Train plows through truck stuck at crossing - GIF

[mklotz]

We've seen videos of several of these truck-on-tracks disasters. Now, anyone who has been close when a freight train highballs past can't help but be terrorized by the thought of being hit by one.

So, can someone who knows more than I about trucks explain how these trucks come to be stopped on the tracks ? Surely, if you feel your engine acting imperfectly, the last thing you'll want to do is drive onto some RR tracks. Do automotive engines stop/seize so instantaneously that you're stopped dead in your tracks while making a crossing ? Do parts of the vehicle get caught in the tracks like a bear stepping into a trap ? Or is the dumbing down of America so advanced that people think it's a good idea to park on RR tracks ?