I was horrified to witness the following on Thursday morning at 8:10AM.
Two boys were running across the train tracks near the Spring Valley bus terminal as a train was pulling into the station. The gates were already coming down, the warning lights were flashing and the train was seconds away from the boys. It is a miracle that they made it alive.
The purpose of this letter is to remind parents and teachers to educate their children never to cross a railroad crossing without checking if a train is coming, and certainly not to do so when the gates are coming down.
The older boy was wearing a hat and jacket and was about 14 years old and the younger boy was about 10. They were running to get into a car that had pulled over for them. But they almost didn’t make it. I don’t think they had any clue how close they were to that train.
Boruch Hashem they were lucky……Shomer Pesoim Hashem.
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10 Responses
It is a Nes that they weren’t hurt B”H. I’ve seen young children (and even teenagers and adults) cross streets without even looking both ways first. They just go. They also don’t bother waiting for the lights to turn green. How much worse it is with corners that have no lights or stop signs. (by the way, not every car stops at stop signs – I’ve witnessed that numerous times) We must better educate our children – it is our responsibilty to keep them safe. Unfortunately many parents are in denial about the fact that their children really don’t know all the rules. Approximately 10 years ago, a woman told me that her 4yr. old daughter is very mature and knows what she’s doing. B”H nothing ever happened but her comment made me very uncomfortable.
A friend of mine was driving in Brooklyn and saw a young child of about 2 years old standing just off the curb – between 2 parked cars. My friend pulled over and got out of her car. She then saw a 4 year old child who said the toddler was her sister. My friend then asked which house was hers and knocked at the door. The mother said “oh it’s ok, my 4 yr. old is watching her” Um – yea – right. Wake up everyone.
I’m sorry, but this is a widespread problem especially in boro park among adults – and that is where the children copy it from. people act like they own the world and do not look where they are going. I once asked a chassidish woman why she doesnt look if there are cars coming before she crosses the street. do you know what she answered? “Anyone who is sitting comfortably in a car, should stop and let the people who are walking go first”. she truly believes that she has the right of way cuz she is on foot and not sitting in a vehicle. with this kind of attitude its a miracle there arent more accidents!
Another reminder, now that the summer is upon us, I see so many children running into the street chasing balls without looking to see if there are any approaching cars. Parents please warn your children.
This is absolutely an important issue that i see occur in Lakewood as well. Which also brings us to the related issue about the boys that had “walked to a car that had pulled over for them”.
It is frightening to see children and teens hitchhiking on various roads all over Lakewood. Not only is this against the law, it is extremely dangerous in so many different ways. How the parents allow these vulnerable children to hitchhike with strangers is beyond me.
Justifying it by saying they get rides with “frum” people is no justification at all, as unfortunately, a persons religious status does not exempt them from being a criminal or a predator.
Lets use this story as an example to improve our behavior on two fronts: 1. Forbid our children and teenagers from hitchhiking under ANY circumstances. 2. If we are driving with our children and we approach tracks with lights flashing, let us set an example for our children and stop as the law requires.
“not every car stops at stop signs – I’ve witnessed that numerous times.” Really, now?!
Granted it was stupid of them to run across when the gates were coming down but the gates come down more than just “seconds” before the train passes. If you timed it, you would see its about 10-15 seconds at the very least and that would be with the train moving at a somewhat decent speed.
Again, I am not minimizing what happened but I think it was not as “close” as it seemed.
While we are at — how many kids in Monsey ride bikes without helmets? The law is anyone under 14 MUST wear a helmet. Its not just the law, its common sense. But, how can wear your black hat if you are wearing a helmet? And parents don’t do a thing about it.
This reminds me of a 45 minute shallos Seudos talk that Rabbi Shmuel Kamenentsky gave 30 years ago when I learned in Philadelphia. One of the bochurim crossed the Overbrook train tracks when returning to Yeshiva after a Friday outing to ACME. As he was crossing, he first saw the train coming at about 90 miles an hour. He literally FROZE in place and couldn’t move, even as the train was bearing down on him.
Finally, he did, Boruch Hashem, move off and save himself. (I was friends with that bochur, Reuvain X, and he later confirmed it to me in great detail. Are you out there Reuvain? I haven’t seen or heard from you in thirty years?)
Rabbi Kamenetsky spent 45 minutes on the topic of safety and the inability that we may have, cholila, to save ourselves, if we place ourselves in danger. We should all take heed and be cautious with the lives he entrusts to us.
ה’ ישמר
To #5 – What is your point?? Are you being sarcastic? Are you one of those who don’t stop at stop signs? Do you not believe what I said? If so, your “disposition” needs some major improvement.