Another senseless accident. You have to feel bad for the train crew when stuff like this happens. http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/gdot-worker-in-salt-truck-dies-in-wreck-involving-train
I certainly do feel bad for the train crew. They are innocent victims! Sad that driver lost his life, but crossbucks are more than enough warning, 'driver be cautious!' STOP, Look, Listen, LIVE. IT IS JUST THAT SIMPLE.
Expanding a bit on my previous post- What TOO MANY do not comprehend is that ANY TIME IS TRAIN TIME! Trains run not just when scheduled, but when the company needs to move revenue traffic of any kind.
The media often intones that a grade crossing accident was not the fault of the motorist by finding that the crossing wasn't protected by gates or flashers. They then neglect to write that there are over 129,000 public road grade crossings in the U.S., nor that excellent progress has been made in reducing incidents. These events are terrible, but as y'all note above, all are easily preventable.
Yup. Just don't get in front of an oncoming train. Really, really simple. Those few seconds gained, by racing through any crossing, are not worth your death.
There's a CSX grade crossing nearby and traffic backs up at a traffic light beyond. If one vehicle space opens up on the other side of the tracks, I often don't cross the tracks to fill it because inevitably the motorist behind me will follow on and stop on the track. Sometimes you have to think for the other guy too. When two spaces are open, then I'll cross.
I would never be a railroad/auto death statistic. I ALWAYS look to see if there's a train coming so I can stop and watch it go by. I'm sure I have made drivers behind me mad before. Doug