Close call!

We are surrounded by idiots!

Alex, that is always scary stuff.

This video goes right to the heart of why I think spending gazillions of dollars on crossing protection is a total waste of money.  Even when you give people EVERY opportunity to be safe, they will either ignore it or try to beat it.  I personally wouldn't spend ONE CENT for a crossing gate ANYWHERE.  If the flashing lights don't do it for you (and the crossbucks on the less traveled roads), sorry about your luck.

As I've frequently said...

Stupid kills, but not enough to really help!

Ongoing process of cleansing the gene pool.  What is really scarie is that these type of folks drive and vote.

 No matter how safe you try and make something there will always be someone that will override it.  The UK, where this video was taken, probably has some of the safest railway crossings around and their police force is constantly handing out summons to those to don't obey. 

Minor detail - 

"The UK, where this video was taken, probably has some of the safest railway crossings around and their police force is constantly handing out summons to those to don't obey. "

The video was taken in Auckland, NZ according to several news sources, including here.

I don't know if it is proper to still call NZ part of the UK.

Alex

Notice the other people that also crossed while the lights were flashing...

Rusty

She looked to the right and not to the left. I guess she thought it was a one way track. 

NZ into left hand running?

Expect a train on any track at any time in either direction.

Tom Tee posted:

Ongoing process of cleansing the gene pool.  What is really scarie is that these type of folks drive and vote.

And breed...............

you can't fix stupid

None of the people looked right or left.  I wonder if there was a warning bell and the train was sounding its horn along with the flashing lights.  In any case, all of the those people are lucky that they are still alive.  I would have felt bad if the little dog got hit.  

NH Joe

I am constantly amazed how people totally ignore warnings of an approaching train, I am beginning to think these folks believe a train will stop quickly or that they have some sort of super power preventing them from getting flattened. Feel sorry for the crew as I am sure that was a terrible shock.

The Auckland commuter railroad could not have made this sidewalk crosswalk any safer, the track was fenced to prevent fouling the track, there is a flashing signal, their is a warning sign on the fence and the crosswalk over the track is well maintained. 

She got a little skip in her gitalong. 

That's pretty close. Believe it or not, I've seen a railfan have a close call too. I can understand why this happened, he was videoing the steam train, but I'd LOVE to see his video! 

Every time  the 765 was at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum on two different years, we operated a photo run by at a street intersection in LaCrosse, Indiana- north of the state route.  On virtually every trip, I worked the photo line to be sure everyone got as good a photo as possible without getting in harms way.  One fellow, not even a paying passenger, joined in the photo line - right on the pavement of the intersection.  Okay.  As the 765 neared, this fellow kept inching closer and closer to the track - trying to get closer than the other photographers.  I kept asking the fellow to move back but he "wanted to get the shot".  When the 765 was probably only 25 feet away, and the fellow refused to move, I pulled backwards on his shoulder and he fell over - away from the track.  He was hopping mad that his shot was ruined and who did I think I was but I was convinced that he would have been struck.  I was the one who would have had to deal with the police and insurance claims people.  Even at 10 mph, a 400 ton locomotive would have hurt him badly, even if he was just "winged".  I kept expecting some sort of complaint to be lodged about violating his civil rights but never heard any more of it.  

She was totally oblivious.  She would probably have not felt a thing.

Mr Union Pacific posted:

She was totally oblivious.  She would probably have not felt a thing.

I always wonder how someone can miss a train. If anything it's hard TO miss a train!

These stories are never ending.  And to think, these people have the power to procreate.  

NKP779 posted:

Every time  the 765 was at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum on two different years, we operated a photo run by at a street intersection in LaCrosse, Indiana- north of the state route.  On virtually every trip, I worked the photo line to be sure everyone got as good a photo as possible without getting in harms way.  One fellow, not even a paying passenger, joined in the photo line - right on the pavement of the intersection.  Okay.  As the 765 neared, this fellow kept inching closer and closer to the track - trying to get closer than the other photographers.  I kept asking the fellow to move back but he "wanted to get the shot".  When the 765 was probably only 25 feet away, and the fellow refused to move, I pulled backwards on his shoulder and he fell over - away from the track.  He was hopping mad that his shot was ruined and who did I think I was but I was convinced that he would have been struck.  I was the one who would have had to deal with the police and insurance claims people.  Even at 10 mph, a 400 ton locomotive would have hurt him badly, even if he was just "winged".  I kept expecting some sort of complaint to be lodged about violating his civil rights but never heard any more of it.  

It really ticks me off when people walk right out in front of everyone tainting most people's shot and then they get mad when their shot gets messed up. I've seen a few examples of those kind of people, and I've seen a video of a close call on a runby where someone jumped out of the way just in time.

Close call at 2:03

2:17 Someone climbs up the embankment and the rail fans let him have it!

Kid in Purple (I don't think he was a railfan so I'll cut him some slack.)

Looks like it might have been another case of smart phone stupidity.

>>>The Auckland commuter railroad could not have made this sidewalk crosswalk any safer, the track was fenced to prevent fouling the track, there is a flashing signal, their is a warning sign on the fence and the crosswalk over the track is well maintained. 

There could have been a barrier arm blocking the track.!

Kent Loudon posted:

>>>The Auckland commuter railroad could not have made this sidewalk crosswalk any safer, the track was fenced to prevent fouling the track, there is a flashing signal, their is a warning sign on the fence and the crosswalk over the track is well maintained. 

There could have been a barrier arm blocking the track.!

The video camera would then also be showing people going around or under that "barrier", just as automobile drivers do here in the U.S..

Roughly 2 years ago at a CSX grade crossing in Lakeland, Florida a 27 year old woman walked into a slow moving freight train locomotive while texting.  Although the city of Lakeland has a "no whistle" ordinance for grade crossings within the city limits engineers still use the bell when going through.   Apparently the engineer did sound the horn when he saw what was happening.  At the crossing in question while there are gates for the roadway there are none for the sidewalks.  Anyone who is interested can find You Tube videos on this.  

But you can bet if she got hit or killed the railroad would have been sued.

david1 posted:

But you can bet if she got hit or killed the railroad would have been sued.

Not with the footage caught. The crossing signals are clearly active and the woman ignored them. The suet wouldn't hold up in court.

Railfan Brody posted:

david1 posted:

But you can bet if she got hit or killed the railroad would have been sued.

Not with the footage caught. The crossing signals are clearly active and the woman ignored them. The suet wouldn't hold up in court.

Do you also have a Law Degree already?????

Hot Water posted:

Railfan Brody posted:

david1 posted:

But you can bet if she got hit or killed the railroad would have been sued.

Not with the footage caught. The crossing signals are clearly active and the woman ignored them. The suet wouldn't hold up in court.

Do you also have a Law Degree already?????

No, just common sense.

Railfan Brody posted:

Hot Water posted:

Railfan Brody posted:

david1 posted:

But you can bet if she got hit or killed the railroad would have been sued.

Not with the footage caught. The crossing signals are clearly active and the woman ignored them. The suet wouldn't hold up in court.

Do you also have a Law Degree already?????

No, just common sense.

When has "common sense" EVER had anything to do with lawsuits in this country?????

Hot Water posted:

When has "common sense" EVER had anything to do with lawsuits in this country?????

Think about it in the form of a different scenario. Why would someone be punished for something that wasn't their fault if there was evidence of their innocence?

Because lawyers. That's why.

Even full barriers

aren't idiot proof

Rusty

Railfan Brody posted:

Hot Water posted:

When has "common sense" EVER had anything to do with lawsuits in this country?????

Think about it in the form of a different scenario. Why would someone be punished for something that wasn't their fault if there was evidence of their innocence?

You certainly have a LOT to learn!!!!

I was actually on a jury where common sense did apply...nothing to do with trains, but some cluck in a junk van ran a red light and t-boned a cab this little old lady was riding in. Caused her expensive injuries. Van owner had nothing so she sued cab co. over not having seat belts in cab.  State law did not require, so we felt sorry for her but could not rip off cab co. just because they had deep pockets.  Understand that is often not the way it goes.

If Shakespeare was alive today, I guess his thought  of lawyers whould not changee!

Dominic Mazoch posted:

If Shakespeare was alive today, I guess his thought  of lawyers whould not changee!

But he would have been arrested for making terroristic threats!