Rally Truckers Stopped After Slowing I-495 Traffic

[n2doc]

Virginia State Police say they stopped four tractor-trailers participating in a rally on the Capital Beltway after they slowed traffic.

Those participating in the "Truckers Ride for the Constitution" rally planned to circle the inner loop of the Capital Beltway "three lanes deep" to express their frustration with the nation's political leaders, as well as policies regulating the trucking industry.

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corrine Geller says about 30 commercial vehicles and 15 pickup trucks sporting U.S. flags and "#T2SDA" placards crossed over into Maryland on I-495 northbound at around 8 a.m. Nearly an hour later, four tractor-trailers began driving side-by-side, slowing traffic to 15 mph.

State troopers stopped the trucks at mile marker 53 and warned them not to impede traffic, Geller says. They were not given a ticket and were allowed to continue.

Geller says there have been no major incidents as a result of the convoys.

more

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Rally-Truckers-Stopped-After-Slowing-Traffic-227376341.html

Should have arrested them and impounded their trucks.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. They need to be ticketed and fined.

[Niceguy1]

3. what is wrong

With civil disobience? I think they are misguided but we applaud when our people do it.....

[DireStrike]

5. Our people get arrested.

Just a few days ago charges were dropped for the last few of the 700+ arrested on the Brooklyn bridge (which, if you'll remember, police allowed to proceed before trapping and arresting EVERYONE.)

[sinkingfeeling]

6. If I were to disobey traffic laws, I'd be ticketed and fined. Are they special?

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. Civil disobedience actually risks and usually results in penalties, you know?

Otherwise, it's just sitting around and whatnot.

If you slow traffic to 15mph to make a statement, fine, but you should be ticketed at the very least, and arrested if you persist.

[Skeeter Barnes]

12. It is impeding the flow of traffic. I know because I've been ticketed for it

to the tune of $185. I was just trying to get out on the road to make my next pickup before the factory closed for the day. These guys are just... impeding the flow of traffic.

[Arkansas Granny]

13. Nothing wrong with it and I think those who participate realize that arrest is possible.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/rep-john-lewis-arrested-during-immigration-rally-outside-of-us-capitol-building/2013/10/08/8905e29e-305d-11e3-9ddd-bdd3022f66ee_story.html

Rep. John Lewis arrested during immigration rally outside of US Capitol building

[WCLinolVir]

18. Maybe if you needed to get to the hospital or to a fire to save a life it would be diffferent.

[Niceguy1]

62. I said the same

The same the ng when we shut down wall steet and it wasnt recieved too kindly

[WCLinolVir]

64. Well, often on the streets there are options to circumvent

blockages, but yes, it is an issue. And emergency personnel often have knowledge of closures. But it is something that should be addressed when you organize for a demonstration.

[oldhippie]

21. What's wrong ....

..... is that "those" people are doing it for the wrong reasons. When "our" people do it it's for a righteous cause.

[B Calm]

23. Believe it or not, there are certain lanes that trucks are not allowed

to drive in. The trucks in those lanes can be ticketed and it's a high dollar fine!

Retired truck driver

[tenderfoot]

34. when have "our people" done this?

[Downtown Hound]

35. Every time I participated in civil disobedience, I went to jail for it

I guess arrest and jail is only for liberals though.

On a side note, FOUR TRUCKS? Hahahahahahahahaha!

Way to go truckers. You sure done brought the system to its knees.

[yellowcanine]

36. How does blocking traffic on the Beltway advance anyone's cause?

You have a beef with the government, go to the Capitol and protest. Leave the rest of Washington area commuters out of it.

[msanthrope]

60. Nothing. When I got arrested and jailed, I didn't whine about it. nt

[kcr]

66. Point out where anyone said their side should be arrested, but our side shouldn't?

Gotta love right wing false equivalency talking points.

[KharmaTrain]

2. Let 'Em Run In Circles...

...as long as they're doing the speed limit. They want a confrontation so they can try to shut down all the lanes and get media coverage. I think it'd be ideal if they cops played escort...made sure they kept moving at 55 or whatever. Just let them drive in circles...the irony would be beyond them.

[jsr]

4. Sic the bikers on them

Oh wait

[bullwinkle428]

7. 4 WHOLE TRUCKERS!! I hope they had enough Porta-Potties!

[mucifer]

8. Lets see how 45 protesters get more press than our protests in DC that have hundreds of thousands.

The article actually says there are 45 protesters not 4.

[leftyohiolib]

9. yet ows protesters get pepper sprayed and arrested

[jsr]

10. +1

[JHB]

14. Why arrest them and impond the trucks? Why make them into martyrs?

They're a handful of ranting cranks. Let them get a clue about just how impotent this stunt was.

[WCLinolVir]

17. Because it was intentional and poses a hazard to public safety. These

dumb f's don't care if emergency vehicles can not get through.

[oldhippie]

22. Did anyone block an emergency vehicle?

How is making everyone go slower a hazard to public safety?

[Thinkingabout]

28. You must not drive much, when traffic is slowed on interstates there are usually rear end collisions

And injury and deaths can result.

[VanillaRhapsody]

32. Some people just don't get it...

it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt. If someone's father was having a heart attack and these truckers intentionally causing traffic jams caused him to get to the hospital too late....I guess that's fine as long as "Libertarians and Anarchists" can get their protests on!

[Thinkingabout]

33. Agreed

[Comrade Grumpy]

48. Did someone's father have a heart attack and get to the hospital too late? No?

Looks like they had a silly little protest, the cops stopped them, the end.

[VanillaRhapsody]

51. Good!

Just pointing out the hazards of what they are thinking of doing..

[oldhippie]

41. .... caused by people not in control of their vehicles. nt

[Thinkingabout]

61. Nope you do not drive much, perhaps you are nkt aware there is a minimum speed on

Freeways, if you care to drive 15 mph then drive professionally and remove yourself from interstate highways. I would think truckers would be most upset if four wheelers was driving 15 mph on interstate highways. It is a public safety issue.

[Ikonoklast]

45. Because on the Beltway, there is a left lane commercial vehicle restriction.

No trucks over a certain weight or axle configuration.

What they did on any other day would be an instant ticket, as would be impeding the flow of traffic by driving slowly.

You cannot operate a motor vehicle on a public thoroughfare under the posted minimum without being subject to being stopped. Impeding is a serious offense as speeding, and will get your CSA score dinged.

Overtaking traffic being impeded by a commercial vehicle while you are operating it under the posted minimum, you and your vehicle are the proximate cause of imminent harm to the motoring public.


The laws concerning commercial vehicles are very different from what most people deal with in non-commercial driving.

[oldhippie]

46. I didn't ask if they were violating any rules, I asked ......

... if they had blocked any emergency vehicles. And how going slow was a hazard.

I've been driving for 50 years. I know the rules. And yes, they should have been ticketed.

But thanks for the info anyway.

[Ikonoklast]

47. Yes, driving in the restricted lane is blocking emergency vehicular traffic.

Matters not if there is any actual traffic.

[oldhippie]

49. Figures, words don't seem to mean .....

.... what we thought they mean any more. Now you can block traffic even when there isn't any. OK.

[Ikonoklast]

54. That is exactly what it will say on the ticket they give you.

It doesn't matter if there was actually any emergency traffic blocked, being in the restricted lane is considered to be blocking emergency traffic. It is considered a 'serious' offense.

I told you the rules concerning commercial traffic were different, you chose to play a silly game instead.


Park by a fire hydrant, the offense is actually blocking emergency access, not that there was a fire, or an emergency vehicle present.

[oldhippie]

55. I guess having a pet peeve about the trend of .....

abuse of the precision of language is just my silly game.

I guess you schooled me. Thanks.

[Ikonoklast]

56. Have fun arguing semantics before the magistrate.

They love the intellectual exercise.


Meanwhile, back in the real world....

[WCLinolVir]

63. I don't know if a vehicle was blocked, but it could have been.

People who need access to the roads in times of emergencies or even not in emergencies should not have to deal with intentional blockages on the freeway. Generally on the streets there are options. Ever spend time in an emergency ward?

[oldhippie]

65. Thank you for your comment. But, you know, .....

... it's kinda interesting in that I asked if any emergency vehicles were blocked. What I got was a whole sub-thread of rules, conjecture, and "coulda's", but not a single answer to my question, which can be answered with a yes or no. Interesting on how internet discussions work.

I hope you have a nice day, really.

[WCLinolVir]

67. What you got was the reason people objected to the way in which these

people decided to protest. I'm sorry-did you need someone to die? And how is that if it were me doing that, I highly doubt I would be told, don't do that. I'm pretty sure that I would have been cited and fined. Maybe tased, strip searched, who knows what. I was told to call McDonnell's office. So if I understand correctly, the directive came from a repug gov to ignore upholding the laws. Try holding a protest on the capital steps here and the hypocrisy will not escape you.

[Downtown Hound]

38. A few hours in jail isn't going to make anybody a martyr.

But it will make future employment for these idiots more difficult when companies discover what they like to do with their trucks instead of delivering their payloads.

[kelliekat44]

15. So what are the GOP offering truckers that will benefit them? nt

[Salviati]

20. Bigger Truck Nutz?

[Comrade Grumpy]

50. Snork!

[WCLinolVir]

16. Superintendent of Vir State police-804-786-5351.

This conduct poses a hazard for emergency vehicles and endangers public safety.Lt Dufour-571-238-3177, said he was part of the decision making process not to cite. Let them know how it reflects badly on the state of Virginia.

[Avalux]

19. Faux promoted this, claimed 300k trucks would show up. Their mission?

Remove President Obama from office.

https://www.facebook.com/ridefortheconstitution

[Downtown Hound]

40. 300,000 give or take 299,980.

[Stinky The Clown]

24. What would have happened if that was four angry grannies in pink Honda Civics?

[Coyotl]

25. Or four old hippies in VW vans?

A gentle warning, I'm sure.

[oldhippie]

42. I wish I still had my VW van ......

.... those were the days.

[The Magistrate]

26. Pepper-Spray And Arrest, Sir --- Everyone Knows This

[krispos42]

31. And a good tasing.

n/t

[BluegrassStateBlues]

27. Throw down the spikes.

Save DC from empty Mountain Dew bottles and Skoal cans.

[B Calm]

30. Many of those bottles have urine in them! Lazy assholes

can't even pull over to take a leak, but have all the time in the world to make complete asses out of themselves.

[FarCenter]

29. 15 mph at 9 am on I-495? How'd they do that?

[Comrade Grumpy]

52. I know. I considered myself lucky to ever get up to 10mph.

[yellowcanine]

37. 30 commercial trucks and 15 pickups........

That is less than one per state.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

39. Sounds like a groundswell of support

45 total? About the same number as the Congressional Teabagger caucus of the Banana Republican Party.

[onethatcares]

43. aren't they a day early?

I thought it was going to be held on Saturday, the same day some kind of civilian march to Washington was being held.

whoops, upon further review it was to be held on sunday the 13th along with the million veteran march to the memorials.

I think all the vets would be pretty pissed off to find the roads blocked while they are trying to get into DC. but what do I know?

[Lifelong Dem]

44. "About" 30 trucks?

You can't count to 30? Estimates of "about" are for greater numbers like a 100,000, not for 30. Jeez.

[surrealAmerican]

53. They tried, but ...

... they ran out of fingers.

[lpbk2713]

57. They should impound all vehicles for endangering the roadways.

The tow charge and the impound fee should cost a pretty penny.


Oh, and inspect all the vehicles and log books while they're at it.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

58. There are dozens of us! Dozens!

[ScreamingMeemie]

59. Tens of dozens...