That spot he went over is most boring on a boring stretch, used to be corn-on-the-cob storage around that area & they always seemed to be full -Summer & Winter.
Sad for all involved… it could happen to any of us , everyones world screwed up in a second! 
jimmy
harry:
That spot he went over is most boring on a boring stretch, used to be corn-on-the-cob storage around that area & they always seemed to be full -Summer & Winter.
Yep spot on. Was just thinking back to when I used to do the Interski work and that stretch was a nightmare. Your as far from the end as the beginning. Everybody has gone to sleep including your co driver. No one to bring you coffee. Every minute seemed to drag on forever. You feel like your in a black hole, it’s hard going.
Just been on the news that the driver has been charged with involuntary manslaughter as he fell asleep at the wheel.
I just saw that, aren’t they jumping the gun there?
Unless the driver has admitted that he fell asleep, that must be an assumption surely?
fodentanker:
I just saw that, aren’t they jumping the gun there?Unless the driver has admitted that he fell asleep, that must be an assumption surely?
Circumstantial evidence based on elimination of every other possibilty assuming that he hasn’t provided his defence solicitor with any other reason and no contributory defects that couldn’t have been found during the pre trip checks have been found 
.
fodentanker:
I just saw that, aren’t they jumping the gun there?Unless the driver has admitted that he fell asleep, that must be an assumption surely?
The french don’t hang about. I knew a lad once who got caught by Douanes in Calais with 3 kilo of coke on him, from being caught he was up in front of Le beak and sentenced all in the space of about 3 or 4 days. 
Our judicial system could learn a thing or 2 from them I reckon.
Just going by the name I’d have thought unless you could prove a mechanical defect or maybe an unknown medical problem involuntary manslaughter would be a very hard charge to avoid in this case.
switchlogic:
Just going by the name I’d have thought unless you could prove a mechanical defect or maybe an unknown medical problem involuntary manslaughter would be a very hard charge to avoid in this case.
A terrible day whatever the reason for the accident.
fodentanker:
switchlogic:
Just going by the name I’d have thought unless you could prove a mechanical defect or maybe an unknown medical problem involuntary manslaughter would be a very hard charge to avoid in this case.A terrible day whatever the reason for the accident.
Indeed so. A horrific situation for that poor driver to find himself in
fodentanker:
I just saw that, aren’t they jumping the gun there?Unless the driver has admitted that he fell asleep, that must be an assumption surely?
Yes,I thought exactly the same.We will have to wait until the French court reveal their reason for that decision,otherwise we could go round in circles forever
switchlogic:
You feel like your in a black hole, it’s hard going.
Every overnight job has the ‘black hole’,on that road or any other.Widely referred to in coaching at least.Apparently lots of coaches nowadays don’t have bunks.Courier seat and feet on dash 
Why would that be ? I have had many a furiously good 4hr sleep in a coach bunk.
skids:
Just been on the news that the driver has been charged with involuntary manslaughter as he fell asleep at the wheel.
This seems like a huge tablecloth designed to cover everything.
Michael Jacksons Doctor was charged with it, the Inventor of PIP ■■■■, Air France over the Concorde crash and more recently Airbus after 228 people were killed in the crash of Flight 447.
Many things going through my mind about this. Mainly deepest sympathy for all involved. From whats been said the driver the driver was all legal, but none of us know what sort of rest he was getting, I get to stay in hotels and part of my negotiations when getting a job is that I have single rooms on the road. But I realise i’m lucky to be in the position to insist on it.
I think most of us know It only takes a momentary lapse and you’re off the road and as others said that stretch is particularly boring, and can be very quiet on a weekend night. Not a lot to keep your attention.
I’ve always said to my co-drivers that it’s up to them how many hours they do and I’ll have more respect for somebody who’s man enough to say I’m struggling to stay awake can we swap, than somebody who keeps going. You also need to trust another driver if you are going to have a snooze while they are at the wheel.
I feel really sorry for all involved, the family, the survivors and the driver. I must admit, I have always thought that the double manning rules are just plain wrong IMO.
I wonder if he would have got the same sentance if he had been driving say a truck or even a van or car, moved out with out looking properly and killed one of more people on a passing car? Don’t think so some how
DoYouMeanMe?:
I feel really sorry for all involved, the family, the survivors and the driver. I must admit, I have always thought that the double manning rules are just plain wrong IMO.
I agree.
I’ve done way too many 21/22 hour double man jobs since I started and they alwalys wipe you out physically and mentally. When you’re off duty it’s hard to relax in the left seat, they’re not the most comfortable places to try and rest. I know some drivers can sleep in them bit I never could, 50 odd pax behind you and that knowledge that if something goes wrong you won’t see it coming.
Just read on the BBC website that the driver had previously admitted that “he couldn’t remember anything about the accident” and from that they decided he must have fallen asleep.
DonutUK:
Absolutely horrific.We had one of ours coming back from Austria overnight, so it caused a bit of concern when the news was first breaking.
This is why i always break the overnight drives into 2.5 hr stints when double manned. No need to macho out 4.5 hrs at a time when there are 2 of you.
In March we have some of ours doing 10 days in Austria, coming back overnight, having 24 hrs in Dover, then going down to Salou, which i think is pretty irresponsible of the company. There are enough of us to cover the work without having to do that.
The problem is that the coach manager has her little favourites who she has given all the European work to this year, despite over half of them having no experience of driving in Europe. One of them was driving bin wagons until 5 months ago…just think it is an accident waiting to happen.Still, if i’m honest, i’m glad i’m not doing the ski runs this year, they really are a major ball ache.
Forgive my scepticism but 2.5 hours driving alternating with another driver still leaves you knackered after youve done it a few times and youve been on shift for 18 or nineteen hours. Its the principle of extending one persons working day by slotting someone else in the middle of it that is the most outrageous concept I think, We as truck drivers have had our spreadover extended over the years and thats bad enough but this especially when conveying people is an absolute travisty, no two ways about it.
First of all my sympathy to all involved in this tragic incident, including the families of those injured and killed, as well as the driver and the owners of the coach company. RIP Peter Rivington.
I know it has been shown that speed wasn’t a factor in this case, so don’t get me wrong over this, but a lorry and 20 tonne of inanimate load which can be replaced - lower speed limits than a coach with up to 52 people who can’t. Where’s the logic?
By that argument why are trains which may have standing passengers, and not fitted with seat belts allowed to travel so fast?! 