Trying to beat Ctrain across tracks is a dumb idea

You can’t win, so there’s no use in trying. You are not going to win any race with a CTrain.

It’s hard to fathom why there have been 14 collisions this year between motorists and CTrains. It’s 30 tonnes of metal against a paltry two tonnes. There’s just no contest.

There were three collisions alone in just four days last month, and the latest one occurred Sunday, when a Dodge Neon smashed into a CTrain that was travelling downtown along 7th Avenue.

If some of these people are distracted because they’re texting or talking on their cellphones, then they should be charged under the distracted driving law.

If, however, some just think they can make it across the tracks just ahead of the oncoming train, un- fortunately, there’s no law against stupidity.

The 14 collisions this year have caused more than $500,000 in damage to the trains, not to mention the inevitable disruption of service for several hours while the wreck is being cleaned up.

Nothing — absolutely nothing — is such an emergency that it warrants trying to out-race a train by zipping across the track as the crossing arms are coming down or the warning lights start flashing.

Waiting for a train to pass and the signals to stop may take a minute or two, but so what? Better to arrive at one’s destination safely with a couple of minutes’ delay than to never arrive there at all. CTrains have the right of way always. It’s that simple.