Need an unbiased onpinion

[jessica31876]

OK guys I need an unbiased opinion (but please be nice LOL). This weekend coming home from a movie with my husband and son we saw a tractor trailer run a red light not just once, not twice but THREE times. It was not just a tractor trailer but one of those huge ones that haul two trailers. So had he hit someone he would have caused MAJOR damage. Luckily he didnt hit anyone. Now most of you know what our family has been through so I realize this is going to make me way more sensitive to this type of thing.

This was in early evening hours. The movie we left ended at 8:00 and it was towards downtown Orlando. So it was still pretty heavy traffic at that time and some larger intersections as well. I KNOW the guy ran at least three lights. But I did not get those on film. My husband slowed way down to get the number and company information to report it.

Well we were behind him and I got on film him going through a yellow light which turned red. He had more then enough time to stop because we stopped. So the company takes complaints seriously they said. They also said the driver of this truck has never had a complaint, ticket, accident...nothing. I do not want to get the guy into trouble especially hearing that. It makes me feel bad but at the same time our family is a perfect example of what can happen when someone runs a red light you know?

If I do nothing more (they want me to send the video of him running the light) most likely they will not take it to seriously. The lady I talked to said she believes me because I was not rude or angry about it but just sounded concerned but I kinda get the feeling because of his record they are finding it a little harder to believe.

OK so I know this is long but what I want to know is what would you do? Basically should I send the video and not worry about what happens to the guy or let it go because it was reported and will be kept on file but without the evidence to actually show it might not be taken as seriously as with it.

[BrattyMeg]

where they yellow turning red or already red and he just ran them?

[YepBrook]

Hmmm... part of me thinks they kind of have to say that he hasn't had a complaint, ticket, or accident. Otherwise it would be negligent on their part to have him out there driving a huge 18-wheeler. See what I mean??? My guess is that's not the 100% truth. Or maybe it is. But if what you're saying is true that couldn't have been his first time driving like an idiot. No safe driver suddenly decides to run 3 red lights. Perhaps other people have seen his dangerous driving and never got it on film or had the ability to catch a lic. # or the company of the rig.

I say send the video.

[Darcy Baldwin]

Even if he ran the yellow light - those trucks can't stop on a dime the way you can - there's so much weight behind them that it takes them longer.

But other than sending in the video, I don't know that there is much you CAN do unless you have a state board that overlooks those kinds of things.

[jessica31876]

the video is not really clear. It was dark. It appears he is going through a yellow that turns red but he had more then enough time to stop because it was clearly yellow for 10 seconds on the video.

I am sympathetic because my youngest sons dad was an over the road truck driver. I know it is more difficult to stop for them and they cant just stop on a dime but because it was downtown and heavier traffic part of me kinda thinks that is all the more reason for him as a commercial driver to drive more safely and take more precautions and just slow down then the average driver with just a regular drivers license.

Originally Posted by FlirtatiousBrat

where they yellow turning red or already red and he just ran them?

[jessica31876]

More or less I really kinda just wanted to let the company know hey this is what your driver was doing and this is why I am calling. I could not stop the guy who hit my husband and son and apparently he will never be punished for it either but if this guy DOES make a habit of driving like this maybe by reporting it I could stop someone else from being in the position our family is in.

[maryinaz]

I'd send in the video. They can then decide if it's enough to do anything about it. The last thing they would want (or him, I'm sure) would be to hurt anyone. He might need a reminder. And it will make you feel better. It would me.

[SeattleSheri]

That's tough. If he was entering on an amber, I'd be less inclined to send it. As others mentioned, it's hard to stop large trucks, so it's possible he decided it was safer to proceed than attempt a stop. Working in insurance, I've studied the distance it takes to stop a large truck and it's surprisingly long. It depends on the weight and speed of the vehicle. I actually think it was atrocious the company gave you information on his driving record, that is a complete violation of his privacy.

[Megan Turnidge]

Are your yellow lights really 10 seconds long? Ours are probably only 4 seconds long. If he entered the intersection while it was yellow, I wouldn't send the video.

[Traci Reed]

IMO there's a big difference between going through a yellow light and going through a red light. our yellow lights are 3 seconds and then there's another 2-3 second delay before the next light turns green. In California, if you're in the intersection before it turns red, without having to accelerate, it isn't considered running a red light.

[nun69]

Originally Posted by Traci Reed

if you're in the intersection before it turns red, without having to accelerate, it isn't considered running a red light.

same thing here...I personally wouldn't send it beacuse like Sheri said it is hard to tell how long it would have actually taken him to stop....just IMO ...

[pewtertm]

If I see someone breaking a law, I have no problem reporting them. If they get in trouble, then too bad for them....they shouldn't break the law, kwim?

But if the light was yellow, he probably wouldn't be able to stop...those trucks take about 10 times as long to stop as does a car (and possibly longer depending on how much weight they are hauling). He can't just hit the brakes like we might do without risking jack-knifing or flipping his truck.

[jessica31876]

I realize I am more sensitive on this subject then most. While some people would just say ok let him go by and stay a good distance away from him I am more inclined to report the incident. That is why I asked because I know how upset I get when I see someone driving badly or breaking the law. It is not just running the lights. It is stop signs. It is passing in a no passing zone. Pretty much everything people do that causes accidents makes me really anxious. I cannot control them or make them stop and that is what bothers me. I can control only what happens in our vehicle. But if they decide to run a light or cut over from a merge lane without looking not a thing we can do but try to avoid hitting them.

I did check on mapquest and the distance that was traveled when he ran the three red lights as less then 3 miles. And the speed limit was 40. So he ran 3 red lights in about 2-3 minutes time in a busy area of town.

Also the other thing that makes me this way which some might not realize is my husbands family all does body work. I have been in many body shops and seen to many accidents. My husband worked at a junkyard and he did not spare details when they would get one of those horrible wrecks that you could see blood soaked into the carpet etc. It did not bother me as much then as it does now after our family has had 5 major accidents since 2006 on or near the same road my son was killed on. When they say most accidents happen within five miles of home it really is pretty true. At least for us. So just being on the road and seeing people speeding or driving carelessly makes me very nervous and anxious.

[YepBrook]

See, the reason why I'd send in the video is because you saw him run red lights. Although it's too bad your video is not showing one of the reds he ran, it still shows that you did witness his driving and proves it was disturbing enough to make you tape it.

[glumirk]

Originally Posted by YepBrook

See, the reason why I'd send in the video is because you saw him run red lights. Although it's too bad your video is not showing one of the reds he ran, it still shows that you did witness his driving and proves it was disturbing enough to make you tape it.

This. If it is a yellow light in the video, then he probably won't get in trouble for it, but they may let him know to be more careful because someone felt he was driving unsafely.

[jessica31876]

Oh and Sheri she really did not tell me anything personal only what his direct supervisor said to her about him. They were just really surprised she said to see it was him who was driving this way and probably a little concerned as well as she went on to explain thta they have had drivers who had underlying medical issues which caused them to drive unsafely. My ex was one of them. He developed diabetes and had to get off the road because of it. Florida does allow for pretty broad open public record laws. All I really need is his last name and first initial depending on the name to find out if he has had any accidents, tickets, marriages, divorces, judgements, injunctions or if he owns property here. I kinda dislike that much is available personally but it is how we got so much information on the guy who hit my husband and son and how we know he had a previous DUI which he plead down and served one day on. If we did not have public records so open I doubt we would have ever known that.

[jessica31876]

I went ahead and I sent the video and the pictures which were clear enough of the truck to see the numbers. For some reason the numbers were not reflective but everything else was so the pictures were mostly dark and you can just see the refelctive stuff. I made sure to tell them that I was not looking for him to be disciplined. I dont want him to be in trouble just to be reminded that he has a responsiblity as an over the road truck driver with two trailers attached to his rig to slow down and pay attention. I told the lady handling the complaint that the reason I was calling was that we experienced a loss of our child from a red light runner and my goal was to maybe help someone else avoid having that happen to their loved one and of course to make sure he would not have to live with that as well. It would kill me to think I was responsible in any way for someone being hurt or killed...and I felt like in a way if I did nothing about this then I very well could be indirectly because I saw it and might be the only one inclined to report it

[maryinaz]

You did the right thing Jessica. You gave them the info, and it's up to them to decide if he did anything wrong.

[DawnMarch]

I agree you did the right thing Jessica. He may have no complaints simply because most people just don't actually follow through and report these things.

[SeattleSheri]

If you feel strongly about the way the driver was operating the truck, then I think you did the right thing by turning the video in and letting the employer decipher it. I'm sure it's pretty scary to see a large truck running red lights!

[ryliesmom]

I think you did the right thing. If running the yellow was the only thing he did then I'd feel differently about it, but with you seeing him run the red lights he is definitely a danger on the road. You did what you could do and now it's up to his company to do anything further.

[tanyiadeskins]

yea, I would give them the info...the rest is up to them but your conscience is clear, ya know? I have reported someone once for speeding pretty fast in a school zone. I am not a slow driver always but one thing that really upsets me is people speeding in school zones... it is SO dangerous. I say do what ever you need to do to feel safe and know you did your part to help others stay safe.