[BC] Dark station.... Violations.. who is responsible

[Alan Kline]

A perfect example of this:

A couple of dumb-a** 17-year-olds decided they'd like to see what things 
look like from the top of a boxcar. So, they climbed up to the roof. 
They didn't realize that the boxcar was parked under Amtrak's 
high-voltage overhead catenary (this was near Philadelphia, IIRC) and 
made contact with said catenary wires. The kids provided a perfect path 
to ground from the wire, through the steel car, and into the steel rails.

Surprisingly, the dummies survived, although with serious injuries. They 
  sued Amtrak and Norfolk Southern (which operates the freight service 
there) and won a multi-million dollar judgement. Never mind that these 
were almost adults who should have known better, and never mind that 
they were trespassing. Never mind that they were doing something that 
not even railroad operating employees are permitted to do (climb up on 
the roof of a car).

It would be surprising to me if Amtrak and NS don't appeal this lunatic 
verdict, but for now at least, it pays to be stupid.

ak

Jerry Mathis wrote:
> Just one of the dumb, stupid laws in this country, undoubtedly thought 
> up by
> a bloodsucking lawyer. It's how we're no longer responsible for our own
> actions. You deliberately trespass on someone's property, do something you
> KNOW you have no right to do, get injured or killed, and it's somebody
> else's fault. Right.