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Truck + crossing + stupid driver + train = well you can guess...
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<P mce_keep="true">[quote user="vsmith"]Guess if by "Know it all" you mean someone who remembered their driving instructors stearn warnings to "never ever stop on the tracks" back when they were in high school 30 years ago...yep, guess thats me allright.[/quote]</P> <P mce_keep="true"> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>I don’t think your analogy of the rule to not stop on the tracks applies to this incident.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The rule pertains to stopping on the tracks when the crossing is clear as in the case of slow traffic proceeding over a crossing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And the principle is associated with the rule to not enter a crossing in traffic if there is not room to pass over it and get into the clear on the opposite side.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This truck driver stopped on the crossing because the gate came down in front of him.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His sin was entering the crossing with the signals activated, assuming they were.</FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Here is what I see in the video:</FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>1)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>The truck enters the crossing while the gates are up.</FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>2)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>When the truck enters the crossing, there is no visible indication of whether or not the lights were flashing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>One might assume that they were because the lights typically activate prior to the gates, but I am not sure if there is a predictable standard covering that issue.</FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>3)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>The truck appears to be making a right turn just ahead of entering the crossing, so he may be concentrating on how his trailer is tracking and whether it will clear signposts or other obstacles behind him.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>You can’t look forward and backward at the same time, so not seeing a vehicle blocking his forward movement, he may have felt safe in looking back to watch his trailer.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If the crossing lights had started to flash at that moment, it is fairly easy to see how he might not have seen them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He would have been very close to the lights, with possibly a rather steep view angle to them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However, the video does not show how the lights were arranged or if they would have been entirely clear to a driver approaching at a 90-degree angle to the crossing.</FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>4)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>It appears that the driver’s first indication of a crossing blockage is when he sees the far gate come down ahead of him.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He stopped, afoul of the first track.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has already passed the near gate, and it comes down behind his cab.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He could have continued and broke the far gate, but apparently he did not want to cause damage to his truck or the gate, and also he may have believed that breaking the gate might compound his predicament should he escape getting hit by the train, but happen to be seen by a cop.</FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>5)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>So his next move was to back up to clear the crossing, which he began to do. But just after starting to back up, he abruptly stopped.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Apparently, he looked back and discovered he was blocked possibly by another vehicle, or he may have seen the gate down behind his cab, and decided that he did not want to break it as surly would have happened had he continued backing up.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If he was reluctant to break the far gate, which he first encountered going ahead, it stands to reason that he may have been reluctant to break the gate behind his cab if he were to back up.</FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>6)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>Many have commented that he should have stayed put, fouling the first track because the train was on the second track.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However, it might not have been entirely clear to the truck driver which track the train was on.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And even if he did see that he was in the clear of the train, he may have again been concerned about being seen fouling the crossing as a train passed.</FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>7)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>So, apparently not able to escape backwards, the driver chose to gamble on escaping forward even though it would take more time to clear the crossing than it would to escape by backing up.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But even with the forward escape, the driver was careful to avoid the far gate.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And the rear gate was dragging on his trailer, so I am not sure that he was not going slow in order to avoid damage to it as he pulled out from under it</FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>My conclusion, based only on what I see in the video, is as follows:</FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">I think he entered the crossing before he realized that a train was approaching, but with the trailer clearance, the turn, and unknown contingencies regarding the visibility of the lights and their timing with the gates, or even whether they were working; I cannot conclude that the driver was reckless, stupid, or was trying to beat the train, or even realized that he was breaking the law when he entered the crossing (assuming that the lights were activated).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">The fact that he was responsible and conscientious enough to refrain from damaging the gates even though he was in dire circumstances seems to conflict with the image of someone with a careless attitude, or one who would be reckless enough to try to beat the train. </SPAN></P>
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