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Comment by jdmulloy | Hacker News Reader

"Loveland Pass, Colorado, on US Route 6 summits at 11,991 feet. That’s where I’m headed, having decided to skip the congestion at the Eisenhower Tunnel. Going up a steep grade is never as bad as going down, though negotiating thirty-five tons of tractor-trailer around the hairpin turns is a bit of a challenge."

This sounds to me like he took a more dangerous route to avoid traffic. There should probably be a fine or some other deterrent for taking a dangerous route if you don't absolutely have to. He risked the lives of not only himself, but anyone else on that road.

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In addition to the other responses to this comment, I'll note that Eisenhower Tunnel has tremendous stress and inherent danger in and of itself. Let's follow the other route of this driver's path.

Coming out of Georgetown drivers begin a long, steep incline up to the tunnel. As you climb the last few miles to the tunnel, the speed limit drops from 65MPH to 55MPH and you have some folks who instantly do the -10MPH acceleration and you have others who don't think that they need to slow at all. Then comes the jockeying for position with insane zipper merges as everyone squeezes down to 2 lanes. Once you're in the tunnel, the speed limit drops again and the it's clear that the "no lane changing in the tunnel" is roundly ignored as cars zip in and out of lanes. This lane changing sometimes leads to poor choices as someone who believes they're making a good (though technically illegal) move must immediately brake because they didn't see the slower car in the other lane to which they've moved. This all happens in a tight, two-lane tube.

Once you exit the tunnel, we're once again treated to an expansion to four lanes and it's a mad dash to fill all lanes as fast as possible to see who can make it to Silverthorne first. All lanes filled. We're now on the windward side of the mountain and here, anything can happen. Snowstorms in July. Slushy roads and a swarm of Subarus and Jeep Grand Cherokees either blasting past you at 70MPH or clogging lanes at 45MPH as we all manage the steep descent into Silverthorne. One (maybe two) runaway truck ramp is all that's available to you as you have to navigate the chaos around you.

I drive both roads frequently because I love the mountains and I love heading west end exploring this area. This driver risked far fewer lives taking by Loveland Pass than he did by staying on I-70. Since you've later admitted to having never driven in the mountains, I think it would be best for you to scale back the rhetoric until you gather a bit more information.

> Coming out of Georgetown drivers begin a long, steep incline up to the tunnel. As you climb the last few miles to the tunnel, the speed limit drops from 65MPH to 55MPH and you have some folks who instantly do the -10MPH acceleration and you have others who don't think that they need to slow at all.

But that part of it you get anyway, because you haven't come to the exit for Loveland Pass yet.

Also note that the driver took a route almost a thousand feet higher (and probably less well plowed), when deeply worried about snow and ice. That sounds... rather odd.

I mean, I'm sure he had what to him were sufficient reasons to do what he did, but the stated reason seems somewhat inadequate.

As a sidenote, hazmats are banned from the tunnel if Loveland is open [1].

If Loveland is closed, hazmats are held back at the tunnel [1][2] until they can fully stop normal traffic, at which point they escort hazmats through such that they don't intermix with regular traffic in the tunnel.

[1] https://www.codot.gov/travel/eisenhower-tunnel/eisenhower-me... [2] http://www.landlinemag.com/story.aspx?storyid=61225

On the way to Aspen from Denver, it's a perfectly valid route to take during warm months and isn't particularly more dangerous than any other route to Aspen for a tractor trailer. Often, when there's a bad crash on I-70, that's really the only way to traverse the Colorado.

I'll admit I've never been to Colorado, but I understand there's no way to avoid steep grades in the mountains.

Thanks for the downvotes.

There is no way to avoid steep grades, but the pass he took is much more difficult to drive than taking the Eisenhower tunnel due to sharp turns. It can be stressful in a car, I can't imagine doing that in a semi.

The steep turns should inherently force more caution. The wide-open feel as you exit Eisenhower makes for some of the worst highway decisions I've ever seen.

> I understand there's no way to avoid steep grades in the mountains.

Sure, but your original post assumed he took the more dangerous route. The interstate through the tunnel is no picnic either, and I'd argue it's a tossup whether going through there with all of the cars and other trucks is actually safer than Loveland.

You made an assumption based on experience you don't have that was critical of someone who does this for a living -- in fact, suggesting that the choice made by said person should carry a penalty! That is why you're seeing downvotes.

I was going off of what was presented in the text. Guess I'm not allowed to have an opinion unless I've done extensive research.

Y'all are making me feel really welcome here.

If you want to propose punitive legal remedies for the actions of others, yes, you should do your research.

To be fair, downvotes are common when you call for legislation from an apparent basis of ignorance, as you did. They shouldn't be taken personally, but simply as an indication that your advice isn't considered especially relevant or helpful. Most of us have been there at one time or another ("There oughtta be a law...")

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