Okay let’s do this Hollywood style since we are used to solving the problem when we can remove ourselves a bit outside of it.

Your car is stuck on the tracks and is out of gas. You could waste time beating yourself up for not being foresighted and taking the time to fill the tank but a train is coming and you have to get the car off the track. A railway man is off in the distance and you call to him to help and he is close enough to flip to the switch but he is not making any attempts to do that. Your baby is in the front seat; your crippled mom is in the back seat. You have 2 canisters of propane in the truck for the grill. What do you do?

Car is you home
Railway man is the government
Baby is your future
Mom is your present
Propane is the cloud of uncertainty

Save car you save everything but you can’t push the car off the tracks by yourself.

You can do nothing and pray the railway man flips the switch but if he doesn’t you lose everything.

Save the baby. Mom dies and the propane may still wipe out you and everything else.

Save mom. The baby dies but you still lose everything.

Remove the propane and you lose mom the baby and the car.


What would you do?

How about McGuyver-style:

I jam the propane tanks into the trunk, knock the valves off, and use the resulting recoil to make up for my weakness -push the car over the tracks.

Then I cave the railworkers head in and take off into the sunset...

Propane tanks don't explode from concussive force like in the moves. They don't technically explode either. They would likely just get dented up or punctured.

I have stick shift, use starter to move the car,

next time buy stick, In case off emergency, U can use starter to move your car out off trouble

Originally posted by Carlthulhu
How about McGuyver-style:

I jam the propane tanks into the trunk, knock the valves off, and use the resulting recoil to make up for my weakness -push the car over the tracks.

Then I cave the railworkers head in and take off into the sunset...

Okay, so far, this is a my pick.

kudos

Put the baby in mom's arms.

Drag mom holding baby out of car and off to safety.


When train hits car (and maybe detonates the propane canisters in the trunk)....




.... SUE THE A** OFF THE RAILROAD for having a criminally negligent employee who would endanger the public by not acting within his power and authority to intercede in an obvious and potentially life threatening situation!




Your disabled mother will make a very sympathetic and credible witness at the trial, and the helpless baby should cinch the jury in your favor.



Considering the potential for bad publicity, the railroad will probably press to settle out of court.


You should be able to buy several Brand New cars with the settlement!

This is Hollywood style so we are allowed to take a bit of poetic license and embellish a bit. This is all we have to work with. It is in the moment. There is no time to think about what you should have done or what you will do the next time. You have to choose now and live with the results.

I would pray for a band of Angles to come down from heaven an pick the car up and fly us to Aruba for Coronas and Nachos. Then off to Jamaica for a kickass Reggae concert.

Grandma and the baby are getting tired from all the excitement so time to head home for a much deserved nap. Thanks Angles, we love you for saving us from certain death and the island hopping trip!!

or...........

The car is actually stalled in a time portal activated by drinking Wild Turkey straight from the bottle. Two big swigs and you go back in time, and take a different route so the event never even occurs. Grandma and the kid never even know the danger that was averted by just 2 lifesaving hits from a whiskey bottle.

Remember this is Hollywood. Don't drink and drive!


[edit on 15-1-2009 by whaaa]

Why can't I push the car off the tracks by myself? Cars are easily pushed while in neutral.

Originally posted by TasteTheMagick
Why can't I push the car off the tracks by myself? Cars are easily pushed while in neutral.

Being as how this whole scenario is "Hollywood style".....

You can't push the car off the tracks because you are only 15, weak and puny and have a degenerative bone disease that if you lift more than 5 lbs you break your legs.

I pull up behind you and see the plight of the baby, grandma and yourself.
And I am a brutally handsome, 210 lb, package of sinew and muscle, primed for adversity of my fellow man. Quick as a flash, I spring into action and with a mighty heave, push your Honda Civic out of the path of the oncoming train and certain death of you and your passengers.

You exit your car to thank me but I have already left the scene but as I drive away you hear me shout the phrase "Hi Ho Silver Away"...camera pans to a shot of you, grandma and the smiling infant. you say, "who was that guy, and why was he wearing a mask?" close up of grandma..."that young squire, was whaaa, the lone.... the lone....damn, I can't remember"

[edit on 16-1-2009 by whaaa]

Makes sense!