Re: Interesting Occurance

[Bill <wguest@xtra.co.nz>]

Dammit, John, I could have done with a side of pork! Be a bit more considerate
of your mates in future, eh?

Bill

John Regan wrote:

> Today on the way back home driving a passenger train I had a near-collision
> with a truck carrying pigs.  It crossed infront of my train without
> stopping or even slowing, at a controlled crossing fitted with lights and
> bells on State Highway 1 about 75 kilometres north of Christchurch.  The
> crossing is on a straight stretch of road with good alround visibility.
>
> Unfortunately for the driver of this truck there was a Police Officer on
> the southern side of the crossing stopped with another motorist whom he was
> busy giving a ticket.  He witnessed the whole thing and took off after the
> truck.
>
> Train Control informed me later that the truck had been stopped and the
> driver dealt with.
>
> I spoke to the officer on the phone who told me that the truck driver had
> been so engrossed in watching the cop with the motorist that he failed to
> see the flashing lights and hear the locomotive horn! (I had started
> hanging off the whistle when the truck was some 200 metres from the
> crossing until after I cleared the crossing and it was a very good horn the
> loco had).
> Apparently the truckie said that by the time he discovered there was a
> train bearing down on him he did not want to brake for fear of injuring the
> pigs so he kept on going and only just made it across the crossing by a bit
> less than 50 metres.  I was going 85 kmh at the time and he was going up
> hill.
>
> It is not very often that a cop witnesses such an act of stupidity but it
> all fell into place today.  It will be interesting to see what the out come
> will be.
>
> Cheers
>
> John Regan
> Locomotive Engineer
> Christchurch
> NEW ZEALAND
> reganjd@clear.net.nz