The Storm on Friday

[iceroadtrucker]

On Friday it Started on the Eastern Side of TN Pu a load and Headed West. Around Nashville I hit the brunt of the Storm Passing many Trucks as I Head West. All the Trucks Heading East Said Arkansaw was a mess. Well I can sure hand it to the TN Road Crews that realy did there Job on 40 the roads were in good shape. However when I got to the Arkansaw side 40 was 100% snow packed and Ice covered and the shalt shakers were not doing there job. I seen trucks in the ditches YELLOW and FEDEX and Even UPS and Land Star and yet I kept going. Then I seen somthing that realy got to me. Arkansaw State Trooper were giving tickets to the truckers that were pulled off on the off ramps and that due to the ICE Storm. I said to my self these guys are trying to do the right thing and be safe if they are scared to drive in this muck. To me what the Troopers were doing was wrong. Well any case I guess what goes around comes around I not only seen the above Trucks and Cars in the ditch on 40 just west of West Memphis but I also found a State Trooper at about the 241 or so in the ditch as well. just east of that adult Store they have there on hwy 40 . well I kept on moving and seen more Trucks and cars and of course 40 heading east was backed up due to a truck stalled on a bridge. Like I said the State Trooper in Arkansaw must be realy bad giving tickets to truckers trying to stay outa harms way. any case after I got by all that on the western side of Little Rock it cleared up.
I can say this I hope all the drivers of the Trucks that were in the Ditches on Friday were ok. as I know them trucks were not.
In any case.
Be Safe out there.
ICEROADTRUCKER
RIdge Runner

 

[Tennesseahawk]

A couple years ago, we hit a similar ice storm that went from Dallas to Memphis and beyond. The worst of it was in AR, where their only snow removal equipment were bulldozers. Needless to say, the worst accident I'd ever seen was going westbound that night. Traffic slowed ot 5mph or less when we came to every bridge, as it was pure ice! There was no getting off of exit ramps, for fear of getting stuck. And no way we were parking there, as someone was likely to lose it at our expense.

I can see the troopers telling trucks to move for that reason. However, I also see that Arkansas has not learned from the past. They are more interested in getting illegals Pell grants, and such.

If you want to do a search of the archives, you'll find my story of that night is probably eerily close to yours. Try Arkansas and ice for keywords.

Glad you made it through! I guess you are an Iceroadtrucker!

 

[ebsprintin]

Yeah, that Arkansas ice storm in 06 was my second day out in a big truck. Trucks were shutting down for the night on the shoulder and the slow lane. Double parked on the roadway.

eb

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Only thing I saw sitting on the side of 40 were in the ditch. Trucks were moving good on US-70, which is visible from 40; but we dare not try to get off. It was that bad!

If anything, it was my nephew's first good test. He passed.

 

[Critter Truckin]

Only thing I saw sitting on the side of 40 were in the ditch. Trucks were moving good on US-70, which is visible from 40; but we dare not try to get off. It was that bad!

If anything, it was my nephew's first good test. He passed.

I gotcher test... HANGIN!!!

Don't get me started on that night. It sucked all the way around. Never before (and God willing, never again) has it ever taken me over 10 hours to get from Dallas to anywhere close to Memphis. Never really cared to drive thru Arkansas, but that sealed it for me. And the remains of that accident were enough to tell me that nothing is that important. And that's something that Laura and I still preach to this day. Sitting and being a day late thanks to NY and PA in February were enough for me to say screw it when it comes to risking my or anyone else's life on the road. And thanks to the brilliant emergency planning by the Arkansas Roads and Transportation departments, that night was a major catastrophe... for at least one family. I'm just glad we made it out with nothing more than a bruised ego for having to use 2nd gear on a 10-speed transmission.