I never go past a track if I don't have a LOT of space beyond the track. I'm amazed at how many follow behind me and sit right on the track. It's only a matter of time.
I've heard of such a story but can't recall any details. It sounds like the bus driver crossed over without having sufficient space between the track and the stop line at the intersection.We had that tragedy I'm sure you heard about where the school bus got hit by an Amtrak train like that. In that case the bus was being held back by a red light on the busy crossroad opposite the tracks. The right move might have been to drive right through the light into the traffic but that goes against all that a driver could do.
I've heard of such a story but can't recall any details. It sounds like the bus driver crossed over without having sufficient space between the track and the stop line at the intersection.
Sometimes, caution on the side of safety is going to tick off someone else. If that means holding back traffic that might be closer to the light or crossing the intersection, so be it. The driver needs to forget about everyone but those in their care and the safety of that vehicle.
It pretty much goes along with 91.3(b).
Thanks, Mike.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_River_Grove_level_crossing_accident
Correction. It was a Metra commuter train, I thought it was an Amtrak express going 70-90MPH.
That was a substitute driver that day as well, albeit a supervisor driver. IMHO she should have known betterWe had that tragedy I'm sure you heard about where the school bus got hit by a Metra train like that. In that case the bus was being held back by a red light on the busy crossroad opposite the tracks. The right move might have been to drive right through the light into the traffic but that goes against all that a driver could do.
That was a local event for me, I pass through that intersection each day. I missed that accident by about 10 minutes that day. Very sad. What really annoyed me was days later I see local police cars still crossing the tracks and stopping on them to wait for red lights.We spent a couple of years as expert witnesses on the Fox River Grove accident. A horrible, horrible tragedy. We get the dubious luxury of reviewing ALL the photos. If people could only see the destruction an accident such as that causes, maybe more people would pay attention to the tracks and the danger they pose. Even the cops around here will sit on the tracks right by our office while at the red light on the other side. Just sittin' there typing away on their laptop. Not a care in the world.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_River_Grove_level_crossing_accident
Correction. It was a Metra commuter train, I thought it was an Amtrak express going 70-90MPH.
<SNIP> Even the cops around here will sit on the tracks right by our office while at the red light on the other side. Just sittin' there typing away on their laptop. Not a care in the world.....
<SNIP> What really annoyed me was days later I see local police cars still crossing the tracks and stopping on them to wait for red lights.<SNIP>
Reminds me of this:
https://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/crossing/
Read it while you can, The Rocky shut down print operations already, who knows how long the web site will stick around.![]()