And speaking of the Rivercats, while I attempting to buy tickets this afternoon on the way home from work, I encountered what can only be described as fodder for a forthcoming PSA.

There are two ways to get to Raley Field if you’re heading into town from the east. If you take the first off ramp, you come in from the east and have to cross some train tracks, but it’s a relatively direct shot to the ticket booths. Opting for this route, I found the lights flashing, bells ringing, cross-bars down, yet no train crossing my path. So I waited. And waited. And waited. While waiting, two cars zipped right around the bars meant to keep people from doing their best insect-on-the-5 impression. One guy even slowed down, pulled up next to me, and said “yeah, it was like this yesterday” before rushing through himself. The angle of the tracks pretty much guarantees a driver CANNOT be sure a train isn’t coming without leaving the car and peering down the tracks. I just couldn’t do it, though. So I turned around, hit the freeway, and came at the field from another direction. Got these pictures as I left my car on the other side of the tracks:

As the bottom picture shows, I think the problem was the train parked there on the tracks within whatever zone automatically means the bars and bells must be activated to protect cross-way traffic. But the train wasn’t moving and it’s basically a physical impossibility it would’ve sprung into action to squish someone even if it started moving. The problem, of course, is that while drivers, such as the SUV in the top photo, are lulled into a “look parked train” sense of security, there could be something coming on one of the other sets of tracks.

I saw at least 3 other vehicles dash around the barriers while I reached for the camera. At least now I can more accurately answer the “what were they thinking” question next time someone gets killed being a moron. Oh, but all those barrier crossers were still morons disregarding their own safety, the safety of others, and the hearts of everyone who might care about their law-breaking asses.

Idiots.