Earlier today, I was at one of my hotspots waiting on a train to move through. The gates had already came down and the train was slowly approaching. Well this hothead in a pickup truck decides he cant wait the 3 minutes and goes around, with the train only 20 feet from hitting him![:(!] I was wishing it (train)had gone just a little faster and him (motorist idiot) a little slower, then he would have learned “pain” the hard way. Fortunately I had my camera rolling and it caught the dumba** in the act![:D] I wonder if it’ll do any good to show it to the railroad (CN), but probably since I didn’t catch his plate # it will probably do no good. Hopefully the brakeman got it, as he was still waiting for traffic to clear before turning on to the highway![:o)] Serves you right, you clown!
Of course I am probably not the only one to be infuriated by these actions, what’s so bad waiting a friggin 2-3 minutes?[:(!]
Mabee we can start arming locomotives with artilary and let the conductor shoot for points. After a while the avg. intelegence of the world might go up a few points. [:D]
[8D]
Warning! Warning! the gates are lowering on a request for a little political correctness.
In the short time that I have been reading this forum, I have noticed the frequent use of the term “Retard” to describe someone. I understand that it is a term that has been used for years, but I have a severely retarded sister and she would know not to step in front of a train.
Surely, “Retard” can be substituted with…well, the first word I think about when seeing people try to beat the train is not printable, but I know that they are not Retarded.
The mentally retarded can’t be anything but the person they are. But those who break the law are, we all assume, possess a fair amount of intellect and common sense. Their actions should not be compared to the behavior of anyone like my sister.
SD60…
Do me, and yourself a favor…
Find another word besides retard…
I taught severly mentally handicapped children, and a autistic child basic horsemanship classes a few years ago, at Ft Sam Houston, in San Antonio.
Not looking for any political correctness, but just a little compassion.
Until you have dealt with, and interacted with kids, and adults, that are challenged like that, you never will understand the meaning of innocence.
Not a mean bone in their bodies, and most of them are trusting of the “adults” around them.
By using the word retard, you send the readers of your posting a message…
One that says you are a person lacking in compassion, understanding, and simple manners.
You can edit your posting, if you choose to.
Although I agree with you that the fools who run grade crossing often get what they deserve, I dont agree with you that they are retarded…most of the mentally challenged kids I worked with were too smart to do something that dumb!
Geez, if I had known this was going to cause a stir, I wouldn’t have bothered posting this![:(!] Just ignore “retard” and think “Idiots” instead. I have no excuse.[;)]
I just came back from the Folkston Funnel. Four grade crossings in less than one mile. I think about 1 out of 10 of the local “idiots” run the crossings. Someone must keep statistics on the crossings that have the most accidents - anyone know a good source?
I say the trains should be armed with some kind of battering ram and they should speed up as to smash it out of the way.
Their is a game I play called Stronghold which is like a strategy computer game on the crusades. When the enemy is too close, I light up the pitch field they stand on and if some of my workers decide to walk into the fire instead of using intelligence and walk around it, good riddens then. Who needs stupid people when I have plenty of potentially smart peasents without a job.
Same thing with people and railroad crossings. The railroads may decrease national unemployment rate in more than one way.
For three times in as many days I find myself agreeing with Locomutt. In this matter rather than insulting someone or running the risk of sounding crass; political correctness would be a good dodge for someone that is trying not to sound insulting or crass.However In matters that include such unexplained behavior such as running through active gated grade crossings, jumping 100 feet down into a dry rock quary, and playing chicken in an automobile Northbound on the Southbound lanes of an Interstate the term for the winner would be “one of questionable sanity on the way to jail if caught” or DEAD for those that tie or loose at the grade crossing, in the bottom of the quary, and on the interstate. By the way an unsuccessfull suicide attempt is still a crime in some states.[2c]
Darwin award nominee sounds good to me.
People like this get killed frequently enough on double track when they only notice one train…
Several years ago in Chicago, I was stopped first in line at a (then) unprotected grade crossing on south Austin ave. where The busy BRC and a IHB branch parallel each other several yards apart.
This fool pulls up in the right lane, radio blaring…
As soon as he saw the caboose of a very long BN transfer approaching the crossing threw the car in drive and pulled across the IHB so he could get around me on the right. What he did or didn’t see was the short ICG transfer entering the crossing from the other direction at 30 or so mph, and blowing the proper horn signal.
It barely missed him.
He was very fortunate that the ICG train entered from the opposite side of the road from us or he’d never have made it…
I know the terror I felt.
I can only imagine what he and the train crew felt.
I guess you can’t even come here without someone stirring the pot with political correctness?!? What about freedom of speech. I’m fed up with people who tell everyone we need to conform to THEIR way of thinking (yet still believe in individualism). Anyone see the flaw in the logic?
Now, for the topic at hand. The guy did something stupid and luckily nobody was hurt. If police officers can dress like construction workers to help catch speeders in work zones, why can’t they dress like railroad maintenance workers and catch people going around gates at crossings. Would make most people think twice before darting out in front of a train and needlessly risking lives.