I agree with the first part 100%. The "they got what they deserve" or the "people are idiots and need to learn how to drive" sentiments are down right reprehensible. You guys need to get a god damn grip. Needlessly interjecting politics is completely unnecessary and pointless.
I'm a bit surprised that you are a bit surprised. There are mistakes and then there are Darwin mistakes. Do you need to be told not to jump out of an in-flight airplane without a parachute? Would you attempt to swim across the Atlantic Ocean alone? Having a family to take care of IMHO adds to the stupidity. BTW: This has nothing to do with illegals. Amazon's smartest drivers are the ones that should be near gateless railroad crossings.
If the driver drove around crossing guards that were down, ignored flashing lights, etc, then I would agree about his Darwin stupidity. I feel the guy made a terrible mistake and lived to tell about it.
I am just amazed he did not see the train. I don't think he "deserved" anything, because I agree people make mistakes. I'm more perplexed at the circumstances surrounding the crash. I would love to know if the gates were malfunctioning, because if they were, that's for sure one strike he isn't responsible for. One other thing we need to remember is that if it were carelessness, which I am not sure how that can be ruled out, there are many passengers on that train traveling 50+ mph whose lives are also at risk if the train ever happened to derail.
For the record - I never said that "he got what he deserved". He put himself and the engineer and passengers on the train in danger because he did something that common sense should tell him is stupid. Flashing lights and gates have nothing to do with this accident. One average Diesel locomotive alone weighs about 250,000 pounds. A person with a functioning brain will not cross railroad tracks until he or she is 100% positive that there is not a train coming. Period. That person will never stop on a railroad track, ever.
...I hear you John, I'm the same way, see a train at 80 mph and know how much crossing time I need to avoid a collision. Do it all the time pulling out into traffic and making left turns. But not everyone's like that. Fully a third of people I encounter either can't or won't use their brains that way. They seem to retain stuff that doesn't help them navigate the world we live in. It's sad to watch. Now that I'm old and slower, I take more processing time, and stop more that I used to...
My reply is from the railway standpoint. Trains have right of way EVERY DAMN TIME. Trains cannot stop on a dime or swerve to avoid a crash. A one mile long train traveling at 60 mph (96kph) can require over a mile to fully stop. Vehicle drivers MUST expect a train at every single crossing, regardless of configuration. This driver apparently failed to check his left mirror. It's all but impossible to verify an approaching train's speed when you're next to the track. I've spoken with a few CP Rail Engineers and railway cops, plus sat in on numerous railway safety training sessions. Some of their training videos are quite interesting. Possessing a valid drivers license means knowing and agreeing to obey ALL traffic rules and operating your vehicle with safety as the Number 1 goal. there's no valid excuse or reason for trying to "beat a train" As John stated above a 999 chance in 1,000 you'll make it across safely is lousy odds. That one time could cost your life, those of any passengers you're transporting, plus lives aboard the train should it derail. If it's a freight train, the clean up costs could be extensive. Several years ago a truck driver trying to beat a train 70 miles west of me caused 17 MILLION dollars worth of damage and Hazmat clean up costs.
