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Each picture is perfect for those who love the emotion attached to an event. That's not me. Why did this crash occur? What was the mistake he made so that all others never make that mistake again?
For example, where is the hole where that tanker crashed off the bridge? If it crashed off before the bridge and down the grass embankment, then why are the lower roadway guardrails intact? If this roadway has a sharp curve, then where is that curve?
In short, the pictures were taken from the perspective of hype and not from the perspective of facts. That, unfortunately, is what too many do - especially news reporters. I have no problem with rubberneckers slowing down to look at a crash IF and only IF it results in people learning not to make that mistake. Yes, I am rare. I don't like hype. I want to see every gory detail complete with blood and the dying face IF it provides significant fact. I want to see those gory details so that others don't censure important information.
Unfortunately these truck crash pictures are woefully short of information other than how seriously a bridge can be damaged by 5000 gallons of gasoline.
Some decades ago, a tanker was driving up the Schulkyll Expressway from NJ. A support member to trailer rear suspension broke free. The trailer continued on - no one warning him that a strut was dragging on the road. That strut caught the pavement when the truck was under/adjacent to 30th Street Station - the Amtrak and Septa rail station for Philadelphia. Fortunately the truck just emerged from 30th Street before the trailer upended creating a same type of fire.
IOW this story is probably little known because a big hype event did not happen. However those who are concerned with reality see no difference from this event AND what would have happened had the trailer upended under/adjacent to 30th Street Station. We are suppose to learn from events - not be enthralled by a 'cool' picture.
Recently, I smelled something familiar. So I changed direction to follow the smell. Caught up with a trailer where the brakes had locked and were in combustion. Smoke was heavy and woefully obvious. Others simply passed the truck and trailer without word. After much effort, I pulled the truck over. Surprised truck driver sat there with a fire extinguisher while calling for assistance. Same people who never made the effort to save potential victims in 30th Street station also never informed this truck driver of a potentially catastrophic event.
We don't even know if the truck driver survived in the topmost pictures. We have been provided so few facts from the pictures as to learn almost nothing. That's not cool.
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