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| 30
Nov 2001 |
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Americans and Trains
The good news for Larry Ross on Monday night was that he was alive, having
survived a collision with a freight train slightly heavier than his 1986
Chevrolet Caprice. The bad news was that he was in jail on a charge
of hit and run. Ross had tried to outrun a train near downtown
Augusta Sunday morning, but he ran into the engine, which dragged his
car about 45 feet. He then drove off. Ross pleaded guilty
to hit-and-run, and was sentenced to four years probation with a fine
of $1,615 to boot. It is believed to be the first time that anyone
has been charged with hit-and-run on a train.
[Other stories on side-panels]
The British Scene
At least the American trains have a bit of go about them. Who
can forget Matt's cartoon with the commuter saying, "This train has
always been known as the 7.48, but no-one can remember why".
As far as comfort goes here's Mr Tony Moore, in a letter to The Times
this week:
Sir, An Arctic seal is to be
transported in a wooden crate in an unheated carriage of a Virgin train
(report Nov 23). Is this a
one-off or is the entire fleet to be upgraded to this standard?
Ouch!! Over to you, Sir Richard.
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| CHICKEN |
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19-year-old Ohio
student Robert Ricketts had his head bloodied when he was struck
by a Conrail train. According to the Bowling Green Sentinel
Tribune, he told police he was trying to see how close to the moving
train he could place his head without getting hit.
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| SAFE
SEX |
| Homeless
couple Darryl Washington and Marie Ramos were injured when a train
struck them as they were having sex on a mattress on the tracks of
a NY subway station; only the quick reactions of the motorman saved
their lives. Filing a lawsuit for negligence against the Transit
Authority, their lawyer said "Homeless people are allowed to
have sex, too". |
| CLUNK
CLICK |
| Police
in Illinois charged Michael Runyon with drunken driving after he drove
a lawn mower into the path of a freight train. Runyon, who escaped
injury when the train flipped the mower 10 feet in the air, had used
the vehicle ever since his licence to drive a car was suspended for
drunken driving. |
| MASTER
CRIMINALS |
| Two
burglars who raided a store in Ohio during the night and removed the
safe, found themselves with a problem when all their attempts failed
to crack it open. They therefore put it on nearby railroad tracks,
expecting the next train to split it apart. The train came as
expected, but pushed the safe along the track, far out of the sight
of the burglars. |
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