http://abc7.com/news/usc-student-identified-as-driver-involved-in-metro-train-crash/581473/ Just unbelievable, especially the comments in this and other articles. Multiple reports that all of the lights and safety equipment was functioning and that the car made a left turn in front of the train, yet still people drivel on. Worst yet, the LA Times comes up with the theory that we need more safety features instead of, oh I don't know, defensive driving?
People driving cars sometimes think it is their God-given right to drive through flashing lights! Just before the slams into their butts, I often wonder what the driver was thinking. And I'd also like the newspapers not to be so biased.
I drive a semi for a living. I know how this goes. People in cars will do the most ridiculous things in front of me and get mad at me. As oldcook says, people think it's their God given right...
Mike, the anonymity that the internet provides seems to bring out the ugliness in people when they comment. That seems to be prevalent in all the "blogs" following articles, regardless of the subject matter. Personally, I was very surprised to read that the driver was a Navy veteran with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. I would think he would be aware of such things as the crossing signals, but may have been distracted. Hope he survives. His injuries are reported to be severe and life threatening.
My wife's younger brother is career long haul. Every now and then he'll set up a video camera in the front window. He has some really sickening footage of people acting like something beyond idiots. But even truckers can pull a bone-headed stunt. He has some views of that as well. I've seen those, too. I gave up my CDL in 1990.
It doesn't matter who you are, a driving mistake is a mistake, with ugly results. My best thoughts to the train crew and passengers. The innocent victims.
I live here in Los Angeles and was fortunately neither on the rails nor the nearby streets when it happened. I'm a little puzzled though that this accident got so much news coverage nationally; we've had worse rail/auto accidents before but they never got national attention. Maybe yesterday was a slow news day? Some people I know yesterday were going to take a tour of Metro's central control facility, which monitors and dispatches all Metro Rail operations. The group arrived late due to an unrelated shuttle bus service breaking down on the other side of town, but the Metro crews that they met with upon arrival said it was a good thing they were late, since everyone was tending to the accident at the time.
