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Thread ID: 93002	2008-08-31 05:51:00	Historic (1981) Railway Accident question	Roscoe (6288)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
701599	2008-09-01 00:09:00	Is this the video for it? :P www.youtube.com	ubergeek85 (131)
701600	2008-09-01 00:38:00	Is this the video for it? :P www.youtube.com Both vehicles much larger and fortunately there was no-one in that bus. In the 1981 accident there were children in the bus. One died and a few were injured. That video shows that you do not stop a train easily, even if the engine driver does see you. Trains usually are only able to stop within the length of the train which means that if you are on the crossing, you do not stand a chance! And yet people still attempt to beat the train. Crazy!	Roscoe (6288)
701601	2008-09-01 02:20:00	Yeah, I feel for the train drivers. 10,000 Tons of metal doesn't just stop.	ubergeek85 (131)
701602	2008-09-01 02:26:00	I know of a guy, who has hit 3 vehicles on level crossings in NZ. First time it took him about 2 months to drive a train again, second time was the same, and the 3rd time, he saw it coming, pulled on on the horn and brake, and walked out of the cab, he could not bear to watch it. He quit his job after the 3rd time.	wratterus (105)
701603	2008-09-01 02:29:00	Hmm, maybe they need to replace the barrier arm with metal spikes that shoot out of the ground, similar to the electronic bollards they have in england.	ubergeek85 (131)
701604	2009-01-06 02:26:00	In the 1981 accident there were children in the bus. One died and a few were injured. I was one of the children seriously injured in this accident. It was the bus driver's first day back at work after a holiday. The bus was always packed with children going from Lithgow Intermediate, home to Otatara. If you were lucky you got a seat, but generally three kids would sit in a seat, and the aisle was always filled with kids, right up to the driver. I was 11. My friend and I got the passenger's side front seat overlooking the steps onto the bus. Another girl who was last on and standing closest to the driver asked if she could sit with us, and we reluctantly agreed. I was sitting next to the window. I remember the bus stopping at the crossing, at the same time some kids up the back starting playing up, yelling out, etc. I remember the bus driver standing up to tell them off - so the bus was definitely stopped. I climbed up on my knees to look over the back of the seats to see who was getting in trouble, and that saved my life. Before I had time to turn round and sit down, the bus driver had sat back down and started driving again, across the crossing. The bells and lights were not working, and I have no idea if the driver looked again, or if the maintenance machine was speeding, but there was a lot of talk about those two points afterwards. I believe no one was found at fault, and to me it was just an unfortunate accident. Because I was looking up the back of the bus, I never saw the machine coming. I opened my eyes and there was a massive dark thing above me. I could hear people screaming and crying. I turned my head and realised I was lying beside one of the bus wheels, and I was underneath the bus. I could see feet running about so I cried out for help. The bus driver grabbed me by my feet and pulled my out from under the bus. The machine had hit right where I sat, I must have hit the ground the bus rolled around over me, still upright. I was seriously injured by a peice of metal which went in under my tailbone (by less than a mm) and through my stomach. I was in hospital for months but am very happy to say that apart from a few nasty scars (and a good story), I'm all good. Another girl lost her leg, I think the girl sitting with me broke her shoulder, and sadly, the girl that was left standing at the front of the bus when our friend sat down with us, was killed. I remember the 'train drivers' (as I thought of them at 11) shaking their heads and being in total shock as I was carried past them into the ambulance. I remember the bus driver being traumatised too. I remember being frightened the first time I got on a bus again, and still to this day I take extra care when crossing railway lines. In fact, recently I slowed down when I approached one and the car behind tooted at me. I thought about stopping and asking if they'd ever been hit by a train....	Juanita (14135)
701605	2009-01-06 03:45:00	welcome Juanita, thanks for the first person point of view.	robsonde (120)
701606	2009-01-06 04:07:00	Hmm, maybe they need to replace the barrier arm with metal spikes that shoot out of the ground, similar to the electronic bollards they have in england. Thye have them in the town I'm originally from, amazing how stupid some people are thinking they can get over them at speed, the barriers are very quick and several cars have been lifted off the ground on them.	gary67 (56)
701607	2009-01-06 05:17:00	Very moving story Juanita. Here in Chch, buses do NOT stop for railways. Well, at least not the ones I go past. Maybe it's only if it's a rural area/high speed zone?	--Wolf-- (128)
701608	2009-01-06 05:29:00	Another girl lost her leg . I remember the girl that lost her leg - I was working at the hospital at the time . I also remember her doing well with her recovery - I always thought she (and the rest of you) were very brave .	R.M. (561)
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