Passenger Trains > Bicyclist races SMART train, loses

Bicyclist struck, killed by SMART train at San Rafael crossing

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By MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL |

 PUBLISHED: July 4, 2020 at 3:44 p.m. | UPDATED: July 4, 2020 at 4:03 p.m.

A bicyclist was struck and killed by a SMART train in San Rafael on Friday night while apparently
trying to speed through a crossing, San Rafael police said.

The engineer reported seeing a bicyclist traveling at a high rate of speed just after 7 p.m. as the
northbound train was approaching the North San Pedro Road crossing near the Civic Center, but
could not slow down quickly enough to avoid the collision. The crossing gates were lowered before
the bicyclist arrived, police said.

The bicyclist was transported to Marin General Hospital, and died there later.  He was described
as a 36-year-old male. No other identification was immediately available.

Alot of bicyclists are now switching over to "eBikes", which have electric batteries that enhance propulsion.  They can move quite fast, as fast as a scooter or slow motorcycle in some cases.  The problem is they then become harder to stop.

I've seen guys like this blowing down streets and almost dying, as well, as they avoid collisions.  

Oh well.

This is a spot where quiet zoning may have resulted in a death sadly. Big curve at Cerro with basically zero visibility from road due to topography and trees and a signal house. I have no idea which way the cyclist was heading but he might have stopped if he had heard the horn and knew the train was seconds from the xing. Here's a Google Streetview look at the crossing. You can see the curve really well even in the wide angle. Visibility much lower when trees are leafed out. https://www.google.com/maps/@37.992697,-122.5352687,3a,75y,125.72h,80.48t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSDIjYQVT4nXbuWlFzBLplw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192


   



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/20 11:27 by phthithu.

In all the quiet zones I worked in you were allowed to sound the horn in an emergency. Perhaps the engineer did blow the horn and the rider ignored the warning.

phthithu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is a spot where quiet zoning may have
> resulted in a death sadly. Big curve at Cerro with
> basically zero visibility from road due to
> topography and trees and a signal house. I have no
> idea which way the cyclist was heading but he
> might have stopped if he had heard the horn and
> knew the train was seconds from the xing. Here's a
> Google Streetview look at the crossing. You can
> see the curve really well even in the wide angle.
> Visibility much lower when trees are leafed
> out. https://www.google.com/maps/@37.992697,-122.
> 5352687,3a,75y,125.72h,80.48t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s
> SDIjYQVT4nXbuWlFzBLplw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Are you saying that the visibility is so bad, that vehicles and bicyclists can NOT see the flashing red lights and lowered crossing gates?  

Many of the "hardcore" bicyclists routinely ignore stuff like STOP signs and traffic signals.
And sometimes they end up paying for their arrogance!

AmHog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In all the quiet zones I worked in you were
> allowed to sound the horn in an emergency. Perhaps
> the engineer did blow the horn and the rider
> ignored the warning.

That's possible I mean who knows. But don't you think, if this wasn't a quiet zone, the engineer would have probably been blowing the horn well in advance of when he would have seen this cyclist trying to beat the train?

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are you saying that the visibility is so bad, that
> vehicles and bicyclists can NOT see the flashing
> red lights and lowered crossing gates?  

Hotwater that's really the opposite of what I getting at and I apologize for the confusion. The cyclist was probably totally focused on those lowered crossing gates and flashing red lights and was devoting his full attention to circumventing them while travelling at a high rate of speed. A train horn would have alerted him to the proximity of the train and it's direction and perhaps have dissuaded him from trying to beat it. It would have been a much better warning than a visual check which at this crossing would have hardly helped due to the curve, the trees, and a hill.   

phthithu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Are you saying that the visibility is so bad,
> that
> > vehicles and bicyclists can NOT see the
> flashing
> > red lights and lowered crossing gates?  
>
> Hotwater that's really the opposite of what I
> getting at and I apologize for the confusion. The
> cyclist was probably totally focused on those
> lowered crossing gates and flashing red lights and
> was devoting his full attention to circumventing
> them while travelling at a high rate of speed. A
> train horn would have alerted him to the proximity
> of the train and it's direction and perhaps have
> dissuaded him from trying to beat it. It would
> have been a much better warning than a visual
> check which at this crossing would have hardly
> helped due to the curve, the trees, and a hill. 
>  
That kind of thinking would warrant a warning horn device at every stop sign and traffic signal controlled intersection so motorists don't run stop signs or blow red lights. Completely illogical.   Personal responsibility is required rather than excuses and speculation for a poor decision.   

Doesn't every crossing with lights and gates also have a bell?



fbb37 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> phthithu Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > HotWater Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Are you saying that the visibility is so bad,
> > that
> > > vehicles and bicyclists can NOT see the
> > flashing
> > > red lights and lowered crossing gates?  
> >
> > Hotwater that's really the opposite of what I
> > getting at and I apologize for the confusion.
> The
> > cyclist was probably totally focused on those
> > lowered crossing gates and flashing red lights
> and
> > was devoting his full attention to
> circumventing
> > them while travelling at a high rate of speed.
> A
> > train horn would have alerted him to the
> proximity
> > of the train and it's direction and perhaps
> have
> > dissuaded him from trying to beat it. It would
> > have been a much better warning than a visual
> > check which at this crossing would have hardly
> > helped due to the curve, the trees, and a
> hill. 
> >  
> That kind of thinking would warrant a warning horn
> device at every stop sign and traffic signal
> controlled intersection so motorists don't run
> stop signs or blow red lights. Completely
> illogical.   Personal responsibility is required
> rather than excuses and speculation for a poor
> decision.   

fbb37 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> phthithu Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > HotWater Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Are you saying that the visibility is so bad,
> > that
> > > vehicles and bicyclists can NOT see the
> > flashing
> > > red lights and lowered crossing gates?  
> >
> > Hotwater that's really the opposite of what I
> > getting at and I apologize for the confusion.
> The
> > cyclist was probably totally focused on those
> > lowered crossing gates and flashing red lights
> and
> > was devoting his full attention to
> circumventing
> > them while travelling at a high rate of speed.
> A
> > train horn would have alerted him to the
> proximity
> > of the train and it's direction and perhaps
> have
> > dissuaded him from trying to beat it. It would
> > have been a much better warning than a visual
> > check which at this crossing would have hardly
> > helped due to the curve, the trees, and a
> hill. 
> >  
> That kind of thinking would warrant a warning horn
> device at every stop sign and traffic signal
> controlled intersection so motorists don't run
> stop signs or blow red lights. Completely
> illogical.   Personal responsibility is required
> rather than excuses and speculation for a poor
> decision.   


You don't think that your proposal would probably result in fewer accidents involving people running red lights? It sounds like it would. Although I don't see how your thing would work at a stop sign because wouldn't your warning horn be sounding also for the car whose driver is intent on running the stop sign? That driver wouldn't really be warned in that case...it wouldn't really help. It's an interesting idea though.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/20 12:52 by phthithu.

phthithu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> fbb37 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > phthithu Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > HotWater Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Are you saying that the visibility is so
> bad,
> > > that
> > > > vehicles and bicyclists can NOT see the
> > > flashing
> > > > red lights and lowered crossing gates?  
> > >
> > > Hotwater that's really the opposite of what I
> > > getting at and I apologize for the confusion.
> > The
> > > cyclist was probably totally focused on those
> > > lowered crossing gates and flashing red
> lights
> > and
> > > was devoting his full attention to
> > circumventing
> > > them while travelling at a high rate of
> speed.
> > A
> > > train horn would have alerted him to the
> > proximity
> > > of the train and it's direction and perhaps
> > have
> > > dissuaded him from trying to beat it. It
> would
> > > have been a much better warning than a visual
> > > check which at this crossing would have
> hardly
> > > helped due to the curve, the trees, and a
> > hill. 
> > >  
> > That kind of thinking would warrant a warning
> horn
> > device at every stop sign and traffic signal
> > controlled intersection so motorists don't run
> > stop signs or blow red lights. Completely
> > illogical.   Personal responsibility is
> required
> > rather than excuses and speculation for a poor
> > decision.   
>
>
> You don't think that your proposal would probably
> result in fewer accidents involving people running
> red lights? It sounds like it would. Although I
> don't see how your thing would work at a stop sign
> because wouldn't your warning horn be sounding
> also for the car whose driver is intent on running
> the stop sign? That driver wouldn't really be
> warned in that case...it wouldn't really help.
> It's an interesting idea though.
>
>  Read what I wrote...  it's ridiculous to have warning horns or audible signals at all intersections and not necessary with flashing light and bells at grade crossings.  Basic rules of the road compliance and alertness is all that's required. 

fbb37 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >  Read what I wrote...  it's ridiculous to have
> warning horns or audible signals at all
> intersections and not necessary with flashing
> light and bells at grade crossings.  Basic rules
> of the road compliance and alertness is all that's
> required. 

FBB that's a really good argument and I'm with you but we're talking quiet zone vs. train horns set up for a RR xing. These are actual safety precautions that are in place everywhere. You're talking some interesting stuff but you are more in the counterfactual realm maybe start a new thread? 

coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Alot of bicyclists are now switching over to
> "eBikes", which have electric batteries that
> enhance propulsion. 

IT was a mountain bike.

phthithu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> fbb37 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > >  Read what I wrote...  it's ridiculous to
> have
> > warning horns or audible signals at all
> > intersections and not necessary with flashing
> > light and bells at grade crossings.  Basic
> rules
> > of the road compliance and alertness is all
> that's
> > required. 
>
> FBB that's a really good argument and I'm with you
> but we're talking quiet zone vs. train horns set
> up for a RR xing. These are actual safety
> precautions that are in place everywhere. You're
> talking some interesting stuff but you are more in
> the counterfactual realm maybe start a new
> thread? 

Accidents happen every day in the US where some one ran a crossing where the lights were flashing the crossing arms were down and the train was blowing its horn.

If a person is going to go around lowered crossing arms and ignored flashing red lights, what exactly makes you think he would suddenly stop if he heard a train horn?

How much time does it take to wait for a 2-car to go through a crossing at track speed. R I P Mr.Impatience.

Posted from Android

        The cyclist does not give one rats rearend about the train, lights, horn, bells, crossing arms, etc, etc and you cannot teach him or her because they believe they are on a much higher plane of thought and being one with nature than all of us combined. When they have their cute little cycling shoes and costumes on riding their $4000 bike, they believe the world all wants to be like them. . . . almost. They are still better than the rest of us.
 
        So, . . . . . When they do stupid crap like this, boxem' up and mop up the rest. You cannot change their minds or educate them.   Just the way it is.

        They also ride off cliffs.   Explain that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/20 16:35 by dcfbalcoS1.

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>         The cyclist does not give one rats
> rearend about the train, lights, horn, bells,
> crossing arms, etc, etc and you cannot teach him
> or her because they believe they are on a much
> higher plane of thought and being one with nature
> than all of us combined. When they have their cute
> little cycling shoes and costumes on riding their
> $4000 bike, they believe the world all wants to be
> like them. . . . almost. They are still better
> than the rest of us.
>  
>         So, . . . . . When they do stupid crap
> like this, boxem' up and mop up the rest. You
> cannot change their minds or educate them. 
>  Just the way it is.
>
>         They also ride off cliffs.   Explain
> that.

Right on!  

MSE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Doesn't every crossing with lights and gates also have a bell?

In my experience, yes. But in my experience some crossings are programmed to ring the bell only when the gates are decending. Once the gates are down the bell stops. At other crossings the bells are continuous. Regardless of the auditory warnings, crossing lights on means STOP whether or not there is a secondary indications of the presence of a train.

I witnessed a crossing malfunction today and was amazed at how long people waited for the gates to reset. A few people made u-turns. After about five minutes people started going around the gates. It was at least 10-15 minutes before the gates went up (no train nor maintainer arrived). Overall very few people decided to cross the tracks despite the obvious lack of train on a lightly used <1 train per day) track.

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Accidents happen every day in the US where some
> one ran a crossing where the lights were flashing
> the crossing arms were down and the train was
> blowing its horn.
>
> If a person is going to go around lowered crossing
> arms and ignored flashing red lights, what exactly
> makes you think he would suddenly stop if he heard
> a train horn?

I guess just seems like it would give the cyclist an idea of the train's location and might give him second thought. Don't you think there are lots of avoided incidents every day thanks to horns?