Amish buggys being rear ended

[Doug in Illinois]

Just a heads up for any of you living in amish country. Just heard on WGEM radio out of Quincy IL this afternoon there has been the second fatal case of amish buggy rear end in less than a week. The first was just north of Canton, MO on US 61 last week, the second was in IA today, didn't catch the town. The one north of Canton was hit by a semi, the one today was hit by a pickup on a county road. At least two fatals in each, some still in critical and not expected to make it. Both were in broad daylight. MO one was just after 12 noon, the IA one I believe was early in the day.Sounds like the law is coming down REAL hard on both drivers that hit them.

 

[Vito]

Sad to here that news.

Vito

 

[roger roland]

just a guess maybe the driver poped a hill & there they was ... nowhere to go to late, or the other is just not looking ahead or on cell phone or yackn away with passenger ?
id understand it more at dusk or dawn when hard to see or if they was out at night no lights to rear..

 

[RobMD]

No, it's just most people drive too damm fast anymore.

It's ridiculous.

 

[terryjd]

Without knowing how the accidents happened it is hard to comment other then saying it is real sad it did happen. From personal experiance driving a garbage truck that weighed around 26,000 pounds loaded about 18 years ago I had a couple of close calls myself. One that would be close to this type of accident was once I was headed to the dump with a load, climbed a hill came around a corner and there was a little tractor poking along. Now I was going slow since I just climbed a hill and going into a twisty road, no more then 3"rd gear. I hit the brakes, might have made it to a stop in time maybe not but just lucky there was nothing comming the other way and I was able to pull around it but got the heart beating. Now if a semi came around a corner or over a hill and a wagon was in the road the driver of the semi would be hard pressed to stop intime. If not able to go around then the ditch would have to be the next choice. There is no doubt a person has to be awake and alert when driving a truck or any vehical as far as that goes and not be in a hurry. Even when going slow sometimes them situations come up and you have to make that split second decision what to do.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You are very correct and there is no reason for this to be happening. What is so important when you get behind the wheel that you lose all comprehension of what is called "respect" for others. I am hesitant to travel most any road here in Az. It is vertual "Suicide" to try to go across the Phoenix Metro area using the Highways as they are in this day and time. The unfortunate Amish Folks were very much non-cognizant of the Hazards of trying to use a Public Hiway and having to share the Road with so many others who "Do Not Care" or who are impared beyond respectability.

 

[RobMD]

When I was in Arizona last year, I was on route 89 through sedona doing 75, which is mighty fast enough. Along the way, about 10 sportish-looking cars passed me, ALL with California tags, doing nearly 105-110. They apparently were trying to get to Interstate 40 to get to Las Vegas or Los Angeles.

I'll tell ya, you Arizona drivers drive much slower than Cali and Nevada drivers.

 

[Gene Dotson]

The Missouri accident victims were relatives of many of my neighbors. Those folks are in Missouri now for the funeral. Their grandmother died in Michigan 2 weeks ago, A cousin died in a swimming accident in Pennsylvania, and now this. They can ill afford the travel and time away from their work... Gene

 

[johndeeregene]

the name of the town in iowa was drakesville. i delieved some freight there today. it was 2 miles west of town. in a valley. mother of 4, all under 5 killed, father was flipped out of the buggy an landed in the bed of the pickup that hit them. 2 of the chrildren are in series cond in iowa city hospital, the other 2 were supposed to be let out today. the youngest was 6 weeks old i was told today. it only had bumps an bruises, one of the other has 2 broken legs, was not told the cond of the other 2 except not good. father was just bruised but is pretty bad shape after the lost of his wife. am keepin them all in my thoughts.

 

[Walt Davies]

Replace that Amish buggy with your tractor and trailer and then you see why these kind of accidents are not accidents they are avoidable by just driving with a little common sense.
I hope they throw the book at both drivers this is just plain wrong no matter how you look at it.
Walt

 

[D-C-741]

Well To bad for the Kids,But Here in New York,/Around Pen Yan you Cant Trust the way These People handle there Buggys,They CUT OUT IN FRONT OF YOU ,Turn Left FROM The Right Shoulder,All With No WARNING.O I FORGOT THEY HIDE BEHIND A SMV SIGN,SENCE JUST WHEN DOES THAT COVER BUGGYS.I Think They Are A ROAD HAZARD.The Rest Of us have to have a Auto That HAS Lights,Turn Sighnels, Tail Lights,AND BE Able to Keep Up WITH Traffic !!!

 

[Pitch]

That is strange that you would say that.First of all the name of the town is Penn Yan. Second every one of us is well aware that there are many many Amish and Old Order Mennonites that live in the area using the roads and it is incumbant upon you to look out for them. Every buggy is outfitted with an SMV flashers headlights and most even have turning signals.
Perhaps you should get to know some of the folks that live around you instead of getting on here and spreading untruths.

 

[1936]

Anyone around Iowa City, Iowa want to comment on the car load of college students that drove into a parked camper on the solder on I 80 last weekend? Messy.

 

[Jack a]

Only a fool would zip past a buggy or anything that is traveling slow in front of you including tractors. I always slow way down to pass. At least that way they have a chance of surviving if someone makes a mistake. I wouldn't want anyone's death on my mind until the day I die. I have people passing me on the road when I'm on my tractor all the time and 75% never slow down one little bit and some will pass right at the top of a hill. Just slow down. It's that simple.

 

[Mike M]

Do the ones around you have lights,SMV,etc. ?

Alot of them around me DO NOT ! Just a plain black buggy ! At dusk or night darn near impossible to see.

I see lots of bad drivers too,cars and buggies.
I have came upon a buggy many many times going up a hill. They are darn near a crawl. I just sit back and wait til they get to the top so I can see to go around. Countless drivers DO NOT !
This is very scary,what if I or my family was coming the other way ? Nobody thinks ahead.

I also see buggies dart out into traffic,or turn left with no warnings.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Actually that was on I-35 near Ames, the home of the other Iowa school.

The car hit that motor home so hard it flipped the motor home. The motor home (a little one) was parked on the shoulder.

Last I heard the blood alcohol level of the driver of the car hadn't been made public. I suspect it was high.

It was not a day to be in a hurry because the left turn from I-35 to I-80 at Des Moines was impossible due to road construction and all of Iowa City had to make that turn by turning right and then doing a U-turn at NE 14th. With the wreck (probably not the only one that afternoon) it may have taken half a day to get from Ames to Des Moines.

Gerald J.

 

[dlplost]

Sorry D-C-741, i have to agree with Pitch. I live in Painted Post, and travel thru the Penn Yan area all the time. Never seen a buggy on the road without a blinking red light in back at the minumum. Most even do have turn signals.

And if you were to check you're NYS MV laws you'd find that the SMV sign applys to ANYTHING on the road that travels at a slow speed. Yes That means you're tractor is in the same catagory as thier buggys..
Got a tail light or turn signals let alone a SMV sign on your tractor?

 

[Anonymous-0]

Get this one. My relative was driving his old 1970 something single axle grain truck down a 4-lane highway with a half load of seed beans on it. Early afternoon, bright sunny day, no traffic, minding his own business doing about 45mph as older trucks do. When he was rear ended by a little car. He wasn't even sure what happened as he hardly felt anything but he saw this beat up car pull along side him for an instant. The back end of his truck box cleared the hood of the car and completely buried itself into the passenger side of the car to the back seat area. Had the driver hit him square instead of trying to swerve at the last second, he would have lost his head as would his passenger if he had one along. I remind you it was a four lane road empty of traffic. The guy was talking on his cell phone and wasn't watching the road in front of him. The car was totaled and the truck needed the brake light/turn signal replaced.