What Would You Do In This Situation?

After driving a truck for a few years you encounter so many experiences. They all speak to me like teachers, walking me through an exercise in virtual learning. I think most of you see the wisdom in just stopping before going across the tracks. That's what I'm going to do next time.

Technically I did nothing wrong the way I did it. The guy behind me was clearly clueless, and close to getting killed. Had I taken the precaution of staying on the other side of the tracks none of this would have ever happened. We really do have to think about "cause and effect" when driving. Take the high road in your big rig. Think about the big picture. Your actions may help manipulate the other traffic into taking safer precautions.

I'd like to think I would have been calm enough to make a quick decision like you did and get on the cb to the truck ahead of me. I dont know though. I admire your ability to stay cool under pressure, Old School, and keep your wits about you.

"Old School must have ice water flowing through his veins"

"Old School must have ice water flowing through his veins"

He’s so old, it’s actually a mixture of BBQ sauce and molasses.

"Old School must have ice water flowing through his veins"

He’s so old, it’s actually a mixture of BBQ sauce and molasses.

Seriously though, that was a situation that would lead to PTSD, so very scary. I would have needed a 34 hour reset after that one. I cannot imagine if it had gone the other way and the train collides with the other truck. Glad it all ended favorably.

Definitely not going to get this one out of your head for a long, long time.

While in truck or car, I always make sure I can clear an intersection or tracks before crossing. I'm addicted to breathing. It always amazes me how many people will stop on tracks. Where, I'm working now there are tracks right outside the building. These tracks are long out of use, however the Hazmat drivers do their requisite stop before them.

A couple of people are of the opinion:

Unless you had ample room for your truck and another truck behind you to clear the tracks, you should stop before the tracks.

Had I taken the precaution of staying on the other side of the tracks none of this would have ever happened.

I can't make any sense out of that. Old School had plenty of room for his truck. Why would he stop behind the tracks when there's plenty of room to pull up? It's not his responsibility to make sure no one behind him drives onto the tracks without enough room to clear the tracks.

You don't begin crossing a set of tracks until you're certain there's enough room to clear them on the other side. That's Railroad Crossing 101.

Now what he could have done instead was jump out of his truck and started recording the scene on his phone, while doing the play-by-play in his best announcer voice. He would've been a YouTube star!!! Instead, he did what he could to prevent a catastrophe. Now, because of his quick thinking and personal sacrifice, we're all a little less entertained. That's one less truck-train collision on YouTube.

Brett is right. I can't prevent everybody's stupidity from rising up and showing itself. My personal responsibility is just that - it's personal. I'm not sure the driver behind me would have lived to learn his lesson. What he did was remarkably dangerous and blatantly ignorant. Was he in too big a hurry? Was he just being careless? I'll never know. He didn't respond when several of us tried to get him on the radio.

If there's any valuable lessons here, one of them has to be... Use your C.B. radio. These things save lives.

I clearly see your point, and that had to be a scary situation. Holding yourself accountable because you didnt think for someone who should know not to be a dumbass is a bit harsh. In my opinion you did everything right and quickly. It is kind of crazy though, that as responsible CMV drivers alot of our time is spent protecting people from themselves on the roadways.

Eh I see what you're saying Brett but I still think it's important to consider beyond the second driver's actions.

No we should not be responsible for every vehicle around us like mother ducks. However there are the engineers and conductor crews, other drivers and pedestrians possibly in the area that don't get an opportunity to make a judgement call the way that second driver may.

My ex father in law ran trains for decades as an engineer in the coal region of VA. A steel mill manufacturing trusses had a flatbedder who found it convenient to park his trailer directly across the tracks and go in for paperwork as his train rounded the bend. Seeing the truck, the crew shot the air brakes and pushed throttle to 0. My FIL was getting up to watch the inevitable when he was yanked down hard to the floor by the other engineer. This second engineer had lived through a crash that almost killed him by drowning in diesel and knew the trusses would destroy the front of the train, windows etc.

While that truck driver probably wasn't doing much trucking after that, his stupidity caused much more than damage, as the emotional toll on train crews that hit and kill folks is immense.

If Old School had witnessed the crash it may have been just exciting but it may have triggered second and subsequent events, killing folks without a chance to react.

I think we can all take some learning from Old School as usual though and remember to always have some available out when you see a possible need for one, like knuckleheads on the train tracks.

Reminds me of Stand By Me lol