Bells clang. Lights flash. A gate drops.
You have to stop for: a.) a railroad crossing or b.) a drawbridge.
I admit that on more than one occasion, upon hearing the bells, my legs pumped out a momentary burst of speed that would have impressed a Russian sprinter. OK, I'm exaggerating---only slightly! 😉 But I did manage to cross tracks before trains plowed through, or bridges before they opened.
It's been a while since I pulled such stunts. These days, I envision the fate of a cyclist in this video:
He hung onto the North Palm Beach, Florida span as it opened. According to a news report, the witness who took the video saw the cyclist on the bridge as it began to lift and, believing the cyclist would ride down, started to take the video.
When the witnessed noticed the cyclist was in trouble, he stopped taking the video and "rushed to help him down off the bridge," according to police.
The bike was damaged but the cyclist suffered only "pain and discomfort" in his left shoulder from holding himself up on the bridge and a slight burn in his right inner bicep from sliding on the railing.
He declined EMS help at the scene but went to the hospital on his own.
The bridge tender claims she didn't see anyone crossing the bridge.
