Would you believe another one!!!!!!!!

[GoneSouth]

Well for the second time within five weeks the Houston Smashers are still at work.  Another collision between a Metro Bus and the Metro Light rail at the exact same intersecton.  Luckly again only minor injuries.

 http://www.click2houston.com/news/22845837/detail.html

 

 

[K. P. Harrier]

This is a great thread of irony!  Thanks, GoneSouth, for posting.  Good news link coverage, too.

 

[ns3010]

DOH!

I still don't get how someone runs into the side of the train... Trying to beat the train is dumb, but hitting the train takes the cake.

[K. P. Harrier]

ns3010 (3-20):

I think it all is related to aptitude for the job, or for driving in general.

A city bus driver confessed to me he was rushing to make up time once, but was in his own little world. He woke up to reality traveling at 60 M.P.H. with a red traffic light in his face. He could do nothing at that point and just cleared the intersection (i.e., looked both cross-ways) and ran through. He was so shaken up by the experience he suddenly realized the same thing was happening again at the next light! He unbelievably barreled through that intersection too at 60 M.P.H.!

One auto driver here in California didn't see a train continually traversing the grade crossing right in front of him. He crashing into the train and dramatically bounced off it, taking out a crossing gate in the process.

One guy was rushing in an auto and didn't see the car stopped in front of him. His passenger did see it, and woke the driver up from his dream world. The driver then had to run off the pavement to avoid a crash.

So, some have the aptitude to dream and still can react to their surrounds, other don't have that ability. Maybe the two bus drivers in Houston were of the latter type.

 

[daveklepper]

Human beings are not perfect.  I wonderful friend of mine, one of the nicest people I knew, a great contributer to a trolley museum, a transit expert who helped design some of the new light rail systems in the '70's and '80's, and who trained some of the good professionals who are around today, had a similar experience.  He retired from the engineering-consulting profession, but got a job as a regular operator on one of the fine new successful light rail systems in operation.  I don't think it was one he helped design.  Climate and living conditions were what he looked for.  He had a perfect record, and excellent reputation.   Then one day it happend.  He had changed ends at the end of the line, a two track stub with a center platform.  He was at the front of the train, he saw the points of the switch in front move to provide his route to leave the station, and he swore he saw a green signal.   But later investigation after the event with a train crossing over and arriving at the station, indicated the signal must have been red.

Fortunately no one was seriously injured, except my good friend's mental condition.  He never ran a train again, and he has passed on while living in retirement home.

[henry6]

Last night (Sat, 3/20) Wanda Sykes had film from minicam on Huston bus driver as bus hits a "train".  The woman driver (descriptive, not commentary)  first turns to passengers and says.."the light was green, wasn't it" or words to that effect.  Then she, or someone aboard the bus says, "no, not again." 

[AmfleetII]

 Here in Charlotte I saw a close call a month or so ago. A CATS bus driver nailed his brakes pretty hard to stop for the light rail, despite our nice new gates and things. Both cases, probably just not paying attention...