From TradingMarkets.com…
Looks like the UP and the Tulsa, OK police department are setting up “Crossing traps” instead of speed traps!
I think that along with the fines (up to $200) the violators should be forced to watch videos of crossing accidents…and clean up efforts. Kinda like “Death on the Highway” when I was in drivers training so long ago…
in this state fines were 500.00 and was raised but i still have people go around the gate. we still hit them it wont change.
I agree I see almost daily I hate it escpecially when you see kids or passengers in the car I had a near miss last summer that really made me mad was we had a van train going track speed 60mph this moron in a golf cart with a wife and two kids went around the gates he was soo close we couldn’t see him out the front windows of the wide body It bothers me that this idiot put his wife and kids in harms way like that I mean a car offers some protection (very little) but some, a golf cart has none at all
Back in the early 60’s when I was a young copper on the Police Dept., I wrote three drivers for going around a crossing gate on the Wabash at Taylor Avenue in the west end. I charged them under a City Ordinance. One was a lawyer and all three went to court and had the cases dismissed because they should have been charged under a State Statute.
I looked up the State Statute and next time I saw a violation, I took the driver in and booked him under the state charge. I caught hell from my Sergeant for wasting my time on what he called a “minor violation.” You can’t win.
I don’t know if things have changed any. By the way, there were no trains coming but this was a blind crossing and there could have been.
Good. If that what it takes to save a life I am all for it. Maybe a hefty fine will cause these idiots to stop when a train is coming.
Sadly, as long as there are stupid people in this world, there will be crossing accidents. I think grade crossings should be equiped with cameras similar to those used at traffic lights to catch people going around the gates.