Train kills girl on ATV
- Thread starter Teegate
- Start date
They kept mentioning that accident on the traffic report as I was driving home and I wondered what happened. What a tragedy. It always disturbs me when I see young kids riding ATV's unsupervised. Is that legal if you aren't on private property with permission?
Someone at work said the morning news reported the girl wasn't actually on the ATV. Evidently the ATV got stuck on the tracks and they were trying to free it when they saw the train coming. They got out of the way but the train hit the ATV and sent it flying into the girl, killing her. Looked quickly online but couldn't find an updated story anywhere.
Guy, I wasn't asking whether it's legal to cross the tracks, but whether it's legal for a 14 year old to ride an ATV off of private property.
Guy, I wasn't asking whether it's legal to cross the tracks, but whether it's legal for a 14 year old to ride an ATV off of private property.
I don't think it's legal for anyone to drive them off private property. Unless they are registered vehicles, they can't be on public roads or other property. That is the main tool the authorities have been using to cut down on the offroad mayhem that was plaguing the Forked River Mountain tract years ago, with trailers full of bikes and quads coming from several states away. On private property, authorities can also request written permission to be there.
Wow-really sad and unnecessary. I was really shocked to hear that there have been 12 fatalities this year as well. It sounds as though this girl tried to get away but did the wrong thing when doing so. If she had run either against the direction of the train or perpendicular to the tracks she more than likely would have lived. However, it goes without saying that an active ROW is no place to be riding an ATV in the first place. It's easy to just say "stay off the tracks," but I read a post the other day on www.railroad.net (I'm a bit of a railfan) that reminded me just how dangerous a train speeding by could be. A fellow railfan was photographing a freight train passing by at speed (from a safe distance) when he heard a very strange loud noise approaching. A flatcar carrying lumber was coming by and one of the steel bundling straps had come loose and was flailing off the the side of the car. I shudder to think what would have happened if he had been 10 feet or so from the tracks. He estimated the train's speed at about 50 mph.
Let me throw this out there. This was tragic and should not have happened but I've been there on all counts. It is not hard to miss the train coming. Please do not think I feel any of this is funny but as an ATV rider I feel I should put this out there. Don't screw around on active rails!!!!!
If you are near road crossings of course they sound out. If you are in
no-whereville, they have no reason to sound out and don't think they don't crank up the speed. When you actually hear the train on the rails, seconds are generally all you have. Open spaces save time. I have more than once been in a spot. Once under the bridge where route 30 crosses the A.C.
rails, I was in that crossing when the train came through it. Couple feet was all I had and I locked the brakes, shut it down & leaned away a couple feet from the train. Very,,, very bad. Another time I saw the train in good time and commenced to hop the tracks, a trick I and the same bike of 18 years have done many times. It stalled... I pulled it over the tracks in time to be staring up at the train's fuel tanks. I have also seen the result of a stolen quad pushed on to the rails. There was not even a piece of engine block large enough to be a paper weight. My daughter was and is disturbed by that spew of parts to this day. She just wanted out of the area at the time.
I love my ATV, while I try to ride responsibly, I still ride on the wrong side of the law. No... as German said, it is not legal. I do however please stress care in this type of thing. There are so many places to ride. stay away from active tracks! This is a horrid thing and it saddens me that yes, it could have been avoided.
G.
If you are near road crossings of course they sound out. If you are in
no-whereville, they have no reason to sound out and don't think they don't crank up the speed. When you actually hear the train on the rails, seconds are generally all you have. Open spaces save time. I have more than once been in a spot. Once under the bridge where route 30 crosses the A.C.
rails, I was in that crossing when the train came through it. Couple feet was all I had and I locked the brakes, shut it down & leaned away a couple feet from the train. Very,,, very bad. Another time I saw the train in good time and commenced to hop the tracks, a trick I and the same bike of 18 years have done many times. It stalled... I pulled it over the tracks in time to be staring up at the train's fuel tanks. I have also seen the result of a stolen quad pushed on to the rails. There was not even a piece of engine block large enough to be a paper weight. My daughter was and is disturbed by that spew of parts to this day. She just wanted out of the area at the time.
I love my ATV, while I try to ride responsibly, I still ride on the wrong side of the law. No... as German said, it is not legal. I do however please stress care in this type of thing. There are so many places to ride. stay away from active tracks! This is a horrid thing and it saddens me that yes, it could have been avoided.
G.
The readers comments section on the Courier Post (as well as the Asbury Park Press that also has the same thing) is hilarious. It's like a hundred JeffD's all arguing with each other.
I really haven't been on the site that much this week, sort of fried from work, but so many things came to light I am just so sad.
The girl was the daughter of friends of my mom & dad. Mom called crying. They were distant to me so any time I ever met her long ago she was but a wee thing. One of the boys with her from Hammonton was one of my good customers son's. One of my coworker's daughter was good friends with her due to sports and she was at his house but two weeks ago. Lastly, all this occurred at the same spot I described in my post earlier.
Given the input I've had now, this was horrible even beyond what I would put in a post. As a father, I actually can't imagine the things conveyed to me. Just reinforces... please, walking, riding, anything, don't mess on tracks. I can remember stupid stuff I did on foot on those tracks as a kid that probably could have ended badly.
It was all such a senseless sadness.
The girl was the daughter of friends of my mom & dad. Mom called crying. They were distant to me so any time I ever met her long ago she was but a wee thing. One of the boys with her from Hammonton was one of my good customers son's. One of my coworker's daughter was good friends with her due to sports and she was at his house but two weeks ago. Lastly, all this occurred at the same spot I described in my post earlier.
Given the input I've had now, this was horrible even beyond what I would put in a post. As a father, I actually can't imagine the things conveyed to me. Just reinforces... please, walking, riding, anything, don't mess on tracks. I can remember stupid stuff I did on foot on those tracks as a kid that probably could have ended badly.
It was all such a senseless sadness.
Includes a photo of her.
http://www.thehammontonnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070801/NEWS01/708010309/1002
Guy
http://www.thehammontonnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070801/NEWS01/708010309/1002
Guy
This morning, went to the girl who cuts my hair. Long time friend.
She took both her teen kids to the viewing. They both knew her. My friend's husband said the amount of people in attendance was staggering. Very difficult for his kids. Her son 17, is more or less sure he is selling his quad now.As we discussed the spot as we all know it and the circumstances, you could see the hurt in him.
Their father took them very early crabbing this morn' to kind of divert the mood but they still looked worn over it.
So close to home for folks out here.
G.
She took both her teen kids to the viewing. They both knew her. My friend's husband said the amount of people in attendance was staggering. Very difficult for his kids. Her son 17, is more or less sure he is selling his quad now.As we discussed the spot as we all know it and the circumstances, you could see the hurt in him.
Their father took them very early crabbing this morn' to kind of divert the mood but they still looked worn over it.
So close to home for folks out here.
G.
