More level crossing stupidity

[PaxVobiscum]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31091491

Footage has emerged of a man dicing with danger at a level crossing.
The video was released by the British Transport Police as part of its Operation Look campaign to promote safety awareness at crossings.
The clip shows a pedestrian in Dalcross, near Inverness, walking around a barrier and crossing the rail tracks just moments before a train rushes past.

This idiot saved less than 8 seconds by this cretinous behaviour.

 

[Antman]

I heard something on the radio today about BTP launching Operation Look to crack down on the misuse of level crossings

 

[Ash Bridge]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31091491



This idiot saved less than 8 seconds by this cretinous behaviour.

Unbelievable!!
Obviously he was at the the back of the queue when brain cells were handed out

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Another candidate for a Darwin award.

 

[PermitToTravel]

The BTP released two more videos along with this one; the three can all be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFlrhheF2Lw

 

[Murph]

The BTP released two more videos along with this one; the three can all be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFlrhheF2Lw

:roll::roll::roll:

So, I wonder if the barrier knocked any sense into the cyclist in the second clip, when it smacked him on the head? :roll:

Serious question now. Obviously for vehicles (including pedal cycles), the Road Traffic Act will provide a penalty for ignoring the lights. What about idiot pedestrians like the one in the first clip? Does the law provide any penalty, if they manage to avoid summary execution by fast moving train?

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Why did the second one make me laugh so much.

 

[PermitToTravel]

:roll::roll::roll:

So, I wonder if the barrier knocked any sense into the cyclist in the second clip, when it smacked him on the head? :roll:

Serious question now. Obviously for vehicles (including pedal cycles), the Road Traffic Act will provide a penalty for ignoring the lights. What about idiot pedestrians like the one in the first clip? Does the law provide any penalty, if they manage to avoid summary execution by fast moving train?

Yes.
-

 

[3141]

The amazing thing about the first one is that after he's looked to his right and presumably seen the train approaching, he scarcely seems to hurry himself, and appears not even to pause and look round as the train passes immediately behind him.

 

[Antman]

The amazing thing about the first one is that after he's looked to his right and presumably seen the train approaching, he scarcely seems to hurry himself, and appears not even to pause and look round as the train passes immediately behind him.

In India scenes like this are commonplace with people ambling across the track as an express train bears down on them.

Apparently the level crossing in Horsham Road in Crawley has one of the worst records in the south east for misuse by both motorists and pedestrians.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

You can add Poole High St & Farnham station level crossings, the latter being a busy road and the local eediots not taking notice of the box junction!

It's a crossing that needs enforcement cameras to ram it home to them that they don't enter the box junction (crossing) until their exit is clear.

 

[marks87]

:roll::roll::roll:

So, I wonder if the barrier knocked any sense into the cyclist in the second clip, when it smacked him on the head? :roll:

To be fair, I think he's trying to brake. His posture is that of a cyclist pulling hard on both levers and he doesn't appear to be pedalling. But he's coming down the hill at a fair speed on what looks like a wet surface.

 

[PermitToTravel]

The amazing thing about the first one is that after he's looked to his right and presumably seen the train approaching, he scarcely seems to hurry himself, and appears not even to pause and look round as the train passes immediately behind him.

It would be acceptable in many other countries, as noted - as long as he doesn't trip/fall/similar it's safe. Not in the same league as the other two in my opinion.

To be fair, I think he's trying to brake. His posture is that of a cyclist pulling hard on both levers and he doesn't appear to be pedalling. But he's coming down the hill at a fair speed on what looks like a wet surface.

It looked to me like he was pedalling - doesn't help of course that it was apparently filmed with a potato.

 

[AndyNLondon]

The BTP released two more videos along with this one; the three can all be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFlrhheF2Lw

Aside from the ambling chap at Dalcross, the other two do seem to show some common sense after their mistakes:

The cyclist at Spondon appears to slow down before being clotheslined by the barrier (presumably - and none of these are good excuses - they thought they could get across before the barriers came down, didn't notice the crossing lights in time, or had knackered brakes) and then gets up & gets the bike off the tracks. Removing the bike from the tracks seems sensible - either they know that the signals won't be cleared until the barriers are all down, in which case they know they've got time to do it safely; or they don't know that but can't see an train approaching imminently and are making a snap "oh crap what now?" decision.

The motorist at Narborough should, of course, have treated the crossing as a box junction and not driven on to it until the exit was clear. (Though the Highway Code doesn't give this with a bold "MUST" as it does for rules describing road traffic law.) Once they are on the crossing with the warning lights starting & their exit blocked by the queue of traffic, pulling on to the wrong side of the road to try to drive clear doesn't seem especially stupid until the barrier comes down.

So, my take on these: one utter idiot, and two who got caught out by bad decisions (albeit of the sort that road users make all the time and almost always with no bad consequences) and then take not-too-ridiculous actions trying to deal with the situations.

 

[GB]

It would be acceptable in many other countries, as noted - as long as he doesn't trip/fall/similar it's safe. Not in the same league as the other two in my opinion.

What other countries would it be acceptable to ignore level crossings like that?

Its safe as long as he doesn't trip or fall??? Your joking right?

 

[Antman]

What other countries would it be acceptable to ignore level crossings like that?

Its safe as long as he doesn't trip or fall??? Your joking right?

Ever been to India? Obviously it is safe if he doesn't trip or fall, that doesn't mean it's a sensible thing to do

 

[PermitToTravel]

He didn't ignore it though! He clearly looked and decided that he had enough time to cross. The others didn't look at all before fouling the line

 

[GatwickDepress]

He didn't ignore it though! He clearly looked and decided that he had enough time to cross. The others didn't look at all before fouling the line

Probably took a few months off the driver though...

 

[PermitToTravel]

Quite. I'm not suggesting it's acceptable, it's just not the same level of idiocy

 

[GB]

Ever been to India? Obviously it is safe if he doesn't trip or fall, that doesn't mean it's a sensible thing to do

The fact that its very easy to slip/fall on a level crossing or misjudge the speed and distance of a moving train suggests to me otherwise.

 

[TheEdge]

I'm an awful person and thus I could watch that one video of the cyclist a millions times and it would still be funny.

Seriousness of the subject notwithstanding.

 

[SWTCommuter]

And another one...

Peter Burns, 56, of Ffairfach, Carmarthenshire, was fined £500 plus £85 costs for attempting to cross the line near Llandeilo without permission.

Footage from onboard the train shows Burns driving right in front of the Arriva passenger service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-31117109

 

[PermitToTravel]

!!!
Actual contact!

Is that a 'thou shalt telephone' crossing? It doesn't look very well sighted.

 

[Ash Bridge]

And another one...



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-31117109

. Granted quite a hefty fine, but why do they not also take the licences of these idiots, then after a banning period make them sit their driving tests again

!!!
Actual contact!

Is that a 'thou shalt telephone' crossing? It doesn't look very well sighted.

Well if that was me, if I was in any doubt I would not cross that line until I had been assured it was safe to do so, full stop!

 

[PermitToTravel]

. Granted quite a hefty fine, but why do they not also take the licences of these idiots, then after a banning period make them sit their driving tests again

Well I'd posit that there's not all that much chance of him doing *that* again.

Something equally stupid elsewhere? I'll not comment

 

[Llanigraham]

!!!
Actual contact!

Is that a 'thou shalt telephone' crossing? It doesn't look very well sighted.

Yes it is.

I'm having a trip along it tomorrow.

 

[yorkie]

And another one...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-31117109

Good to see you can trust our legal system to come up with a suitable punishment... not! :roll:

 

[dtaylor84]

The amazing thing about the first one is that after he's looked to his right and presumably seen the train approaching, he scarcely seems to hurry himself, and appears not even to pause and look round as the train passes immediately behind him.

To be fair, there's a bit of a foreshortening effect. He clearly walks up to the line, looks right, sees the train, crosses relatively briskly, then carries on walking. He's well clear of the line and on the other side of the barrier by the time the train comes. Still stupid, though.

 

[GB]

To be fair, there's a bit of a foreshortening effect. He clearly walks up to the line, looks right, sees the train, crosses relatively briskly, then carries on walking. He's well clear of the line and on the other side of the barrier by the time the train comes. Still stupid, though.

"Well clear"? He's barely the other side of the far barrier for more than 1 second before the train enters the crossing.

 

[Antman]

"Well clear"? He's barely the other side of the far barrier for more than 1 second before the train enters the crossing.

He was nowhere near getting hit, not that I'm condoning his actions