Norfolk's Tide on guard for drunken obstacles

NORFOLK

Luck has been on their side - so far.

Several times since The Tide began running, drunken people were removed from light-rail tracks in time to avoid potentially deadly encounters with trains.

The most recent was Saturday night, when a man who was passed out on the floor of a light-rail vehicle was escorted from the train but later was found lying on one set of tracks near the Ballentine Station, and then crawling between the two sets of tracks.

Train operators spotted the man and were able to stop in time. Police took him into custody.

Transit officials say operators are trained to expect the unexpected and to react to prevent accidents.

"It's a message you have to be relentless about," Hampton Roads Transit President and CEO Philip Shucet said, adding, "But we're not in charge of anyone else's behavior but our own.

"If someone is intoxicated or mischievous to the point of placing themselves in danger, all we can do is exercise every bit of knowledge and technical knowledge we have on a train to avoid an unfortunate incident."

Shucet said the problem is not unique to the area - transit companies everywhere face the same issue.

The first close call happened before The Tide started carrying passengers. A man was asleep or had passed out practically against the track next to York Street in Freemason. The train operator had his eye on someone crouched near the track, then spotted the man lying on the guideway. He used the emergency brake and slowly rolled past without hitting him.

"The side overhang of the train passed over top the gentleman," Shucet said. After the man was awakened, he "cursed, then stumbled away."

HRT responded by installing a fence along that stretch of track.

Several weeks ago, HRT received a report of a bicyclist who came across a man sleeping dangerously close to the tracks, again on York Street. The cyclist called police to have him moved.

Norfolk Police spokesman Chris Amos said he has not been made aware of problems with drunken people on the tracks.

He added, though, that the downtown precinct has been pleased by how well the trains, traffic and pedestrians have interacted, considering there have been a few accidents, all before light rail began carrying passengers, and none with injuries.

Debbie Messina, (757) 446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com