Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 5:35 PM
Town Square
Train 'clipped' car at Menlo Park crossing
Original post made on Nov 19, 2014
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 5:35 PM
Comments (9)
Posted by Hmmm
a resident of another community
on Nov 19, 2014 at 9:50 pm
Hmmm is a registered user.
a resident of another community
on Nov 19, 2014 at 9:50 pm
Hmmm is a registered user.
You have to be too busy with your phone or pretty stupid to let this happen. And I'm not talking about the CalTrain conductor!
Posted by Mike
a resident of another community
on Nov 20, 2014 at 9:08 am
a resident of another community
on Nov 20, 2014 at 9:08 am
I was on board that train and just before it happen I saw a north bound go past us. So who ever that idiot is, he must of been on the tracks behind another car running the signal or just didn't stop far enough back with the front of the car sticking out!
Posted by Stunned
a resident of Atherton: other
on Nov 20, 2014 at 1:21 pm
a resident of Atherton: other
on Nov 20, 2014 at 1:21 pm
Poor journalism. Train clipped car, really?? Train is on track car was sticking over. Seems like should be dumb driver on tracks.
Posted by SteveC
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Nov 20, 2014 at 2:22 pm
SteveC is a registered user.
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Nov 20, 2014 at 2:22 pm
SteveC is a registered user.
It was a dumb car driver. And leaving the scene of an accident? My goodness. Dumb again.
Posted by correction
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Nov 20, 2014 at 3:04 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Nov 20, 2014 at 3:04 pm
According to Caltrain's twitter feed, the driver moved the car to a nearby parking lot rather than running.
Posted by pogo
a resident of Woodside: other
on Nov 20, 2014 at 4:29 pm
pogo is a registered user.
a resident of Woodside: other
on Nov 20, 2014 at 4:29 pm
pogo is a registered user.
Stupid should hurt... or at least take off your front bumper.
I only hope the car wasn't stolen.
Posted by pogo
a resident of Woodside: other
on Nov 20, 2014 at 4:29 pm
pogo is a registered user.
a resident of Woodside: other
on Nov 20, 2014 at 4:29 pm
pogo is a registered user.
Stupid should hurt... or at least take off your front bumper.
I only hope the car wasn't stolen.
Posted by Lorraine
a resident of Portola Valley: Westridge
on Nov 20, 2014 at 5:39 pm
a resident of Portola Valley: Westridge
on Nov 20, 2014 at 5:39 pm
Who said it was a front bumper? It has a red lens in it. He must have been trying to beat the train and didn't make it.
Posted by Aaron
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Nov 21, 2014 at 11:22 am
Aaron is a registered user.
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Nov 21, 2014 at 11:22 am
Aaron is a registered user.
If the car was eastbound, how did it get clipped by a southbound train without having the crossing gate smash through its roof. Given that the bumper has red lights on it (unlikely to be on a front bumper), I'd guess the car was going westbound, and had crossed the tracks but was stuck behind traffic at the ECR/Ravenswood/Menlo Ave. intersection, and the driver might have thought there was enough clearance behind him/her for the train to go by. The rear bumped would be clipped, sending it flying into the eastbound lanes, where it was pushed to the side by other motorists, etc. Not sure if that's the case, but I can see a driver doing that.
This is why I always try to pack my car right up behind another one at this intersection, because reducing the space between your car and the next while waiting at that light could make the difference between life and death for someone whose car is edging the tracks. With a long light at ECR and random people turning at Alma and pedestrians crossing Ravenswood at Alma on a crosswalk that is not coordinated with traffic flowing across the tracks, I'm surprised there aren't more accidents at this crossing.
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