Mr. Beanz

I wonder if a citation would be issued to a cyclist in this situation. Gina's on her way to work and as she approaches the RR trax, the lights go on, but the intersection lites are green, so she drives thru. A copper is on the other side waiting to cite her. She's directed into an area where 10 other cars are stopped and also being cited for running thru the flashing lites.

SO she calls me and explains what happened. Said the copper says it's a sting operation. "Yeah, so", I tell her. I tell her she should have stopped no matter what, especaillay at the RR trax. She says 2 other employees were stopped and plan on fighting it. I tell her I can't figure that out, she screwed up so why not pay. If she goes to traffic school, it will not go on her record. I don't know, I'm the type that will pay for my mistakes even if it meant going to traffic school to take care of it.

Brings me to my question. DO you think a cyclist would be stooped for the same violation? Eh, who cares, just my way of warning SoCal drivers to stop if you see some flashing RR lites! Somebody is watching us!

YoungGun

they should stop. they should be thankful that the train didn't run them over. the citation is merely tuition fee for not following traffic laws. =p many people died on the railroad cuz they simply think they can beat the train or something.. many stupid people out there. fight the ticket? .. ummm under what basis? what a joke. pay up and stop next time. =)

chimivee

two words: '92. Prison.

Mo'Phat

Red means stop.


Lernt that in Kindermagarden. Seriously, though, any blinking red lights mean stop...at RR Crossings, School Buses, etc.

It does seem weird that it was a "sting operation"...did a train ever go through?

dddave

did you do hard time for running rr lights?

socalrider

I know that flashing lights means stop but so cal has got to be the capitol of chicken sh*t tickets..

Come on, go out and stop some real crime.. You are hassling people who are going to work and paying taxes.

herbm

I thought the red lights meant you stop and were supposed to run out and put a penny on the tracks before the train comes...

Psydotek

Ok, i get the whole red lights means stop thing (espically since there are still some RR crossings that don't have the crossing arms).

But what if you pull up to the flashing red lights, stop, wait 5 minutes, realize there's no train (provided you can easily see a mile down the track and there's no curves which block your line-of-sight), then cross after checking while the lights are still flashing? Wouldn't this be similar to the rule which allows cyclists to run red lights if they've been skipped afew times at intersections (if they're unable to trip the sensor wires) and it's safe to cross? (at least i think it's a rule in california, could be wrong... i spend alot of time in the commuting forum too)

Oh, where did this occur at? (y'know so i can avoid it for a while, or at least be careful)

redal

I was stopped for the same thing. Get this: I was jogging! I didn't get a ticket, but got a stern warning from the RR authority, who assured me he could give me a ticket if he wanted to. (He had a badge and a gun.) I now always stop, in the car, on my bike, or running, as soon as I hear the bells and see the lights.

merider1

Okay, I'll be blonde, why not...

I'm confused. Don't barricades go down blocking cars from going over the tracks when trains are coming anymore? You know, lights flash and that beeping alarm thingy goes off and the barricades come down. Right?

So, I just don't understand this scenario. She pulled up toward an intersection at which tracks were present and the red lights flashed but the stoplight stayed green? And no barricades or alarm? What is that?

merider1

Bells! That's what I meant. And BARRICADES???? Right? Or did the cars pull around the barricades?(which is very dangerous and illegal)

redal

Not all intersections have barricades in the Inland Empire. However, the intersection I was at did, the train had gone by and the barricades had gone up but the bells were still ringing. I looked both ways saw no other trains and crossed. Usually the bells and lights are going slightly before the barricades drop and slightly after they go up. Mr. RR authority informed me it was illegal to cross the tracks when the bells were going off regardless if the barrcades were down.

merider1

Thanks, but one last question, isn't the intersection light timed to turn red when those flashing lights and bells go off? I do not recall pulling up to tracks at which a train was coming where there were any lights that were green (indicating that is was okay to go). Of course, I don't cross tracks that often and maybe my memory is askew.

redal

I'm sure with traffic intersections you are right. The intersection I was at was simply a RR crossing a major street. There were the bells and flashing red lights, but like I said the barricades had gone up and I looked both ways. There was not a train coming. They probably flashed and rang less than 10 seconds after the barricades went up, but I had crossed in the meantime. Last week I waited for two minutes at a RR crossing (barricades down, lights flashing, bells ringing) and no train came by. I know that there are constalntly Metrolink trains on those tracks at that time of day. I was looking and looking and saw nothing. I was on my bike and could have easily gone around the barricades (I could see a long way down the tracks in both directions). The image of that man jumping out of his SUV and threatening me with a ticket kept replaying in my head so I just waited.

Drew12

About a year ago, I'm out in front of work and here comes this car, pulling a trailer loaded with
busted electronics ( can we say tweeker..). He proceeds to drive over the railroad tracks at an
angle, in the dirt. Well, he gets stuck, highsided on his transmission.
Now mind you, this is an AMTRACK line. so were talking fast and often...
Myself and 5-6 other guys run over and try and push him off after he spends what seems like an
eternity spinning tires.
Dang car wont budge.. we push, we grunt, nothing...
" take your F***ing foot off the brake!!!" one person yells....

OK, now here comes the AMTRACK authority, he isn't happy, and starts saying a train is coming
in just 3-4 minutes...

Ok, now I'm imagining a big crunch coming, and tell the guy if I hear train, I'm outta hear.
Fear is a great motivator, 6 guy pushin and pulling with all they have...
and... POW, it's free!!

not 5 minutes later a train sped by...

He should of ridden a bike
True story.... Moral, don't be a tweeker...

felt1

You're right she should have stopped, but she doesn't owe anybody anything. She put her own life in danger and probably pays enough taxes already. Just because the city wakes up one morning and plans a way to extort more money out of its tax base via a "sting" doesn't mean she loses her right to a fare trial. She should fight it because she can, it's her American right. Besides cops don't give each other tickets, why do they give us tickets? I'm all for tickets that are given do too actions that will effect others(DUI, speeding). But in this case she can look both ways and see a train(no train around then go). BS ticket in my book just like seat belts( I use my seatbelt).

Sci-Fi

The "intersection lights" should automatically turn to red or go into a flashing red sequence at the same time as the RR warning lights. But that's a technicality and everyone, including pedestrians should stop/not cross the tracks. Depending on the speed of the train, the RR lights can go on if it's a mile away or more. Remember, even at 35 mph, a train takes a lot longer to stop...maybe 1/2 a mile for a short train.

If there are drop down barricades/gates, it even harder to justify crossing the tracks. In some areas where people constantly drive around the barricades/gates, residents and businesses want either a double barricade per side or a full coverage barricade/gate to block all the lanes on both directions....so one almost had to drive on the sidewalk and/or go "off-roading" to get around it.

Who wants to end up like this?:


Most of the train accidents involve the Metroline/Metrolink trains and they used to go 50+ mph. People think they can beat the train before it gets there and end up being a statistic. Stay behind the barricade/gate or white line too...it's a safety distance to prevent someone from being sucked/pulled into the train from the vacuum action if the train is going fast enough.

Drew12

If a car is hit by a train, it most assuradly will effect more than just the driver.

thomson

Interesting the Amtrak Authority didn't have the train stop until the truck was freed.

VelodromePhoeni

Another thing to consider:

I was out riding with my club one morning, through South Pasadena -- and about a half mile from the start point is a RR Crossing. Invariably, we hit it just right.

Well, after the train went by, the barrier arms did NOT go up, the warning bells kept dinging, and the lights kept flashing. But the train had already gone by!! Was the darn thing busted, or what? The guy in front of me got impatient, and ducked under the crossing arm and made a right turn (he didn't ACTUALLY cross the tracks to do this).

Milliseconds later, A SECOND TRAIN CAME THROUGH!! Naturally, my clubmate was lucky enough to have a police cruiser nearby to witness this, chase him down, and cite him.

Lesson #1 -- If you're going to do something illegal, make sure there's police around so your effort won't be wasted.

Lesson #2 -- Sometimes, there is more than one train.

vp

Mr. Beanz

The barricades went down after the lights started flashing. I really don't know the whole situation cause I wasn't there.

The intersection of Mission and Milliken is where the sting op was under operation. I do think it's a bogus ticket, but honestly, I would have stopped and think she should have done the same for safey's sake.

Raiderdave

I ride the Metrolink to work. I was ticketed for trespassing ( a misdomeaner that would have been on my record) as when I exited the train I walked towards the street to cross at the signal, but cut it short by 20 feet or so and crossed the tracks. Although I looked both ways, and was way sure no train was coming (I'm not that big of an idiot), the sheriff was watching and nailed me.

I had to go to court for this. Thank god I asked the judge what for an indication of my sentence before I admitted any guilt --as if this was going to be permanent, the gloves were coming off. Judge reduced it to a ?(not on my record), and fined my $50 (that with court costs added cost like $150). I told him "I'm guilty"..cause I was!

Bottom line is if you cross any RR track, and are not crossing it at the marked crossing, your tresspassing.

curiouskid55

Red lights flashing or not means stop. What is she an idiot?

Mo'Phat

That's his wife, you prick. Show some tact or I'll sic ovoleg on you.



...I'll edit if and only if a mod tells me to.

felt1

She's not an idiot, she seen there was no train in sight and didn't want to stand in line watching red lights blink for the next five minutes of her life. I would have went too. Although if I saw a cop I would have watched the lights.