‘This makes zero sense’: Watch an SUV drive into the path of a speeding train
Many motorists have been in this situation.
You’re driving along and suddenly the gates go down over railroad tracks as the train approaches.
You figure you’re now stuck there, depending how fast the train is or how many cars it has, for a chunk of time.
It’s tempting to want to beat the train before it passes so you can get to your destination.
One person in Orlando found out the hard way on Wednesday that it’s best to wait until the train passes.
Video released by the Orlando Police Department Thursday shows an SUV inch up to the tracks as the crossing arms close behind it.
The car idles for roughly 10 seconds with no train in sight. Suddenly the car begins to move forward at the exact second the train barrels down and crashes into it.
The OPD tweeted the video with a warning: “Please obey all traffic laws, especially when approaching railroad crossings. Trying to cross when a SunRail train approaches is extremely dangerous. Exercise patience and drive safe.”
Many commenters were confused by the driver’s actions.
A sampling:
“This makes ZERO sense. They cross the barrier, wait for train, then drive slowly in front of it.”
“When the gates come down, you STOP, you don’t CROSS! Uncontrolled, you stop and look both ways. This ain’t freakin’ rocket science!!!”
Another said seeing what went down in this video was nothing new on the Florida roads.
“I’m still amazed at the amount of people who stop on the railroad tracks. I see it every day.”
Other social media users thought the high risk move was intentional.
“This was almost surely on purpose. Nothing here looks like an accident. They waited to pull out so the train wouldn’t have slowed down.”
OPD spokesman Sgt. Eduardo Bernal told the Orlando Sentinel that investigators do not believe the driver tried to kill herself but did say the timing was “weird.”
The incident remains under investigation.
The woman remains in a local hospital in stable condition, Bernal said.
The train was delayed for roughly an hour after the accident, according to the Sentinel.
This story was originally published April 12, 2019 at 9:59 AM.