Texting and driving don't mix.....

[Jamisjockey]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,424344,00.html

LOS ANGELES   Federal authorities investigating why a commuter train engineer ran through a red signal and into an oncoming freight train have confirmed that he was text messaging while working on the day of the fatal collision.

The revelation came a day before the California Public Utilities Commission was scheduled to vote Thursday on a proposed emergency order banning the use of cell phones while operating a train. Commission President Michael R. Peevey, who is seeking the order, said some railroads have such policies but they're widely ignored.

"Our order would make it the law and we'll go after violators," Peevey said earlier in the week.

Story continued at the link



Utterly amazing. 
PS:
You know, how we're not allowed to operate our cellphones on an airplane?  Yeah, the pilots do it all the time.  I've heard the damn things ringing (when I was in ATC) in the background during communications......

[Manedwolf]

What's worse, that's what happened about a month ago in Boston.

Green Line train missed all the red lights and plowed into another, killed the conductor and injured lots of people.

Why did they miss all the red lights? They found the conductors cellphone.

She was texting.

[BridgeRunner]

Oh ffs.

Can we please institute public corporal punishment for people who think that texting while operating heavy machinery in ok? 

Maybe being stripped and beaten on the street in front of the courthouse would get people to get a clue that this is a bad idea.  Clearly the thought of killing other people hasn't worked.  Let's try public humiliation.

[Iain]

There was a study reported on the news this morning over here that claimed that texting while driving was as dangerous as drink driving.

I was shocked.

[Balog]

There was a study reported on the news this morning over here that claimed that texting while driving was as dangerous as drink driving.

I was shocked.

A lot of things are just as dangerous as drunk driving. Lack of sleep, fussing with a young child, dialing a phone, texting etc etc.

[crt360]

I was walking out of Target the other day and I watched a girl driving while texting nearly run over another girl who was walking while texting.  I don't think either ever saw the other.  It's like I was the only one aware of what was happening.

[thebaldguy]

Texting while driving is now illegal in Minnesota. It doesn't seem to stop the college students in my neighborhood from doing it.

You still see people driving looking down and texting.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

How does a train miss a red light?  Can a train even stop at a red light?

[Manedwolf]

How does a train miss a red light?  Can a train even stop at a red light?

The red lights indicate that the track ahead is not clear. If you see a red light at a junction, you are supposed to apply the brakes. There's a series of them. These aren't fast trains, they're multiple station, multiple stop kinds.

[MechAg94]

So basically, they are demonstrating why their job will be replaced by a machine down the road. 

[Dntsycnt]

So basically, they are demonstrating why their job will be replaced by a machine down the road. 

Oh, no.  I'm all for robotics and AI but I'm never climbing aboard an autonomous train.  Blaine is a pain and that's the truth.

[Manedwolf]

So basically, they are demonstrating why their job will be replaced by a machine down the road. 

Oh, no.  I'm all for robotics and AI but I'm never climbing aboard an autonomous train.  Blaine is a pain and that's the truth.

Miami has had Metromover robot buses on rails for over 20 years.

[qdemn7]

How does a train miss a red light? 

Easy, you just run past the signal.

Can a train even stop at a red light?

Certainly, As the train crew (engineer, conductor and brakeman), your job is to watch the track AND the signals ahead and be prepared to stop BEFORE running past a signal displaying a red signal, track obstruction or another train. There are different types of red signal depending on the type of track signal systems. One type of red indicates "stop then proceed at low speed (10mph or less)" (permissive block) the other type is a pure stop signal (absolute block) which means you can't proceed until the signal changes to one of the various yellow or green signals.

Check out these articles for more details:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_signalling#North_American_operating_rules

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Code_of_Operating_Rules

I worked for 17 years as a freight brakeman and conductor. Even though this was a passenger train the rules still apply.

[Dntsycnt]

So basically, they are demonstrating why their job will be replaced by a machine down the road. 

Oh, no.  I'm all for robotics and AI but I'm never climbing aboard an autonomous train.  Blaine is a pain and that's the truth.

Miami has had Metromover robot buses on rails for over 20 years.

But do they enjoy riddles?

[Iain]

A lot of things are just as dangerous as drunk driving. Lack of sleep, fussing with a young child, dialing a phone, texting etc etc.

I was being a little sarky - like we needed to be told that tapping away at a tiny keypad with a tiny screen whilst trying to control a couple of tons of motorised metal was a bad idea.

But then, apparently some people do need to be told that.

[AZRedhawk44]

Blaine is a pain and that's the truth.

Why did the dead baby cross the road?

[Hawkmoon]

I was being a little sarky - like we needed to be told that tapping away at a tiny keypad with a tiny screen whilst trying to control a couple of tons of motorised metal was a bad idea.

But then, apparently some people do need to be told that.

The perplexing part is that people continue to do it even after having been told.

[De Selby]

I was being a little sarky - like we needed to be told that tapping away at a tiny keypad with a tiny screen whilst trying to control a couple of tons of motorised metal was a bad idea.

But then, apparently some people do need to be told that.

The perplexing part is that people continue to do it even after having been told.

I feel cross eyed when I think of the fact that it's even necessary to try to convince people that such behavior is outrageously unsafe.

[S_O_Laban]

I was being a little sarky - like we needed to be told that tapping away at a tiny keypad with a tiny screen whilst trying to control a couple of tons of motorised metal was a bad idea.

But then, apparently some people do need to be told that.

The perplexing part is that people continue to do it even after having been told.

Imagine that... human arrogance rears it's head.