Trainspotter
Yes, this is a fantabulously AWFUL photo. But it illustrates something so rare that I had to break the law to get a pic. And yes, in the Great Lake State, it is now illegal to use your phone to do ANYTHING when you are driving a car. Unless you are using it hands-free, which I am not really good at. But.
So, I wended my way along the backroads into “town” to the grock shop this morning. There are NO traffic lights my whole trip. But there are a few stop signs. Like the one at this level crossing on Five Mile Road. The notable thing about this crossing is that there is nothing but a stop sign to make people stop. No lights or bells or barricade. Dangerous? Yes yes yes.
What I think makes it even more dangerous is that there are almost never any trains. I mean there are probably one or two trains daily but it’s really rare to encounter one. I am baggy and old and I definitely ALWAYS stop and look both ways on the off chance there is a train. I can’t remember the last time I saw one though.
Today I was driving back out to the moominbeach when I saw train cars passing at the crossing. I was hoping there would be more so I could actually STOP and get a decent pic. Alas, it was a very short train and although I stopped ANYWAY (there IS a stop sign, right?), the train was already past and this is all I could get. I did not get a ticket for taking this pic. There were no other cars ANYWHERE, definitely not any cop cars. Turkeys? Yes.
May 29th, 2024 at 5:52 pm
There are barricades and blinking lights at all our train crossings yet there are still too many fatalities. Many of them suicides. 🙁
May 30th, 2024 at 7:39 am
I think you did a great job of getting a picture! Tells the whole story. I approve of Michigan’s law and Maryland’s may be the same. (And I confess to occasionally answering my phone while driving which is bad bad bad.) But here’s my question: newer cars come with advanced age technology that causes incoming phone calls to go directly to the computer screen in front of your eyes. Does the MI law say you’re supposed to power off your phone when you get in a car that’s connected to your phone? That’s basically a rhetorical question but as usual you’re caused my brain to overthink. Enjoy that lake. I now enter my summer-time envy stage. I’d love to be at that cabin for the summer.