train collision with SUV

[dwightfry]

http://www.indystar.com/articles/9/212706-8469-010.html

should he get murder? I personally say no, granted it was a tragedy, but the idea that a car would derail a train wouldn't ever cross my mind. I hear about the people in the car dying in these types of things. I've never heard of a collision with a car where the occupants of the car died AND the train derailed. So, I say manslaughter. In this case, life in prison with chance of parole in 30 years or something.

[vidcc]

I suggest you google train crashes in the UK

one (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3989277.stm)


two (http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/12/13/uk.selby.verdict0845/)

[Samurai]

I suggest you google train crashes in the UK

Indeed. It wasn't just once either :(

[vidcc]

Indeed. It wasn't just once either :(

i edited after you posted..put a couple of links :(

[j2k4]

The irony of the situation should not obscure his guilt; 11 counts of 2nd degree murder ought to do.

One can argue all day about "special circumstances", but in this case, I'd be willing to forego the death penalty in order to imprison him for life without parole, so that he might properly contemplate his own selfish and incredibly tragic idiocy.

Oh, and I would also tattoo the words TOTAL ASSHOLE on his forehead.

[UKResident]

It makes you wonder; he parked the car there to commit suicide, he then changed his mind and got out of the car. Now, had that been me, and l'd decided l now wanted to live, it would have occured to me that l would be needing a car, so why leave a perfectly good one parked across the rails? If he really changed his mind would he not have driven off? First degree murder l think, and grant him his first wish.

[Barbarossa]

I suggest you google train crashes in the UK

British trains are pretty flimsy as compared to big American trains though.. :dry: I guess this is more evidence of the inherent dangers of owning an SUV.. that's another debate though.. :ermm:

Anyways, the whole thing is a tragedy. :(

[dwightfry]

There is maybe one train derailment a year here, probably because most aren't passenger trains.


It makes you wonder; he parked the car there to commit suicide, he then changed his mind and got out of the car. Now, had that been me, and l'd decided l now wanted to live, it would have occured to me that l would be needing a car, so why leave a perfectly good one parked across the rails? If he really changed his mind would he not have driven off? First degree murder l think, and grant him his first wish.

I was told that his car was actually stuck. I don't know if it's true or not, I haven't heard anything about it on the news, but apparently others have.

EDIT: The director here at work heard that on National Public Radio

EDIT2:

Alvarez's SUV was stuck between tracks away from a crossing and once there, he could not have moved it even if he had tried, Metrolink CEO David Solow said.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/01/27/state1017EST7925.DTL

Does this change anyones opinion?

[backlash]

nope doesn't change opinion. If you're going to do the selfish act of committing suicide, you should do it in such a way as to not cause harm to other ppl!! the guy is a total loser.

[vidcc]

British trains are pretty flimsy as compared to big American trains though.. :dry: I guess this is more evidence of the inherent dangers of owning an SUV.. that's another debate though.. :ermm:

Anyways, the whole thing is a tragedy. :(

Are you sure about that? This was a passenger train, not the hefty frieght engines...which are not much different in specs from british locomotives. It doesn't take as much as one would think to derail a train, which makes it all the more amazing that they stay on the rails as much as they do.

We see lots of video of cars and trucks struck at crossings but speed does play a big part and usually those trains that stay on track are slow moving freight trains, which considering their length makes it annoying when one has to wait forever for them to pass by :angry:

@dwight


There is maybe one train derailment a year here, probably because most aren't passenger trains.

Just one that you know of, only something major would be reported in the press. I would imagine that nationwide there would be hundreds every year where a bogie came off the rail in a yard or on a set of points. Unless it is on a commuter line and it causes delays i doubt it would even make it to the traffi report.

[ruthie]

I'm guessing, (and it's only a guess) it somehow didn't occur to this guy that he could kill all of those people. If he was indeed suicidal, his mind wasn't functioning "on full".
Not that any of this takes away from the fact that his actions were responsible for the death of many.

[dwightfry]

Just one that you know of, only something major would be reported in the press. I would imagine that nationwide there would be hundreds every year where a bogie came off the rail in a yard or on a set of points. Unless it is on a commuter line and it causes delays i doubt it would even make it to the traffi report.

True True, which just confirms the idea that the train derailing factor wouldn't cross some peoples minds, especially if they are suicidal.

Anyone know what became of "The Great White' nightclub fire a couple years back? 50 people died in that and it too was because of negligence.

[Samurai]

Was that the one where the fire escapes were padlocked?

[dwightfry]

They weren't padlocked, everyone just headed for the door in which they came. But the pyrotechnics that caused the fire violated fire codes.

Was the manager of the building, or any of The Great White crew charged with murder?