Why Is Ferromex So Dangerous?

[Racer]

I have watched so many railfanning videos of Ferromex and TFM in Mexico, and seince they're trains and cars/ trucks are just like the U.S. why are the people so ignorant to trains down there and causing so many accidents and near misses, also the fact there are no crossing warnings. This video shows it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8AeWLIbi20

-Chris

[SD80MAC]

No crossing warnings? The horn was blowing, there were crossbucks and flashers at the crossing. Plenty of warnings. Drivers are stupid.

[Racer]

No crossing warnings? The horn was blowing, there were crossbucks and flashers at the crossing. Plenty of warnings. Drivers are stupid.

I was suprised to see warning signals at that crossing in the video. The rest of the videos I have seen have had nothing (Or close to nothing) at their grade crossings. Look-up other videos on Youtube of Ferromex or TFM and you'll see what I mean. Almost all of the videos I've seen have had drivers still crossing the tracks when the train is less than 50 feet away. -Chris

[SW]

Chris, I worked at a GM plant in Saltillo, in northern Mexico, for 5 months earlier this year. I did a few sightseeing road trips when staying there on weekends. I found one major exception to the slower-paced culture seem to be local driving habits. It seemed everyone was in a hurry when driving, and few liked to slow down or stop for anything if they could avoid it. One friend, who was from Chihuahua but now lives in Michigan, noted that drivers in some areas of Mexico, particularly Saltillo and Monterrey, are much worse than in other areas. One reason for bad driving, he said, is because driver's training is not mandatory, and bad habits are passed down from parent to child.

I also found that few crossings, whether city or countryside, were protected by more than crossbucks with a stop sign, even on busy streets and highways. I saw crossing signals in only a couple places, and no crossing gates or barriers anywhere.