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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">I believe there are two fundamental reasons why the majority of grade crossing crashes occur:</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.75pt; text-indent: -21.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.75pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">1) Drivers want to beat the train in order to avoid a delay.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.75pt; text-indent: -21.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.75pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">2) Drivers believe they can use their own discretion in deciding if it is safe to cross. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">The basis of item #2 is the yield concept, which also governs interaction between vehicles in addition to interaction between vehicles and trains.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">In general, the yield concept allows a driver to use his own discretion in deciding if it is safe to proceed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not require a stop or even a specific amount of clearance to a conflicting vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, if a driver does not collide with a conflicting vehicle, that driver has yielded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, police do have discretion in deciding if a close call in yielding is too close, and therefore can be deemed as reckless driving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a gray area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is only the relatively recent advent of the crossing gate that has taken the yield concept entirely out of the grade crossing procedure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While all other markers and signals allow a degree of driver discretion, lowered gates mean absolute stop and wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But old habits die hard, and the idea of yielding at grade crossings lingers on in the minds of most drivers despite the true meaning of lowered gates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></p>
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