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Old 04-02-2013, 10:53 AM
 
Location: New Market, MD
2,573 posts, read 3,485,009 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fennec2009 View Post
The light rail runs every 15 minutes on-peak, 20 minutes off-peak. The chances of it coming just at the moment someone pulls a u turn are very slim. For the train heading the west, there is actually a stop just west of that intersection, so it will be moving pretty slowly going through that intersection. Unless someone turns at the exact wrong time, the train would have time to slow/stop as needed. The train coming from the east will have also started slowing in preparation to stop at the station, so again chances of a collision are slim.

That's good explanation but I wouldn't want to take that "slim" chance.
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Old 04-02-2013, 11:54 AM
 
Location: Coos Bay, Oregon
7,138 posts, read 10,976,883 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fennec2009 View Post
The light rail runs every 15 minutes on-peak, 20 minutes off-peak.
Oh so it's like playing Russian roulette, to you. So what the hell, make the U-Turn across the light rail track. The odds are in your favor, that the train wont be there at that moment.
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Old 04-02-2013, 01:28 PM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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As fennec2009 said, the light rail runs at specific times. As well, the light rail signals are in clear view of drivers in the turning lane (where one would execute a U-Turn). People pull U-Turns at this intersection mainly when traffic exiting the apartment complex (Grigio Metro, to be exact) to the south has a green light. Because cross traffic has a green light, the light rail has the horizontal "stop" bar. Perfectly safe to execute a U-Turn. As well (and again, fennec pointed it out), there's a light rail stop hidden behind the building, just west of the intersection. Trains coming from the west, heading east will stop at the station. Trains coming from the east will be going slow (<5mph), as they approach the station (and, if you fail to notice a giant train coming very slowly into the intersection, right in your field of view; you probably shouldn't be driving).
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Old 04-02-2013, 05:56 PM
 
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
890 posts, read 2,269,253 times
Reputation: 1305
Quote:
Originally Posted by KaaBoom View Post
Oh so it's like playing Russian roulette, to you. So what the hell, make the U-Turn across the light rail track. The odds are in your favor, that the train wont be there at that moment.
Well I also make sure to always look each way down the tracks, of course. I was just making the point that even if someone is stupid and doesn't do so, the odds of being hit are still very slim.
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Old 04-03-2013, 12:29 PM
 
Location: Coos Bay, Oregon
7,138 posts, read 10,976,883 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fennec2009 View Post
Well I also make sure to always look each way down the tracks, of course.
I'm sure these people all said the same thing.


Metro's Greatest Hits - YouTube


Phoenix, Arizona Valley Metro light-rail collisions - YouTube
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Old 04-03-2013, 01:24 PM
 
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KaaBoom View Post
I'm sure these people all said the same thing.
Going to have to disagree with you there. At most of the intersections there is plenty of signage indicating the presence of a crossing. In particular, that crash at University and Stadium completely confounds me, as there is a level crossing barrier that raises and lowers, flashing lights, and huge white X markings on the pavement indicating cars should not stop for several feet surrounding the tracks. How someone could get hit there is beyond me and they were clearly not paying attention. Several of the other clips from downtown Phoenix seem to be people who have no idea where they are going: switching lanes haphazardly, driving too slow, and turning last-minute. You will notice most of these crashes happened as the train comes up behind the cars. These drivers clearly could not take the two seconds to look behind them before crossing over an obvious light rail track, because the trains are large and IMO very easy to spot. So no, I don't think they looked both ways down the track before making their turns.
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Old 04-03-2013, 01:43 PM
 
Location: M I N N E S O T A
14,799 posts, read 21,401,039 times
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Don't they have Railroad crossing lights in Phoenix?
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Old 04-03-2013, 02:01 PM
 
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
890 posts, read 2,269,253 times
Reputation: 1305
Quote:
Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3 View Post
Don't they have Railroad crossing lights in Phoenix?
The one I mentioned at University and Stadium is the only one I can think of off the top of my head that has barriers and lights because the tracks don't cross over at an intersection (it's just west of the actual street intersection). Most of the larger intersections that the light rail passes through have dedicated left turn arrows that keep cars from turning in front of the the trains. The light rail will also stop if it approaches an intersection when cars are still passing over the tracks due to a green light. The signals are usually timed pretty well but the train has its own signals so the driver knows when to proceed or stop. There is also an intersection just north of the Uni/Stadium crossing where cars making a right turn pass over the tracks due to the irregular shape of the intersection. There is a sign next to the stoplight that illuminates when a train approaches that says "No Right Turns" so people don't make rights on red and get hit. This is a newer addition which I assume must have been necessitated by people not looking both ways down the tracks and somehow missing the large approaching train coming almost directly at them. Someone who gets hit has to be either stupid or just not paying attention, because everything is very well marked along the tracks.
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Old 04-03-2013, 02:25 PM
 
Location: SE Michigan
6,191 posts, read 18,099,520 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KaaBoom View Post
That was funny, and horrifying at the same time. Especially given your screen name!

U-turns are legal in Michigan but only on a green light. As far as I know, a red light means "stop and stay stopped" in every state, unless it's from a one-way street to another one-way street.

Plus we have the infernally stupid Michigan Left system in place here, which I hate with the heat of a thousand suns. Basically, if you need to turn right, you have to do a u-turn first in order to access the right turn lane.
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Old 04-03-2013, 02:27 PM
 
Location: M I N N E S O T A
14,799 posts, read 21,401,039 times
Reputation: 9263
Yea sounds like what we have.

Google Maps

This guy
managed to go passed the crossing arm and not see all the flashing lights.
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