I have had many positive interactions on the dozen or so charters I was able to attend while I was younger. Funds and distance preclude my participation at this stage in my life. My limited experience has shown there have been rude people everywhere, from both the experienced train chaser, to the casual fan who just wanted to see a steam train with their kids. There is no blanket statement that covers any type of people. (All foamers are jerks, etc.) I think we can all attest that an excited person is prone to do things without thinking, i.e. Step in front of traffic, run across train tracks, pace a train at 70 mph on a 2 lane road. I’m not surprised the wreck happened, I’m just surprised it didn’t happen sooner. I know the UHP was doing a pretty good job in Echo Canyon last spring. I imagine the resources were thin to non-existent in Beryl.
Pacing is just a bad idea. I remember my dad standing in the back of our pickup while my mom drove. What could go wrong?