Novelty of Light Rail Flummoxes Motorists in Houston

[eastside]

From the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/25/national/25rail.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1088181890-269fp9zYT1uwMqGObI05tg

[edblysard]

Funny,
the truck that "strayed" into the path of the train, is a UP highrail utility and MOW truck, and the reason it got hit is because the passenger got out of the truck, and held the crossing arms up for the driver to try and beat the train.

That accident occured on a test track, (miles from downtown,) parrell to the UPs tracks.
Note the other UP maintainance truck to the right, waiting for their buddies to get across?
The truck didnt "stray", it was driven, on purpose, in front of the train, beacuse the MOW guys were on the way home, and in a hurry, as if waiting for a three car light rail train, moving at track speed, would hold them up from their beer too long!
Perfect example of a reporter fileing a report, before finishing the research, or checking their facts.

And the reporter failed to mention that, for two months prior to the line opening, Metro ran TV adds, in prime time, telling the citizens of the train, it's route, and the changes to the street signage.
They still run them today.

Ed

[eastside]

To bad the writer didn't mention the details behind the picture. That would have added to the irony. They should have known better. What you say is entirely consistent with one of the impressions he's trying to draw: many Houston motorists are feckless individualists.

The hardcopy shows a sequence of photos of the crash. Unfortunately the Times didn't include them in their online version.

[Anonymous]

Won't let me look at it -- I guess I'm not a member.

[edblysard]

Freckless, huh...
You are too kind, I have other, more descriptive words, that apply, but I just cant use them here!!!

(check your e-mail)

Ed

[eastside]

QUOTE: Originally posted by macguy

Won't let me look at it -- I guess I'm not a member.

Just register, I think it's free.

[eastside]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Freckless, huh...
(check your e-mail)

(check YOUR e-mail.) I think it's what you want.

[Anonymous]

Not only are they driving into trains at 10 times the rate they do in Sacramento. They've driven into the fountain that goes off when a train passes 15 times. It must be one of those Ninja fountains that sneaks up on them.

[eastside]

Ouch!


From print version showing what happens when train meets truck.

[Anonymous]

The problem is people being hard headed: a no left turn sign is a no left turn sign.... I have seen people everywhere ignore signs such as a no left turn sign, or a no u turn sign.... However, with a light rail train running in the left turn lane, a train can sneak up on people very quickly.... I am sure the number of accidents will decrease after these people realize they shouldn't break the law and make that illegal left turn.....

[edblysard]

The fountain that keeps getting driven into is located at the end of Main St.
All of the attempts to get a free car wash happen between 2:00 am and 5:00 am, and the U boat commanders have all been really deep into their schnapps...
One guy actually managed to get his Nissan pick up half way across the fountain, on the tracks, before getting stuck.

Ed

[eastside]

Apparently this story has legs:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/10/national/main536134.shtml
http://www.actionamerica.org/houston/
Anyone know how fast they travel?

I remember when I was a kid in Chicago the main streets had streetcars. Traffic and steetcars intermingled, yet streetcar accidents were very rare, probably because motorists were so familiar with them.

[Mookie]

Yeah, back then, they didn't eat, talk on a phone, listen to a CD, chat with a passenger, paint their nails, dress, run their laptop and write notes for a meeting all at the same time as driving. They just paid attention and drove.

Moo

[Overmod]

I think a far more significant reason for eastside's observation is that trolleys generally don't go 40mph!

There's some evidence (in old silent movies) that trolleys caused their own share of 'whoops' moments for motorists in the old days. Not as dramatic, perhaps, but still damaging. IIRC, this was one of the 'reasons' given for replacement by buses.

One wonders, with the name of the reporter and all, whether there might be a little anti-Texas bias in the way this story was written...

On the other hand, the signage IS remarkably stupid, and perhaps this is a significant part of why Houston is having problems. The article appears to indicate that at one point (already a hotbed of traffic problems) there is a left-turn lane IN THE RAIL R.O.W., and elsewhere that the only protection at at least one crossing is a cryptic little 'no turn when the train is coming' sign.

In a world where even four-gate crossings don't prevent people from driving into the path of oncoming trains, it's a wonder that Houston Metro officials thought a few signs and 'preemptive reds' would do the trick....