Bus stuck on crossing

[Ploughman]

Did you think that full barriers would stop vehicles getting stuck on a crossing? Well think again.
Good job who ever was in the box / control actually looked at the cctv.

The driver of a double-decker bus that became trapped on a railway line in Essex as he drove through closing barriers has admitted driving without due care and attention.

Michael Lamm, 21, of Willow Way, Jaywick, drove the First bus onto the crossing at Manningtree at 09:15 BST in July. He appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Lamm was fined £300, ordered to pay £100 court costs and received nine points on his licence.

Link shows video clip of incident:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-20164781

 

[paul1609]

Did you think that full barriers would stop vehicles getting stuck on a crossing? Well think again.
Good job who ever was in the box / control actually looked at the cctv.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-20164781

Saw this on you tube. I like to think that I'd never get caught like this, but if I did theres no way Id stop at the second barrier!

 

[Max]

Presumably the lights must have already been flashing when he entered the crossing? Putting your life at risk is one thing, but doing the same with a bus-load of people? Completely deplorable.

 

[Bungle73]

Presumably the lights must have already been flashing when he entered the crossing? Putting your life at risk is one thing, but doing the same with a bus-load of people? Completely deplorable.

Indeed. The only reason he got trapped is because he did something incredibly stupid. The guy should be sacked and stripped of his licence as he's obviously not responsible enough to drive a PSV.

 

[tsr]

Presumably the lights must have already been flashing when he entered the crossing? Putting your life at risk is one thing, but doing the same with a bus-load of people? Completely deplorable.

How do you know the bus was carrying passengers? Have I missed something?

If it was, why was the sentence so lenient, I wonder? Even in this day and age, I would expect harsher penalties!

That said, even without passengers onboard, the carnage that could be caused by a train travelling at speed colliding with a double-decker bus could be absolutely awful.

Lastly, it looks like the tractor driver only just escaped getting his vehicle trapped. So that's two heavy, large vehicles causing danger in one level crossing misuse incident. Where have we gone wrong in driver (as in road-vehicle driver) education...?

 

[Bungle73]

How do you know the bus was carrying passengers? Have I missed something?

If it was, why was the sentence so lenient, I wonder? Even in this day and age, I would expect harsher penalties!

That said, even without passengers onboard, the carnage that could be caused by a train travelling at speed colliding with a double-decker bus could be absolutely awful.

Lastly, it looks like the tractor driver only just escaped getting his vehicle trapped. So that's two heavy, large vehicles causing danger in one level crossing misuse incident. Where have we gone wrong in driver (as in road-vehicle driver) education...?

I think it's the age-old problem of some drivers' top priority is to get where ever they're going as fast as possible, and if that means breaking a few rules then they see that as an "acceptable" risk. No matter that someone might up seriously injured, or even dead.

 

[sprinterguy]

Presumably the lights must have already been flashing when he entered the crossing?

Yes, if you watch the video then you can see that the lights were already flashing when the tractor that was in front of the bus traversed the crossing.

The bus might not have been in service. The CCTV footage is grainy, but I cannot discern anything that suggests that it is carrying a route number.

 

[GB]

Not that it matters a great deal, the bus was empty at the time. The driver lost his job with First but then got a job with a more local bus company.

 

[Ivo]

I am of the impression that the bus says "School Contract", and judging from the article in the Gazette (Colchester's local newspaper) here this belief is justified - it suggests he had just dropped off some schoolchildren (which would have been MUCH worse). This act was stupid at best and potentially catastophic; I would be appalled if First had failed to act, but then again, who were stupid enough to hire him again? It is because of idiots like this that we have to allow barriers to block the road so early - if everyone was sensible, 30 seconds' notice would be ample and there would be far less congestion on crossings.

I am almost surprised he didn't try to ram the barrier at the other end - it would not stand up to 11t of Dennis Trident...

 

[DavidBrown]

There was a similar incident recently on the Hele and Bradninch crossing on the mainline in Devon where a Stagecoach bus (in service) went straight through the barriers. The scarier thing here is that, because it's a AHB, the time between the crossing coming down and the train passing is not long at all - only 30 seconds tops - plus the linespeed is 100mph. Again, the driver only got points and a fine, and I believe that he only got a 'final warning' from Stagecoach.

 

[Ivo]

Again, the driver only got points and a fine, and I believe that he only got a 'final warning' from Stagecoach.

Utterly ridiculous. If I was in charge of a company and caught a driver doing this, he would find himself out of a job faster than he could vocally claim he was out of a job. He would be expected to pay any damages caused to the vehicle, and any legal damages involved, as well.

 

[Roverman]

I think it's the age-old problem of some drivers' top priority is to get where ever they're going as fast as possible, and if that means breaking a few rules then they see that as an "acceptable" risk. No matter that someone might up seriously injured, or even dead.

As well as those with extra entitlements on their licences thinking they are better drivers and are therefore 'allowed' to perform outrageous manoeuvres like this! It does decent hardworking PSV/HGV drivers no favours at all.

 

[6Gman]

£1,000 fine + costs

12 month driving ban

Mandatory training and retesting at end of ban.

Does that seem about right to others?

 

[Essexman]

Messing up the boat race by swimming in Thames gets 6 months but this just
a fine.

 

[Darandio]

£1,000 fine + costs

12 month driving ban

Mandatory training and retesting at end of ban.

Does that seem about right to others?

I'd take out the fine and costs from that.

I know many will disagree, but my softer side says that the 12 month driving ban will likely put the person under hardship anyway, the fine and costs just add to that.

 

[MK Tom]

Saw this on you tube. I like to think that I'd never get caught like this, but if I did theres no way Id stop at the second barrier!

Might work in a car, but given the hight of this vehicle had he tried to run the second barrier he would've completely obliterated it...

 

[michael769]

Don't forget he still has to convince the Traffic Commisioner that he is a fit person to hold a bu license before he gets it back at the end of the ban

 

[OuterDistant]

I genuinely had no idea that there were level crossings where both the entry and exit barriers closed at the same time. Stupid drivers aside, what an utterly stupid design.

 

[maniacmartin]

I genuinely had no idea that there were level crossings where both the entry and exit barriers closed at the same time. Stupid drivers aside, what an utterly stupid design.

Just what I was about to say. All of the crossings I have seen previously lower entry gates and then after a delay lower the exit gates (if any). The crossing should be replaced with one with 2 barriers per side

 

[Eagle]

I genuinely had no idea that there were level crossings where both the entry and exit barriers closed at the same time. Stupid drivers aside, what an utterly stupid design.

Well in this case there's only one barrier per side, so that what in one direction is the exit barrier in the other direction is the entrance barrier. And v.v.

In a perfect world it shouldn't be a problem because any sensible driver would stop before the crossing as soon as the amber light goes on, several seconds before the barriers start to close.

 

[Darandio]

Just what I was about to say. All of the crossings I have seen previously lower entry gates and then after a delay lower the exit gates (if any). The crossing should be replaced with one with 2 barriers per side

But the gates cover both sides of the road. If the gate nearest to the camera closed later, then you would have exactly the same problem if going the other way.

 

[Bald Rick]

I genuinely had no idea that there were level crossings where both the entry and exit barriers closed at the same time. Stupid drivers aside, what an utterly stupid design.

The same could be said of some comments on this forum.

This crossing, as all* full barrier crossings, is monitored by a signalman or crossing keeper. Signals are not cleared until the crossing is proven to be operated, with no obstruction on the road.

In this case, the signaller concerned (who I happen to know) did everything by the book. How the video ended up on youtube is of course a complete mystery

* except a small but increasing number of MCB-OD crossings, where obstructions are detected by two separate radar / infra red systems.

 

[fsmr]

I genuinely had no idea that there were level crossings where both the entry and exit barriers closed at the same time. Stupid drivers aside, what an utterly stupid design.

The factors against the bus here are that the bus was following a very slow tractor and it is multiple tracks which gave very little time to clear once the first barrier was decending, what is not clear is how long the light sequnce had been active before the barriers came down but supect that the amber came on as the tractor approached

Unless you know the differences between Full and AHB, i would always advocate driving clear not just stopping there and waiting although then there would have been a large compo bill for damage to the barrier and subsequent delays.

 

[OuterDistant]

Just what I was about to say. All of the crossings I have seen previously lower entry gates and then after a delay lower the exit gates (if any). The crossing should be replaced with one with 2 barriers per side

Doh, of course!

Still, I've never seen a full barrier crossing, ever!

 

[Goatboy]

21 and in charge of a bus like that, crikey.

 

[Crossover]

Then after all that, he still didn't move far enough forward for the barriers to come down again!

£1,000 fine + costs

12 month driving ban

Mandatory training and retesting at end of ban.

Does that seem about right to others?

The article says "Lamm was fined £300, ordered to pay £100 court costs and received nine points on his licence." or am I missing something?

 

[Eagle]

21 and in charge of a bus like that, crikey.

There are many bus drivers of that age and under. The one mentioned in my signature, for instance :P

 

[Roverman]

Then after all that, he still didn't move far enough forward for the barriers to come down again!



The article says "Lamm was fined £300, ordered to pay £100 court costs and received nine points on his licence." or am I missing something?

I wasn't sure either but I wondered if Crossover was suggesting what sort of punishment he'd dole out?

 

[maniacmartin]

Perhaps we could use the red light cameras (like at some traffic lights) at level crossings, and prosecute those who drive when the lights are flashing?

 

[IanXC]

Perhaps we could use the red light cameras (like at some traffic lights) at level crossings, and prosecute those who drive when the lights are flashing?

I seem to recall BTP are currently in the process of obtaining the legal provisions necessary to use automatic camera equipment to issue tickets for crossing misuse.