33 - Friday, December 15, 1989 - North Shore News AU T&M 6fT ft V E s Small car no match for big truck A TRAGIC traffic ac- cident in Port Co- quitlam recently prompted me to write this warning to motorists: use caution and courtesy when driving near big trucks and semi-trailers. A woman in a 1976 Hon- da Civic was stopped at the traffic lights at United Boul- evard and the Mary Hill Bypass near the Port Mann bridge. A large truck struck her from behind propelling her vehicle into another van. Her car was completely demolished and she was kill- ed instantly. The woman was eight months pregnant and attempts to save her unborn child’s life failed. The driver of the truck sustained only minor inju- ries. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined, but the accident clearly il- lustrates the difference in weight between the two vehicles. In a serious colli- sion, a small car is no match for a big truck. The greater mass and iner- tia of a truck or semi-trailer can completely crush a standard size passenger car. When loaded, a dump Make a winter USE CAUTION, COURTESY WHEN DRIVING NEAR TRUCKS truck can weigh 23,000 kilograms (51,G00 Ibs.). A toaded semi-trailer can weigh 38,000 kilograms (84,000 Ibs.). A small car weighs about 1,000 kilograms (2,300 Ibs.), and a mid-size car weighs about 1,500 kilograms (3,300 Ibs.). Using these figures, you can see that a loaded dump truck or semi-trailer is 15 to 38 times as heavy as a smail or mid-size car. What many people fail to understand is that with that much weight on board, 2 truck doesn’t behave like a passenger car. It accelerates more slowly and takes longer to slow down. You will often see big trucks leave a large distance between themselves and the vehicle in front of them. They do this so that they survival kit From page 22 there may not be enough voltage left in the system to fire worn spark plugs. New plugs nearly always are part of a tune-up. Peri- odic tune-ups can ferret out those parts that should be replaced to prevent failure in cold weather. Hairline Tire tread condition is crucial when driving on ice and snew. _ . — cracks in the distributor cap and rotor, for example, or faulty wiring are notorious for this. On cazs_ wiih distributor: breaker points and condenser, reguiar at- tention to tune-up services is especially criticai. Keep the gas tank as full as possible to minimize con- densation. Freezing of moisture in the fuel system can cut off fuel flow. 3. Cooling System: Be sure that the system is clean, that you have adequate an- ti-freeze protection and that all hoses and belts are in good condition. 4. Gi: Clean oii of the correct weight, or viscosity, is important to cold-weather starting. In all but the most frigid temperatures, 10W-30 is recommended. In temperatures below -18°C (O°F), SW-20 may be preferable. 5. Tires: Tire tread condi- tion is crucial when driving on ice and snow. Also check inflation. Tire pressure decreases one pound for every five degree Celcius (10 degrees Fahrenheit) drop on the thermometer. If you haven’t checked your tires since the thermometer read in the teens Celcius (60s Fahrenheit), they may be seriously underinflated. 6. Windshield Wipers and Lights: Keep plenty of wind- shield washer/anti-freeze solvent in the reservoir. How are your wiper blades? Con- sider installing winter blades, which feature rubber boots to prevent ice build-up on the blades. Be sure all your lights are working and occasionally clean off road dirt and salt. Create a winter survival kit and keep it in the car. The kit should inciude: 1. Battery booster cables 2. Blankets, sleeping bags or something to keep you warm 3. Matches and candles 4, Ywo 1.5 kilogram (three- pound) coffee cans, one for Sanitary purposes and the other to hold candles which could be burned for heat 5. Paper towels 6. First-aid kit with pocket knife 7. Flashlight with extra bat- teries 8. Small sack of sand 9, Tire chains 10. Shovel tl. Food supply (high- calorie, non-perishable food such as canned nuts, dried fruit, candy, etc.) 12, Tools 13. Windshield scraper 14. Transistor radio, extra battery 15. Hand-held Citizens’ Band (CB) radio. with have enough time to brake should the vehicle in front of them stop suddenly. When a vehicle changes lanes in front of them, the truck driver has to adjust the braking distance accord- ingly. On a downhill section, it is dangerous to dart in front of a truck. Allow a big truck plenty of braking distance. Long trucks, like semi trailers and tractor trailers pulling ‘‘pups,’’ have a much larger turning radius than a car. In order to make a 90 degree right-hand-turn successfully, a semi-trailer driver has to move over to the /eft first. If he didn’t, the rear half of the trailer would jump the right-hand curb. Other drivers who don’t fully understand this attempt to move inside the semi- trailer as it moves over to the left. They then get stuck as the semi-trailer moves back to the right and cuts them off. ay adopt. I wish to adopt When turning left at an intersection, large trucks usually have to make a wide turn. Often, their traffic light will turn red before they’ve fully completed the turn. Impatient drivers going in the other direction will bemoan the fact that a big truck is in the middle of the intersection even though their light is green. This is simply because they don’t understand the different behavior of big trucks. On the highway, it’s safer B he West Vancouver Memorial Library Mhas some very important and . influential books waiting to be adopted. Your personal nameplate will appear on the inside cover of every book that you The library is in desperate need of major AutoMotion Greg Wilson not to drive in the lane right next to a semi-trailer. !f the driver of the semi-trailer wants to change lanes, it is difficult for him to do so until you are out of his way. Because it is difficult for heavy trucks to resume highway speeds after slowing down, a truck driver will often try to maintain a cons- tant speed by passing slower cars in the passing iane. If you are in the fast Iane and are coming up behind a truck who is attempting to You can author an important work When you participate in the ADOPT-A-BOOK prvugram. renovations and your participation in the ADOPT-A-BOOK PROGRAM means that you will be the author of a relevant community move into the fast lane, it’s a courtesy to let him move in- to the lane. At night time, you may even want to flash your lights to tell him it’s okay to change lanes. During the winter months when visibility is poor and roads are slick, it’s especially important to judge braking distances carefully and be seen by cars and trucks alike. A potential hazard with trucks are the flammable fuels and dangerous cargos that they may be carrying. Apart from ordinary fuels like gasoline and propane, trucks may be carrying chemicals and highly flam- mable materials. These may ignite in an ac- cident and add to an already bad situation. Truck drivers are profes- sional drivers, and they do the best they can to avoid accidents and observe com- mon courtesy. Each book is just $10, so reserve your nameplate now. ADOPT-A-BOOK APPLICATION FORM book(s) at the West Varicouver Memorial Library. Enclosed is $10 Name: __ Address Area of interest: for each bonk | wish to adopt. | understand that the funds will go to the Special Edition Capital Campaign. Please place a book plate in the following: Age: (i.e. gardening, music, mystery etc.) Please print. If additional space is required. attach a separate sheet. A COMMUNITY SERVICE OF THE program and a book that may influence hundreds of readers over the years. { j