Post edited 4:15 pm – April 26, 2011 by Whats Next?

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There seems to be some confusion here…

 

1.  The law in Illinois does not state one must slow to a specific speed (aka; 20mph) when passing a emergency vehicle and or DOT maintenance vehicle sitting on the shoulder of the road.  What it states (as posted on very large signs on all the interstate highways in Illinois) – is that motorists must change lanes OR slow to a safe speed.

 

2.  The legal limit for class CDL is 2 points lower than for standard issue drivers licenses.  In Illinois the law is .08 (CDL = .06).

 

3.  There is NO LAW in Illinois that motorists must change lanes in a construction zone.  Actually that is something you should NOT DO.  What you must do, is the posted speed limit.  Which I always do.  But with that said, I have one grip – and that is with cops who will ticket you when it is obvious no one is working in the construction zone at 3:00 am.  Example; the zone speed limit is 45mph and you're doing 55 – 60mph.   The law and the posted warning signs are specific to protect workers and I think any cop who takes advantage of this is a piece of sh**.  –  And no, it's never happened to me, but I have seen it.

 

The other that pisses me off, are the A**holes who are in too much of a hurry to disregard those speed limits during the day (or night) when construction crews are out there working.  –  If your relative was working out there and I killed them, you'd be pissed and do everything you could to friggin' sue me or put me in jail.  SO SLOW DOWN in those construction zones.

Post edited 3:06 pm – April 27, 2011 by Whats Next?

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Ggg said:

No confusion here, I only said Scotts law was similar NOT the same. Every source I can find states the CDL intoxication limit as .04 including the IL CDL rulebook, and the Secretary of State DUI fact book. http://www.cyberdriveillinois (page 4 in the big red highlighted box).

The construction zone speed limits are 24/7 for good reason. There are many construction related jobs that go on and it is not obvious people are working, such as barricade and sign maintenance, equipment refueling, mechanics working on equipment, surveyors, supervisors, and inspectors doing their part, etc. Many of these jobs are done with minimum staffing or even solo. The speed limit law is there for the protection of those workers too. It would only add to motorists confusion if there were different construction zone speed limits for when workers were and were not present. That is why the speed limit is what it is, 24/7.

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Yep.  It has changed once again.  I don't keep up with that on a yearly basis.  Probably because I never have to deal with it because my fleet of semi dump drivers never get into trouble.
 

As for 24/7 – You bring up a valid point however the unions abide by the state rules on highway construction that both workers and there vehicles must be properly visable (reflecive safety clothing & safety lighting on vehicles both day and night when on a job site.  I've been in this business since 1996.  There isn't a damn thing about heavy highway construction you can tell me.