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Texan blames GPS for putting him on Green Line tracks
By adamg on Wed, 12/18/2013 - 9:35pm
UPDATE: An MBTA spokesman reports: "The motorist said he was following directions from his GPS device."
Everything's bigger in Texas, including, no doubt, the story about how this minivan with Texas plates wound up on the tracks at Waban tonight, forcing riders, such as Ian Lamont, who took this picture, to sit and stew.
The T provided this photo of workers pushing the vehicle off the tracks:
Last year:
Woman claims GPS told her to drive on Beacon Street trolley tracks.
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Comments
VLM
He was just looking for extra vehicle lane miles. That poor man. If only they would pave over the D Line.
WabanTF?
It is difficult to comprehend how this can even happen at Waban without the driver having intentionally driven onto the tracks. The station is far away from the nearest roadway, and if I recall correctly, there is a concrete, Jersey barrier-type wall separating the parking lot from the platform and tracks. In view of that, I'm not even sure how you could intentionally get onto the tracks there, unless this idiot drove down the staircase at the western end of the platform (or crashed off of the Beacon St. bridge and landed on the tracks, but there is not nearly enough damage to the vehicle for that).
He must have driven from the
He must have driven from the parking lot onto the pedestrian crossing: http://goo.gl/maps/hmUT2
I have it on very good
I have it on very good authority from somebody who was there that the cop on scene nor the t workers ever got his information, nor took him into custody or administered any type of sobriety test. My understanding is he will get away with this and nothing will happen. How in the hell are police and t workers allowed to let him just get away with it? I am fairly certain he broke a bunch of laws, not to mention the likelihood of non-sobriety
Wow, I hope you're wrong.
Because if you're right, we really have a problem here (incidentally, my guess is that the Newton police would have wanted to throw the book at this joker if there was even the hint of anything beyond a bonafide accident - did the T police assert exclusive jurisdiction?).
Again, I can't imagine how this even happened - any intel on that?
Driving on a sidewalk is pretty much all he did.
You could throw a reckless driving charge at him, but 999/1000 clerks in Mass would let him go on that charge. If he were drunk, I don't see any reason why the cops would risk their jobs letting him go.
Trespassing?
What about trespassing? Okay to drive on the tracks, but not walk?
Meh...
His intent wasn't really to trespass, that would get thrown out too.
Probably the most serious action the police could take is an immediate threat to the registry. That basically revokes someone's license until they appeal it.
Even if you walked on the tracks, you might not get charged. This is potentially more serious as a train could be coming around the corner, but this type of stuff is not uncommon on green line tracks.
Having lived in Texas
I can assure you the cops in Texas would have been far less accommodating towards this gentleman. He'd be in a jail cell right about now, waiting to be arraigned before a magistrate. If it's true he was allowed to walk away from the mess he created, it's inexcusable and responsible authorities should be held to account.
Buford T. Justice
Would hang em.
Nah
Conrado Cantu, during his heyday, would have gotten the poor bastards on a revolving payment plan, because justice in the Rio Grande Valley ain't cheap. But no jail time unless the driver was slow to reach for his wallet.
Edited to add some context. Texas "justice" has long been, not about the law, but about whose palms have been greased.
Note to Self
Must learn to differentiate GPS instructions from voices inside head that appear during intoxication.
Wrong GPS button used
He needed to choose his destination as "Go Home", as if the snow wasn't message enough!