they were being compared to the metal guardrails with the timber posts, NOT solid cement, just to add on to what I said.  I would think solid concrete would be much safer but at a crazy high cost.

[BadTrainDriver]

$10 says we've all driven/ridden like an asshat. 

 

These barriers are dangerous as designed. If the posts were closer together, and the lines crisscrossed (forming large X's), the chance of something like this happening would be much lower. 

 

I've most definitely driven like an asshat a few times, I'm not saying I haven't.

What I'm saying is, the barrier did it's job. It's not dangerous. It's not going to jump out in the fucking road in front of you and chop your head off...it's going to STOP you from going into the opposite direction of traffic, potentially causing more damage/harm to others. The roads are safer with them in place, and that's a fact that can't be argued.

[BadTrainDriver]

Here is a good read about how the cable guardrail is designed, and what it's designed to do.

 

http://www.tmc.dot.ri.gov/documents/about/research/Cable_Guardrail.pdf

[BadTrainDriver]

Another, from a company that installs them.

 

http://gibraltartx.com/cable-barriers/overview

[Casper]

I've most definitely driven like an asshat a few times, I'm not saying I haven't.

What I'm saying is, the barrier did it's job. It's not dangerous. It's not going to jump out in the fucking road in front of you and chop your head off...it's going to STOP you from going into the opposite direction of traffic, potentially causing more damage/harm to others. The roads are safer with them in place, and that's a fact that can't be argued.

 

What if he would've cleared traffic on the other side? What if he would've fish-tailed in the median and never go to the other side? What if...... Point is, if the metal posts were closer together and the wires crossed instead of went straight, it would be a lot safer for all, not just cages (with roofs I guess in the case). 

[BadTrainDriver]

Watching some of those videos, I wouldn't want to hit one in a Miata. It would fuck you up! They're dangerous!

[BadTrainDriver]

What if he would've cleared traffic on the other side? What if he would've fish-tailed in the median and never go to the other side? What if...... Point is, if the metal posts were closer together and the wires crossed instead of went straight, it would be a lot safer for all, not just cages (with roofs I guess in the case). 

 

You should start a company to retrofit all the systems currently in use. Sounds like a good plan.

[ReconRat]

The only reason they changed to cables was that they are cheaper to repair. Claims of safety to the contrary.

[madcat6183]

The only reason they changed to cables was that they are cheaper to repair. Claims of safety to the contrary.

Don't disagree with this, but there were/are studies done showing them to be safer all around.  Now what was tested vs what really happens, well that's like saying that because my F250 has a lower safety rating than a smart car makes sense.  Sorry but in 99% of any NORMAL driving accidents my truck will be safer, but still has a lower safety rating. 

[ReconRat]

Don't disagree with this, but there were/are studies done showing them to be safer all around.  Now what was tested vs what really happens, well that's like saying that because my F250 has a lower safety rating than a smart car makes sense.  Sorry but in 99% of any NORMAL driving accidents my truck will be safer, but still has a lower safety rating. 

Yeah, I know that in general, on the average, the safety is there, per studies made. But in specific cases the wire barriers can be very deadly, beyond anything previously expected.

 

Reversing the condition. If hit by a large chunk of steel and/or wood, I would expect cuts, bruises and broken bones, hopefully not more. Hit by a rope or cable with energy behind it, I would expect to be sliced in half like a giant knife. Different world.

[snot]

There was an accident south of Dayton, a 12 yr old girl was cut in half from the wire. She was out of the car.

http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/massive-86-car-pileup-ohio-leaves-12-year-old-girl-dead-20-injured-article-1.1244756

[snot]

I also don't understand why they don't put them closer to the middle vs one side or the other. It gives no chance on one side and a lot of room on the other side to stop, correct direction, etc.

[Bubba]

Yeah, this is why most people (riders) I know call 'em 'cheese graters'….

 

Please note that the statistics often quoted about the system being safer means that, along the highway right-of-ways that are equipped with the cable barriers, there is a statistically lower injury/death rate per mile than a similar area with guard rails or other system.  This DOES NOT MEAN that the cable systems are necessarily safer for the driver initially involved with the barrier contact….merely that the barrier successfully kept the initial vehicle from crossing the median or contacting other vehicles traveling along the freeway.  One death--yours--is statistically safer than multiple deaths possibly occurring from a cross-median collision.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Bubba