Picture this, driving down the road towards a railroad crossing, about 2 minutes away, you see a sign TRAIN IN 2 MINUTE(S) FOR 5 MINUTE (S) where the numbers change to reflect the reality
This assumes that, if you were to travel at the speed limit, you would have to wait five minutes for the really long train to pass, so, instead on passing the time counting the cars (on the train), you could stop and grab a donut, or get some gas, or something. I know there are some idiots out there who would interpret this the other way, and go speeding down the road in order to beat the train.-- senatorjam, Aug 08 2002 Awww, why not? I like the idea. Yes, idiots will use this to their advantage, but then again, idiots already kill themselves enough by dumbly walking in front of speeding trains and being unable to judge how long it would take for the train to get there, so it balances out a bit.-- polartomato, Aug 08 2002 Nay. Limitd use. Encourages idiots to dare the sign. Insurance liability should the sign not function right.-- watermelancholy, Aug 08 2002 Watermelancholy, the sign is supposed to be an advisory type of sign, not replace the regular signs at the railway crossing-- senatorjam, Aug 08 2002 Couldn't the money go towards some kind of tunnel that goes under or over the railway line? or would that make too much sense?-- thelumberjack, Aug 08 2002 Near train crossings, there might be a boom of gas stations, convieinence stores, and doughnut shops.-- BinaryCookies, Aug 08 2002 consider the train a forced break in your busy day. As you sit there and count the cars, or read or whatever, it becomes clear you don't have control over everything.-- rbl, Aug 08 2002 Forget the insurance, it's natural selection at it's best. If someone is so hurried or think they're so important that they can't wait five minutes for a train to pass, then they ought to be killed by their own stupidity.-- Bert6322, Aug 09 2002 Call it: "Darwin's Crossing"
Bert: If trains only took 5 minutes, you'd be right. A 5 minute train around here is the engine and caboose.-- Mr Burns, Aug 09 2002 Make it a 'progress bar'-- LoriZ, Jun 05 2010 random, halfbakery