idiot driver gets light penalty for disobeying crossing lights

[jopsuk]

(title bias my own)
from the Cambridge News

A reckless driver was caught dicing with death as he sped over a level crossing – as the barriers came down.

Scott McKenna, of Queen’s Meadow, Cambridge, was spotted on CCTV overtaking another car before charging over the Foxton crossing in his Vauxhall Astra on January 31.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court to driving without due care and attention as the incriminating pictures were shown to the bench.

He received seven points on his driving licence, a £220 fine, and must pay £30 court costs and a £22 victim surcharge.

It is the latest in a string of motoring offences at the A10 crossing, close to the junction with Station Road.

In September last year, Daniella Nelson, of Shepherd’s Close, Fen Ditton, raced over the railway on the wrong side of the road after overtaking a car which had stopped in front of the descending barriers and flashing warning lights.

The 25-year-old was banned from driving for a month and forced to pay £338 in fines and court fees.

Sgt Andy Cook, British Transport Police lead officer for Cambridge, said: “Foxton level crossing accounts for a large proportion of the level crossing offences in the Cambridge area and we have been working closely with Network Rail in recent months to secure prosecutions for drivers caught committing offences.

“Our aim is to deter potential offenders and improve safety on this busy route into Cambridge.”

In February, in response to increasingly regular driving offences and long traffic queues at the Foxton site, Network Rail published a detailed feasibility study into closing the crossing and creating an alternative route for the A10, with suggestions including an £11.65 million road bridge and £2.3 million footbridge, and underpass.

Villagers have been consulted and a Foxton Level Crossing Board has now been set up, made up of local people alongside Cambridge County Council and Network Rail representatives, as discussions continue.

Susan van de Ven, county councillor for Foxton and Project Board member, said: “We have held our first meeting and I was really encouraged that ever since National Rail has noticed the crossing needed attention, they have been conscious of involving the local community.”

The A10 Foxton crossing again. As a pedant, I do take a little exception to the caption

This reckless driver was caught dicing with death as he sped over a level crossing - seconds before the barriers came down

As it is a locally controlled full barrier crossing, whilst it is reckless and illegal, as I understand it there should be no chance of a collision with a train doing this, as the signals protecting the crossing will not be cleared until the barriers are down and the signaller has visually confirmed the crossing is clear? Though of course in a news report that would be a bad message to send when you're trying to discourage this behaviour!

 

[yorksrob]

As would claiming that Network Rail bore sole responsibility in eliminating level crossing deaths, regardless of whether the vehicle driver involved was being wreckless or not.

That didn't stop the parliamentary select committee on railway safety from saying it though.

 

[GB]

I wouldn't really call 7 points on your license and a £272 pay out a light penalty.

 

[Tibbs]

I wouldn't really call 7 points on your license and a £272 pay out a light penalty.

Indeed - since standard DwC&A is 3 points and £100, I'd say he got the book thrown at him. He got, what 2.5 times the regular penalty.

 

[DJL]

It's a lighter penalty than being hit by a train so he should count himself lucky!

 

[Bald Rick]

From my time in Foxton box, this is a very regular occurrence. I should imagine this chap feels slightly aggrieved that he was caught.

Tough!

 

[RichardN]

This is being let off lightly for crossing a level crossing when lights are red...

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/...sing_let_off_with_absolute_discharge/?ref=rss


(Lights the blue touchpaper and retreats a safe distance...)

Seriously, if anybody knows more about this case, please let me know. I guess there is a massively extenuating circumstance at play, which isn't reported

 

[jon0844]

Wow. That IS being let off lightly isn't it. Why the hell did that happen?!

 

[Bill Stanier]

Wow. That IS being let off lightly isn't it. Why the hell did that happen?!

What an appalling 'newspaper' report. It gives no indication whatever of the circumstances (and presumably there must have been some) that led to the absolute discharge.

 

[PowerLee]

Maybe someone could design a kind of stinger device that raises up out the road after a few seconds of the lights & barriers starting there sequence to slash all 4 tyres OR some of those solid traffic bollards that raise up to stop the car getting on to the crossing.

It really needs something physical that causes expensive damage to a car to stop most idiots & teach them a well deserved lesson.

Other then that get some snipers protecting the crossing in a watchtower

 

[AndyNLondon]

Problem with a stinger-type device (not sure if this was a serious suggestion) is that then you've got a vehicle with punctured tyres sat on the crossing as a train is approaching. Which is unarguably a Bad Thing.

The problem we have is that attempts to get people to obey the law on the roads are portrayed as part of a "war on the motorist" - it's probably the only area where politicians will worry about losing votes for being "tough on crime".

 

[najaB]

Problem with a stinger-type device (not sure if this was a serious suggestion) is that then you've got a vehicle with punctured tyres sat on the crossing as a train is approaching. Which is unarguably a Bad Thing.

Darwin might not agree! (This is said with tongue firmly in cheek).

 

[aylesbury2]

Problem with a stinger-type device (not sure if this was a serious suggestion) is that then you've got a vehicle with punctured tyres sat on the crossing as a train is approaching. Which is unarguably a Bad Thing.

"The next station is...oh dear"

 

[plastictaffy]

No reason the bollard thing wouldn't work, though. It could be done so that they will bend to let people out, but not into, the level crossing.

 

[table38]

Maybe a few strategically mounted yellow boxes on a pole?

Perhaps if everyone thought that every Level Crossing had a Red Light camera, they would take fewer chances?

 

[plastictaffy]

Maybe a few strategically mounted yellow boxes on a pole?

Perhaps if everyone thought that every Level Crossing had a Red Light camera, they would take fewer chances?

Perhaps, but so many people have a facility now to tell them where the GATSO's are, and even whether they're active or not. I think my one way bollard thingy would work. They come up out of the ground a few moments before the barriers come down, anything in between them can get out, but anything either side can't get in. Might see if I could get a patent on it......

 

[GB]

Might stop the ziz zagging or cliping the barriers, but I don't think it will stop people ignoring the amber or red road lights.

 

[Bald Rick]

Maybe a few strategically mounted yellow boxes on a pole?

Perhaps if everyone thought that every Level Crossing had a Red Light camera, they would take fewer chances?

This is definitely the answer. That and a spate of £100 fixed penalty fines + 3 points, and people will soon learn.

It doesn't solve the problem of cyclists choosing to weave the barriers; one tragically died this weekend near Broxbourne doing that.

 

[fowler9]

Maybe a few strategically mounted yellow boxes on a pole?

Perhaps if everyone thought that every Level Crossing had a Red Light camera, they would take fewer chances?

I doubt it, red light cameras do naff all to stop people. They'll be making them indicate next.

 

[talltim]

Have the tire slashing spikes on the exit side. Then, the car stays roadworthy across the crossing and the damage happens if they get safely off it

 

[fowler9]

Have the tire slashing spikes on the exit side. Then, the car stays roadworthy across the crossing and the damage happens if they get safely off it

Unless said clown has driven through the exit side to pass the barriers.

 

[90019]

No reason the bollard thing wouldn't work, though. It could be done so that they will bend to let people out, but not into, the level crossing.

[youtube]ZdmwHOxRrtM[/youtube]

Simple, but effective.

Allows drivers off the crossing, but not on.

 

[Merseysider]

This may be a controversial point of view, but when people are idiotic and selfish enough to breach the level crossing I care far less about their safety than I do for the welfare of the driver.

If they aren't willing to wait a few seconds for a 3000 horsepower, 100 tonne hunk of metal to go first and are willing to risk being hit by it then they obviously don't value their own life enough.

That said, there are a great number of level crossings that need improvements to prevent collisions, and the repercussions for crossing a red signal should be made far greater. If people get away with it once, they'll think they can do it again, and again.

 

[jopsuk]

I wouldn't really call 7 points on your license and a £272 pay out a light penalty.

To be fair, it's more points and little under half the fine that a guy who used his car to deliberately drive into someone git the other day.

But then there's large numbers of drivers that have held onto their licence despite going over 12 points. All you have to do is turn on the puppy dog eyes and claim "exceptional hardship".

 

[DJL]

[youtube]ZdmwHOxRrtM[/youtube]

Simple, but effective.

Allows drivers off the crossing, but not on.

I like that.
I also like the way the crossing attendant takes the broken bumper away but leaves the driver to sort out his own stupidity

 

[Oliver]

As someone who formerly used this road (and railway line) regularly (and in no way condoning this offence) I find it remarkable that the crossing is still there. It's heavily used by both road and rail traffic and is in relatively open countryside. If anywhere deserves a bridge, this does.

 

[jon0844]

Perhaps, but so many people have a facility now to tell them where the GATSO's are, and even whether they're active or not. I think my one way bollard thingy would work. They come up out of the ground a few moments before the barriers come down, anything in between them can get out, but anything either side can't get in. Might see if I could get a patent on it......

I am not aware of any system that can tell if a camera is active or not, although on the old-school Gatso ones you could tell by looking. Now they're mostly digital, they're always active (or have the potential to be without you knowing).

Surely if someone has an app or SatNav that alerts them to a camera, that will make them think twice and that's the ultimate aim? Not just to catch people, but prevent them in the first place.

Of course, I always believed that when speed cameras first came in and were hidden (and often came at the expense of supporting traffic police) the idea was very much to catch people and make money, than deter people. In fact, when cameras had to be clearly marked, there was a lot of anger within the safety camera partnerships (employing people on incredibly good salaries).

 

[carriageline]

Well, they have just put up a load of cameras on the NW past of the M25, in the new hard shoulder running part. All of them are hard to see (grey, sat on a little shelf on the side of the gantry), if that's not a money making exercise then I do not what is! Put it this way, nearly every time I have seen one, it has flashed multiple times (both opposite carriage way, and the one I'm travelling on)

With regards to level crossings, it amazes me how ignorant some people are about them. Little people know what the flashing reds mean, and people always associate level crossings with a long wait. Therefore think they have time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jon0844]

I haven't kept up to speed with the legislation for the cameras on motorways - well any roads to be honest. It used to be that only one camera on any gantry would be live, but that may well have changed.

There's also quite a long time from when a speed limit is imposed (below 70) to when cameras are activated, and I am still not sure if they work for speeds over 70. I am sure they were once only for enforcing lower limits, but it would make sense to start going for those doing 80+ - if somewhat unpopular.

The police aren't as bothered about speeding on the motorway as other roads (within reason). Many are supportive of an increase in limits, and most will know how other parts of Europe cope fine with higher limits or even no limits.

 

[matchmaker]

Maybe a few strategically mounted yellow boxes on a pole?

Perhaps if everyone thought that every Level Crossing had a Red Light camera, they would take fewer chances?

I doubt it. One crossing in Stirling has had permanent red light cameras for years. They catch several drivers each month...including a school bus driver a couple of years ago who got the bus stuck in the descending barriers!