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OPINION

Reducing speed avoids rail-crossing problems

Letter
Comments (2)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

(Updated 3:00 am)

This is in response to Bernard Zales’ letter about the railroad crossing on Hilltop Road (Nov. 12).

If you approach the crossing at a decent speed, 5 to 30 mph, you will not go airborne. I use this crossing often and have never seen one car go airborne.

Just because the crossing is protected with lights and gates does not take away your responsibility to look for a train approaching. Lights and gates do malfunction.

Drive as if a train might be close and do not take the lights and gates as your only protection. The railroad added another track and that is the only reason the crossing was worked on. Slow down and live.

Jim Waters
Greensboro

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Bert

November 18, 2009 - 10:11 am EST

In my best John McEnroe voice: "Reduce my speed??? Use caution at a dangerous intersection of train and car??
You CAN"T be serious!!!

AirDoc

November 18, 2009 - 11:11 am EST

Jim - I think you might be missing the point in Zales' letter. The manner in which the RR crossing at Hilltop Road is maintained is disgusting. It seems that regardless of how smooth other crossings are, the folks who have repaved this particular crossing over the years always seem to do a sloppy job. It was bad enough when it was a single track, but now you get double slammed with the additional set of tracks. If each of us were to "slow down", "drive more carefully", or "drive more defensively", the entire nation would be a safer place. Your solution, however well intended it may sound, does not address the problem - which is the screwed up RR crossing. The crossing is dangerous and simply shouldn't be that rough. I personally slow enough to check the crossing before I pass, and it's STILL too rough.