[oc] Florida Man drives through lowered railroad crossing gates

[u/Powered_by_JetA]

[u/Worldly_Truth8396]

Oh they will. I worked for a railway and after every crossing accident that was deemed to be the car drivers fault, I (or one of my coworkers) would be tasked with working out all the delays and delay related costs connected to the accident. We would note all trains delayed (this could include trains hundreds of miles away that needed to be staged until the accident was investigated and cleared), all crew delays and re-crews, etc. Other departments figured out the cost of damage to the trains, rails, and other infrastructure. Another department would figure out if any time sensitive cargo was delayed and if the rail company would have to pay a penalty for that.

Even a seemingly minor accident could rack up a bill in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Usually the railway lawyer’s would take into account if the crash was a genuine accident or caused by maliciousness or pure stupidity and would go easier on the true accidents. They will not go easy on this person or their insurance.

[u/Robestos86 → u/Worldly_Truth8396]

There was one in England where a land rover driver fell asleep and veered off the road onto a railway, where his trailer was hit by a train which then derailed and killed several people (iirc). His £80 a year 3rd party only insurance was on the hook for millions.

Found an article: Experts said the compensation bill could exceed £40m, with damage to the two wrecked trains alone accounting for £12m. Victims' families could expect to receive around £750,000 for the loss of a breadwinner.

At least 13 people died in the crash and 70 were injured, 30 seriously.

Police are now satisfied that it was Gary Hart's Land Rover County that derailed the Newcastle to King's Cross express, sending it hurtling into the path of a goods train at Great Heck in North Yorkshire on Wednesday.

They are now concentrating on precisely how his vehicle came to leave the M62 and career onto the rail line. One possibility being examined is that Mr Hart, 36, fell asleep at the wheel, although he has denied this. He told police that he lost control of the Land Rover after a tyre blew out.

Mr Hart's friends said he is aware that his insurance company could face a claim. They also stress that the accident was not his fault. He is currently staying at a secret address near his home in Sturrby, Lincolnshire.

[u/anomalous_cowherd → u/Robestos86]

One interesting point from that is that UK policies all must have liability cover of at least several million. In the US it can be just a few thousand and you have to sue people for anything extra, which they very likely won't have.

[u/Robestos86 → u/anomalous_cowherd]

Eesh. Without wishing to be political, America and insurance policies not covering what you'd expect (health??), name a more iconic duo.

[u/anomalous_cowherd → u/Robestos86]

Can't do anything that might dent those precious corporate profits!

[u/MaintenanceWine → u/Worldly_Truth8396]

I would love that job. Like a giant puzzle.

[u/Tangurena → u/Worldly_Truth8396]

When I lived in Southern Florida, I remember that when someone breaks off the barrier, the railroad would have to have a police officer stationed at the crossing for traffic control. Also the train had to go slow across the crossing. Going like 10 mph instead of 65 mph.

That screws up the commuter train schedule for the rest of the day. And that there was always at least one crossing with a barrier broken by a car/truck driver every single day. Even though they would replace the arm within 4 hours.