Title: SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY v. Akers Motor Lines
Citation: 242 N.C. 676, 89 S.E.2d 392
Docket Number: 173
State: north-carolina
Issuer: north-carolina Supreme Court
Date: October 12, 1955

89 S.E.2d 392 (1955)
242 N.C. 676
SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY
v.
AKERS MOTOR LINES, Inc., and W. P. Ellis.
No. 173.

Supreme Court of North Carolina.
October 12, 1955.
*393 W. T. Joyner, Raleigh, James Mullen, Mason &amp; Mason, Gastonia, for plaintiff appellant.
Jones &amp; Small, Charlotte, L. B. Hollowell, and Basil Whitener, Gastonia, for defendant appellees.
BARNHILL, Chief Justice.
The history of the occurrence which is the subject matter of this action is graphically stated by Ellis himself as follows:
Thus it appears from the evidence offered by the defendants that Ellis was thoroughly familiar with the crossing at which the accident occurred. He had used the crossing four to six times per week over a period of two years. He knew that if he looked to the north within approximately 100 feet of the track he could see a train approaching 100 feet up the track. Yet he looked first at a time when he says he could not see and then looked no more until he was within 30 or 35 feet of the track. He knew he was approaching a zone of danger. Yet he failed to look until it was too late for him to stop before reaching the crossing. Likewise, when he looked the second time and saw the train approaching, he had failed to bring his vehicle under such control that he could stop it before reaching the zone of danger. Instead, he stepped on the accelerator and attempted to "beat him across."
Thus it clearly appears that his conduct constitutes contributory negligence as a matter of law, and decision on the motion of plaintiff for judgment of nonsuit on the cross actions of the defendants is controlled by Parker v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co., 232 N.C. 472, 61 S.E.2d 370, 371, and the cases there cited.
It does not suffice to say that Ellis looked and listened. "His looking and listening must be timely, McCrimmon v. Powell, supra [221 N.C. 216, 19 S.E.2d 880], so that his precaution will be effective. Godwin v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co., supra [220 N.C. 281, 17 S.E.2d 137]. It was his duty to `look attentively, up and down the track,' in time to save himself, if opportunity to do so was available to him. [Citing authorities.] Here the conditions were such that by diligent use of his senses he could have avoided the collision. His failure to do so bars his right to recover. Godwin v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co., supra." Parker v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co., supra.
His negligence likewise bars the right of the corporate defendant to recover damages to its tractor-trailer.
It follows that there was error in the ruling of the court denying plaintiff's motion to dismiss the cross actions as in case of involuntary nonsuit.
The defendants relied upon the failure of plaintiff to maintain gates or gongs or other like signaling devices at the crossing as evidence of its negligence. The court instructed the jury as to defendants' contentions in respect thereto and undertook to state the applicable law. This must be held for reversible error committed on the first issue as to the negligence of the defendants for the reason the court overlooked and failed to make reference to the provisions of G.S. § 136-20. By the enactment of this section of the Code the Legislature has taken from the railroads authority to erect gates or gongs or other like signaling devices at railroad crossings at will and has vested exclusive discretionary authority in the State Highway and Public Works Commission to determine when and under what conditions such signaling *395 devices are to be erected and maintained by railroad companies. This section works such a radical change in the law in this respect that we are constrained to quote the material portion of the statute in full. It is as follows:
The court likewise erred in permitting the defendants to introduce evidence with reference to the location of other crossings in and around Henderson and the protective devices maintained thereat.
Where evidence of conditions is offered to prove a habit or custom under such conditions, the circumstances of the conditions must not be so dissimilar that the evidence is without probative value. Stansbury, N.C. Evidence, 168, sec. 89. II Wigmore on Evidence, 316, sec. 379, states the principle as follows: "* * * it is obvious that there must be such a similarity or unity of conditions that what is done by one or more persons or sets of persons may be taken as indicating the probable general habit of the class of persons under similar circumstances." (Italics supplied.)
It is true that other conditions or events can be used, within limits, to show a standard of care under which it is claimed a party ought to have conformed but did not. But there must be more substantial similarity than exists in this case.
The intersections about which evidence was offered were within the bounds of the City of Henderson where noises and diversions exist, traffic is congested, and trains move frequently. Here the intersection is in the rural portion of the county, and only one train passes the crossing daily.
On plaintiff's cause of action there must be a new trial. The judgment entered on the cross actions of the defendants must be reversed.
On plaintiff's cause of action
New trial.
On defendants' causes of action Reversed.
WINBORNE and HIGGINS, JJ., took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.