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Train hits car in Palo Alto -- no injuries

Original post made on Nov 24, 2009

A Caltrain clipped a car at Churchill Avenue in Palo Alto shortly after 6 p.m. today, but no injuries were reported, according to reports from train riders via Twitter.com. However, the car fled the scene -- and left Palo Alto police to search for the driver.

Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 6:51 PM

Comments (16)

Posted by train rider
a resident of Downtown North
on Nov 24, 2009 at 7:06 pm

Car fled the scene? Was there a license plate attached to the dead bumper? Who owns the car?


Posted by AcrossFromLevelCrossing
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Nov 24, 2009 at 7:13 pm

That is the luckiest driver out there! Look for tweets about being run down by a train! He/she was probably distracted by something.

But when the police catch up to them they won't feel very lucky!


Posted by Joshua Crandall
a resident of another community
on Nov 24, 2009 at 8:01 pm

[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]


Posted by Outside Observer
a resident of another community
on Nov 24, 2009 at 8:41 pm

I checked out "Clever Commuter". Wow, what an outstanding idea, and from the areas it's run in, it looks to designate specific common commutes, so he information you'll get from it (or send to it) is only information relevant to you.

I think this service could be very successful here, particularly for Palo Alto, as most people who work in PA don't live in PA.


Posted by saleha
a resident of Crescent Park
on Nov 24, 2009 at 10:48 pm

The car fled the scene probably means 1 of 3 things:

The driver is uninsured.

The driver was DUI.

The driver was not legally licensed to drive; or maybe we should add a fourth scenario - he or she was...anyone have any ideas to fill in the blank there?


Posted by Anon.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Nov 25, 2009 at 3:22 am

How does a train "hit" anything ... all it can do is travel on its tracks. Someone drove a car up on onto the tracks in the way of the train ... and they are damn lucky it just clipped the car. It could have smashed the car all over the place and hurt a lot of people and done a lot of damage.

Did anyone see anything?


Posted by Cz
a resident of another community
on Nov 25, 2009 at 8:15 am

How about he/she was just a really bad driver with poor judgement. I have seen many cars at these crossings roll up and stand within the barrier lines while they wait for the light. I have even had cars behind me beep to pressure me to roll up when there was no space to so. No way! I pass through those things c a r e f u l l y . Not long ago, some poor driver was killed at a crossing in Redwood City because his car got boxed in at the crossing by cars around him.


Posted by Einstein
a resident of another community
on Nov 25, 2009 at 8:43 am

No IQ test is required to obtain a driver's license.


Posted by anon
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Nov 25, 2009 at 8:56 am

I saw thie car - it was a beige mercedes or bmw - it was on the tracks then tried to back up when the gate came down. I was wondering if they had backed up far enough but couldn't tell since I was on Alma.


Posted by Mom by Gunn
a resident of Green Acres
on Nov 25, 2009 at 1:41 pm

Confused here.. How would it be able to back up when the gates were down without breaking the gate???????? Lucky the bumper didn't fly up in the air and come crashing down into their windshield...or up into the train's window..


Posted by anon
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Nov 25, 2009 at 2:56 pm

The gate was coming down on the front hood of the car. It wasn't in the middle of the tracks, just poking out onto them.


Posted by train rider
a resident of Downtown North
on Nov 25, 2009 at 9:57 pm

Caltrain hit a car in San Jose today. No injuries. Not many details yet.
Web Link


Posted by ODB
a resident of Midtown
on Nov 26, 2009 at 7:03 am

You stop your car on railroad tracks and a train hits you. Let's just say you deserve your fate.


Posted by Anon.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Nov 26, 2009 at 7:53 am

>> You stop your car on railroad tracks and a train hits you. Let's just say you deserve your fate. <<

I'd like to be able to say what you "deserve" for saying something like this. The whole class of statement like "???? deserves ?????" seems uselss and made by very judgmental and thoughtless people, the kind most of the executive functions of our world can do without.


Posted by KT
a resident of Midtown
on Nov 27, 2009 at 5:16 pm

I hate to say it, but this town is FILLED with horrible drivers who don't have a clue!!! Because of this I am constantly riding my breaks because I have no idea when someone is going to turn out in front of me, decide to make a left turn from the right lane, or decide to stop at an invisible stop sign. There have been numerous times when I have to ask if someone needs directions because they are absolutely clueless. I would say as a general rule: if you are lost, pull over don't try to bring your confusion onto the road, it only causes accidents. Additionally, and more on topic, I see people stopped, although briefly, on the rr tracks all the time. People are in such a rush to turn especially at alma and charleston on red that and they think that the people in the turn lane will turn rapidly that they sit and wait risking life and limb. bad idea. We are supposed to be one of the most educated towns in the country right? let's act like it!!!


Posted by train rider
a resident of Downtown North
on Nov 27, 2009 at 9:51 pm

Caltrain vs. Winnebago in San Jose: Web Link


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