Western Railroad Discussion > Aurora accident video

The Chicago Tribune carried a video on its Website concerning a car/train accident in Auroral, IL, over the weekend in which a mother lost her life while her 2 children survived. The whole tone of "it's wasn't her fault" really bothers me. It reinforces the idea that we're not responsible for our actions, so if we get hit by a train, it must be the railroad's or somebody else's fault. Also, look closely at the video of the crossing and see if you can see the "brush" the last gentleman is talking about.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-auroa_trainfatalnov05,0,86603.story?coll=chi_tab01_layout

But it makes for good TV! Hopefully the locomotive was equipped with a camera and the video will show what actually happened.

It's sweeps week. If it bleeds, it leads.

I am familiar with the Liberty Street grade crossing with the EJ&E. On the off chance the gates and flasher were not working, a westbound driver would have a difficult time seeing a train in either direction until they were almost on the crossing.

However, according to the article the gates were functioning. What I cannot understand is why she stopped on the crossing and apparently tried to back up. There should have been no traffic stopped in front of her. Also puzzling is that the son was alert enough and had the time to bail out of the car and get clear. Sad story but thankfully the kids the train are uninjured.

The traffic in the video clip was moving fast enough that momentum would carry a car over the crossing. I was expecting one where gridlock would've trapped the car.

I have limited experience with automatics ... is catching neutral instead of reverse a likely scenery when one shifts in a panic?

* JB *

The comments on the incident are interesting as well. There's one guy whose comments are REALLY off the wall (and mark)...

PE

prr4828 asked:
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"I have limited experience with automatics ... is catching neutral instead of reverse a likely scenery when one shifts in a panic?"

Some vehicles have Overdrive in addition to Drive, Low 1 and Low 2. It is possible to be driving in suburban traffic in Drive notice until you shift to Reverse. Two clicks back from Drive leaves you in Neutral.

galenadiv Wrote:
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The whole tone of
> "it's wasn't her fault" really bothers me. It
> reinforces the idea that we're not responsible for
> our actions, so if we get hit by a train, it must
> be the railroad's or somebody else's fault.

I agree entirely with that observation. But it extends to many other traffic-related problems, too. "Wet/Icy roads" are to blame in rear-enders instead of tailgating/speeding drivers. "Fog/Smoke/Dust" is to blame for pile-ups instead of drivers' failure to slow down to speeds appropriate for road conditions and visibility. Maybe mass media news doesn't tell the truth (e.g. "driver stupidity is to blame") out of fear of losing ratings.

WP

galenadiv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Chicago Tribune carried a video on its Website
> concerning a car/train accident in Auroral, IL,
> over the weekend in which a mother lost her life
> while her 2 children survived. The whole tone of
> "it's wasn't her fault" really bothers me. It
> reinforces the idea that we're not responsible for
> our actions, so if we get hit by a train, it must
> be the railroad's or somebody else's fault. Also,
> look closely at the video of the crossing and see
> if you can see the "brush" the last gentleman is
> talking about.
>
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-auroa
> _trainfatalnov05,0,86603.story?coll=chi_tab01_layo
> ut


And note the caption "Victum's Husband". Also, I suppose the brush obscures the lights and gates and I imagine the window rustling the leaves in the brush drowns out the bell too.

Me thinks it was a suicide by choo choo.

Once again people in too much of a hurry to slow down for flashing lights and gates. I know in my town the lights come on before the gates come down so she was probably trying to beat the gates.