CNN BREAKING - horrific pile-up near La Porte Indiana on I-80/94 east. Pic from WLS. Updates on CNN

[warrior1]

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[shenmue]

1. Oh no

[n2doc]

2. So many trucks

One of the reasons I hate to drive on the interstates anymore. Hope people are ok.

[WillowTree]

13. Seventeen of them at last count.

Multiple deaths, too, from what I was hearing on the radio. So sad.

[Myrina]

3. The northern part of the state got absolutely hammered with snow ...

... something like 2 feet fell in the South Bend area since last weekend, in addition to what they already had AND the bitter cold & wind.
That Lake Effects crap off of Lake Michigan ain't no joke.

[mucifer]

4. At least two people are dead. I heard it on the radio.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Damn. I hate I-80, loads of trucks.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

10. That's one miserable stretch of concrete.

[warrior1]

6. link

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Crash-Michigan-City-7-Semis-241709461.html

Two people were killed Thursday afternoon in a multiple-vehicle accident that shut down I-94 near Michigan City, Indiana authorities said.

"Many more" fatalities may be possible, LaPorte County Coroner John Sullivan said, because cars remained underneath semis that had not been searched

"It’s just a mess out there right now,” Sullivan said.

The crash involved at least 15 semi-trailer trucks and multiple other passenger vehicles, police said. Other injuries were reported, but the extent of the injures is not yet known.

[tkmorris]

7. I saw that picture then thought of this story I read earlier. Connection?

&quot Reuters) - U.S. Midwestern states are scrambling to address a deepening shortage of the home-heating fuel propane just as another cold snap envelops the region, threatening to strain supplies that are already at historic lows.

Demand has been boosted by the combination of record freezing weather at the start of this year and a late, wet, record corn harvest last October and November, when large quantities of propane were used to dry out crops. Propane stocks have been drained and prices in the region are the highest since at least 1990.

To allow greater and quicker deliveries to rural homes and farms, several states, including Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, have suspended "hours of service" rules that limit the hours truck drivers can spend on the road, according to state notices collated by the National Propane Gas Association.

(selection bolded by me)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/21/us-energy-us-propane-idUSBREA0K1I920140121

[Kelvin Mace]

8. This is why I stay FAR

away from big trucks.

[JJChambers]

11. Not much to do

If you're caught in traffic and one runs over your vehicle from behind.

[Kelvin Mace]

16. Agreed

But I still make a conscious effort to stay clear of them.

[theHandpuppet]

17. I've seen loads of trucks flying down I-81

They don't let up on the gas pedal, no matter the conditions.

[Jazzgirl]

19. I had two cars in one year totaled by semis.

I try to stay as far away as possible. The last car was a 2012 and had it less than a year when another 18 wheeler decided to crash into me. Now I'm in a 2013 but damn..... I hate those things!

[Blue Owl]

9. JFC

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. Yikes I've traveling that stretch a lot lately back and forth - Chicago to South Haven Mich.

[warrior1]

14. and right now in Sacramento

we've had record breaking heat. Almost 70 degrees everyday of this week. We are hoping for rain starting on the 1st of Feb.

[AsahinaKimi]

15. Looks like a

Convoy gone wrong.. Hope people are okay...

[Hepburn]

18. OMFG!

I am so glad I do NOT live where it snows. We only have earthquakes!

Seriously, this is really sad.

[JaneyVee]

20. Looks like Chris Christies traffic jam.

[TinyBubbles]

21. Give truckers space and respect

I've driven 1.5 million miles (car) and learned that there are more bad auto drivers than truckers, they cut them off, won't let them in, swerve over lanes to exit, etc. They don't realize these rigs weigh 30 to 50K lbs or more and are carrying everything you touch, eat, wear, fuel, everything is delivered by big trucks. US Mail, UPS, and Fed Ex small parcels are first delivered to their smaller hubs by the semis before they hit your house in the smaller trucks. Here's what I've learned: if traffic in front is getting heavy tap your brakes softly several times and put your flashers on so the semi drivers know it's a serious slowdown, go slow and leave lots of stopping room, and if a semi puts on his flasher to come into your lane, slow down and double or triple flash your high beams that's the signal to the driver that he's good to cut in, BTW they often flash their taillights to thank you! Believe me if they need to change lanes there is a reason, usually to open up the fast left lanes so all the crazy cars can zoom by. And nothing worse than a car speeding up to prevent the semi from moving over then the semi has to brake and every vehicle behind him brakes, cars start darting in and out of that lane and bam there you have it. Drive safe respect the truckers.

[marmar]

22. One reason I hate, hate, hate driving from Detroit to Chicago ......

....... I did it a few weeks ago in good weather, and I'll never do it again. SOOOO many trucks on the stretch between the Chicago Skyway exit and the I-94/I-80 split. Amtrak or bust.