Plane Crash (777) at SFO (7/6/13)

[Aaron]

Ask me how nervous I was every time they split lanes while we were in CA. I know it's legal under 35 mph (I think that's the limit), but it still scared me.

There's no specific speed where it's legal or illegal in CA. The specific statute just says "with reasonable safety", and safety has a lot to do with difference in speed. If there's a column of traffic moving at 5 mph, and a bike going between lanes at 35, I'd personally argue that that's an unsafe maneuver. In actual practice, the judgment of whether or not the move was safe would be up to the cop writing the ticket.

 

[SarahZ]

Ask me how nervous I was every time they split lanes while we were in CA. I know it's legal under 35 mph (I think that's the limit), but it still scared me.

There's no specific speed where it's legal or illegal in CA. The specific statute just says "with reasonable safety", and safety has a lot to do with difference in speed. If there's a column of traffic moving at 5 mph, and a bike going between lanes at 35, I'd personally argue that that's an unsafe maneuver. In actual practice, the judgment of whether or not the move was safe would be up to the cop writing the ticket.

When we were there, our friend said that if traffic on the highway is moving slower than 35 mph, the motorcycles can split lanes at a safe speed (such as 10 mph in stop-and-go traffic). That's what I meant. Sorry I didn't make that more clear.

 

[leemell]

The CHP guidelines (and should be heeded) are not to split lanes if traffic is moving more that 30 mph and the motorcyclist should not travel more that 10 mph faster than the traffic. As far as the Hurt report, I read it completely right from Hurt's site (to show you haw long ago, I WAISed it, then FTPed it to download) before the DOT edited it just after it was available and I believe my understanding of it is correct. When I was riding then, lane splitting was very prevalent, maybe even more so than now.

That is all I'll have to say on this subject as it is not trains or Amtrak.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Good to see saxman's post as he is an airline pilot! When I was a Student Pilot (back in Bi-Wing Days, I'm Old! :giggle: )my Instructor stressed that you didn't want to be "Low and Slow" on Approach to Landing, which is the obvious case here! The Airplane Companies (Cessna, Piper etc.) were actually running ads that said such untrue things as "Drive 'em up and Drive 'em down!" and "If you can Drive a Car you can Fly a Plane!" Ny old instructor (ex- USAF) also liked to say that "there's Old Pilots, and there's Bold Pilots but there's No Old Bold Pilots!"

Anderson Cooper had an interesting piece on the crash last night where they showed actual footage of the crash and a reporter rode in a 777 Simulator with an Airline Pilot while they simulated the Approach to SFO, first the way it was supposed to be done and the Landing was a Greaser! ( the desired result on every Landing! ) The second was flown like the crashed 777 and of course they hit the Sea Wall and Crashed! All things considered, the crew and passengers on this ill fated flight were lucky that lots more serious injuries didnt occur and that more lives weren't lost! (RIP to the deceased!) Of course the NTSB Report will be the Bible on this, but it's obvious that Pilot Error, Failure to Maintain Safe Control of the Airplane, is the Cause of this Crash!

The Airline Pilot "Flying": the Simulator also pointed out most Airline Pilots like to Hand Fly the Approach to Landing in VFR (Clear Skies)Conditions to maintain Proficiency , but that the Auto Pilot can actually Land the Plane as Good as or Better than an actual Pilot!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Most Memorable Landing (ie White Knuckle Landing) Add me to the Old Hong Kong Approach List!

Takeoff: Mexico City (Benito Juarez Intl.) to Guadalajara in August with a Full Load in an Old Mexicana DC-8 on a 100 Degree Day! We Used the Whole Runway and just sort of Slowly Floated into the Air towards the Mountains that surround the Valley of Mexico! Mexicana used to pass out Free Booze to all Passengers and lots of Tequila and Cerveza was consumed during that Flight!(The landing in Guadalajara wasn't any easier, it too is surrounded by Mountains and it was still a Hot Day with a Very High Density Altitude!!)

 

[MrFSS]

You haven't experienced a landing unless you have landed at Charleston, WV. They chopped off the top of a mountain and put the airport on it. Exciting!

 

[jis]

If you have the time, I'd recommend that you listen in on the NTSB briefings. The Chair of NTSB is amazingly good at explaining things.

See http://www.c-span.org/Events/NTSB-Briefing-on-Asiana-Airline-Plane-Crash/10737440372/

 

[PRR 60]

If you have the time, I'd recommend that you listen in on the NTSB briefings. The Chair of NTSB is amazingly good at explaining things.
See http://www.c-span.org/Events/NTSB-Briefing-on-Asiana-Airline-Plane-Crash/10737440372/

A professional with the rare gift of making the complicated understandable.