How is this possible...? (LaDonna Alfano)

[SP4CE INV4DERZ]

In the crappy Lost Love case of LaDonna Alfano, one where her mothers car stalls on the train track crossing and then a train slams into it, I'm left to wonder exactly how this is possible. Stack says "noboby knows how and why it happened".. am I allowed to say "Typical women drivers!?"? Seriously though, wouldn't you have got out of the car and run before you watch a train slam into you????

[AVERMAN]

Suicide

[nohwheregirl]

Originally Posted by Space Invaderz

am I allowed to say "Typical women drivers!?"?

You are "allowed" to say pretty much anything, but it's probably best for you that I don't know where you live.

[crystaldawn]

Originally Posted by nohwheregirl

You are "allowed" to say pretty much anything, but it's probably best for you that I don't know where you live.

He probably thinks he's safe since he's in another continent but I do have a street address for him so I would tread carefully when talking about women drivers...

[Birdman275]

Actually Space Invaderz has a point. Who watches a train slam into them?

[mistagee]

Women drivers can be one explanation. If she is from New Jersey, then thats another piece of the puzzle. People, and often women, sometimes panic in situations behind the wheel and may freeze up. This is a common occurrence in cars that stall on the tracks. We ask, why dont people get out, but sometimes, they think they have enough time, and they are hesitant to lose their car to a train, and sadly enough, they may even want to die. Tell them to try pills next time, way easier!

[iliekcheezomg]

Even if the car really did stall right in the middle of the tracks, I always thought it was weird that they all stayed in the car. The segment made it look as though they would've had plenty of time to get out, plus that half the town apparently saw the whole thing happen. o_O

[Awsi Dooger]

Originally Posted by Space Invaderz

In the crappy Lost Love case of LaDonna Alfano, one where her mothers car stalls on the train track crossing and then a train slams into it, I'm left to wonder exactly how this is possible. Stack says "noboby knows how and why it happened".. am I allowed to say "Typical women drivers!?"? Seriously though, wouldn't you have got out of the car and run before you watch a train slam into you????

I was very close to being in this situation in summer '98. I went on a summer camping trip with my parents and younger sister. We had a lousy day getting to Memphis, plenty of arguments and then some damage to the camper when we stupidly tried to get a spot in the campground smack across from Graceland late in the day. I couldn't convince my sister to give up on her insistence that we try to camp there without a reservation.

Anyway, it got dark and we couldn't find a campground. Finally we got directions to one, but it wasn't in the greatest area. I had to ask some people at a seedy little store with security bars everywhere. My dad was driving and he was impatient and ready to quit for the day, as all of us were.

Next thing you know he doesn't hear the warnings at a train crossing and drives past the barrier just before it comes down on top of us. The very front of our Toyota Land Cruiser was smack on the tracks. To this day I can still hear and see the train coming full speed toward us from the left, blaring at us no more than a couple hundred yards away. I remember for a second not knowing what to do. I was in the front passenger seat and put my hands on the seatbelt and car door lock, about to bolt. But my parents and sister were in the car. No way they were getting out. It absolutely is true what they say, that time seems to freeze. I looked at my dad's hands on the automatic shift. He briefly got the gear stuck in neutral, from drive, but finally got it into reverse and we lunged backwards and off the tracks. The barrier sheared off our plastic protective bug screen on the front of the car when we backed up, but needless to say that was no concern at all. I remember sitting there so relieved as the train roared past only feet away.

My sister freaked out and flew home early a few days later. She never camped again and now says she hates it. But my dad has always described how calm he felt in that situation, knowing what he had to do with the gear shift and simply doing it. I still get the shakes sometimes, wondering what would have happened if the car had stalled. It wasn't that old, an '89, but already more than 200,000 miles on the engine.

[LooksLikeCRicci]

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

He probably thinks he's safe since he's in another continent but I do have a street address for him so I would tread carefully when talking about women drivers...

Awesome.

[baton_man]

Im a smart guy whos staying out of this one.

[James T]

Does anybody remember that episode of Cops where those two old ladies got confused and drove right on the train track, cannot remember exactly what happened but I think they got them out and stopped the train in time

[deelynn]

Actually, my grandfather was involved in an accident where the car stalled on the train tracks when he was young. As they came over the tracks another car was stalled at the stop sign on the other side. My grandfather's uncle was able to grab my grandfather and jump from the car. My great grandfather wrapped his body around my great uncle and absorbed the impact. Uncle Harold survived but my great grandfather was killed.

Granted, this was many years ago. My grandfather never allowed us to count the train cars when we were waiting at a crossing.

Also, my husband's great uncle and aunt were killed by a train about 12 years ago. They were elderly. People reported that the signal was malfunctioning and that it had been reported to the railroad company but not yet repaired. It seems that when they found themselves on the tracks they just froze. There were cars in front of them and also behind. The other cars tried to move so they could get off the tracks but witnesses stated that they sat in the car, frozen and watched the train coming. They were not suicidal. Both were in good health. Marraige was still healthy after more than 40 years.

[Corky Kneivel]

Originally Posted by Awsi Dooger

I was very close to being in this situation in summer '98...

Based on some of the posts you've made that I've come across, you have led one hell of an interesting life.

[leafygreens]

there was a show on spike tv, something about "World's Most Shocking Train Accidents" or something, and they said you were 40 times more likely to get hit by a train than by a car.

[Awsi Dooger]

Originally Posted by Corky Kneivel

Based on some of the posts you've made that I've come across, you have led one hell of an interesting life.

Actually day to day it's fairly mundane, work then heading from sportsbook to sportsbook. But I've traveled almost every summer and now late spring so you pick up experiences and stories in that regard. And I guess the three places I've lived for extended periods -- Miami, Los Angeles and Las Vegas -- lend themselves to attending events and meeting unique people.

One old man I knew here for almost 20 years was an absolute character, Sam Angel. He died at age 86 about three weeks ago and I'm now mentioning him under my user name. He was the most memorable person I've ever met in this town, even if some people found him crude and never gave him a full chance. Here's a recent article about him from when he was hospitalized. Lem Banker is quoted at the end of this article. He is a famous local sports bettor who was in the UM segment about Sonny Liston. BTW, a character/handicapper from New York named Dan Gordon who gives everyone nicknames came up with a phenomenal one for Lem Banker; Ice Cream Soda Head. Find a picture and you'll see how well it fits. He have me the nickname Chocolate Layer Cake, for whatever reason. Some people have shortened that to call me CLC:

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_ho.../12220550.html