Train vs. truck in Sun City

[ezdays]

In Flagstaff, the problem was the same, but worse. There, you had mainline BNSF trains travelling high speed, combined with stupidity, and intoxicated folks driving between campus and the downtown bars. I think they have made overpasses for a few crossings, but the ones near downtown are still at grade.

Yeah, you're right, there's not much room between the tracks and US66 in the downtown area. There's just a couple of crossings there, one right next to the depot as I recall. The trains are going much faster than they are on Grand, but it doesn't matter, you get hit by a train and it hurts....

Almost every time I drive along Grand, I see someone block the tracks. And I work next to the light rail, and I can't believe the number of people I see jaywalk across the street and stand in the middle of the tracks while they wait for the other half of the traffic to clear. And these jaywalkers aren't kids or vagrants, they are mostly businessmen wearing pressed slacks and ties.

Remember, those guys in suits and ties are important enough that the train should stop to let them cross. These are the same guys that weave in and out of traffic while on the cell phones, or try to get that 1/2 car advantage when crossing Grand. These aren't people trying to beat the train, they are sitting there waiting for a light change when the train comes by and really screws up their day. The worse one I've seen was that picture a few months ago of the vehicle sandwiched between the light rail car and a power pole. I doubt that this is unique to our area.