DM-SC
31st October 2005, 23:35
On my way home this afternoon (on the scoot), I had to stop at a railroad crossing due to the red flashing lights and alarm sounding. I pulled to a stop just short of the white line and saw the train coming from my left.
I looked back straight ahead and coming from the opposite direction was a late 80's/early 90's Mustang that was closing on the crossing at a pretty good clip! I could tell he finally saw the warning lights because the front of the car dipped quite a bit all of a sudden.
Now the train was only about 300-400 feet from the crossing when I looked the first time...traveling about 30-40 mph.
I looked left a second time to see where the train was and then looked back at the Mustang...who was, to my surprise, crossing the tracks! Holy Sh:censor ! He just did get his sorry, good for nothin' dumba:censor self across before the train hit him! The train only missed him by maybe 20-30 feet!
I just sat there shaking my head as the train passed...all 5 cars of it! Yeah, it was worth risking his life for what...maybe 15-20 seconds he didn't have to wait.
Here's the kicker and the lesson for me, however. On the ride to my house (about a mile) I got to thinking. This idiot not only endangered his life...he endangered mine as well. If he had been hit by that train, it would have most likely been "bowling for Donald with a Mustang"! :frownthre
I'll be stopping a bit farther back at railroad crossing from now on!
I looked back straight ahead and coming from the opposite direction was a late 80's/early 90's Mustang that was closing on the crossing at a pretty good clip! I could tell he finally saw the warning lights because the front of the car dipped quite a bit all of a sudden.
Now the train was only about 300-400 feet from the crossing when I looked the first time...traveling about 30-40 mph.
I looked left a second time to see where the train was and then looked back at the Mustang...who was, to my surprise, crossing the tracks! Holy Sh:censor ! He just did get his sorry, good for nothin' dumba:censor self across before the train hit him! The train only missed him by maybe 20-30 feet!
I just sat there shaking my head as the train passed...all 5 cars of it! Yeah, it was worth risking his life for what...maybe 15-20 seconds he didn't have to wait.
Here's the kicker and the lesson for me, however. On the ride to my house (about a mile) I got to thinking. This idiot not only endangered his life...he endangered mine as well. If he had been hit by that train, it would have most likely been "bowling for Donald with a Mustang"! :frownthre
I'll be stopping a bit farther back at railroad crossing from now on!