What's the problem with level crossings?
Discussion
I keep hearing about how dangerous they are, but unless I'm missing something, is it not the case that people are getting hurt because they are circumventing closed barriers?
If so, isn't the crossing doing its job and it is the people who are actually dangerous??
It's tragic when people get killed on these things, but surely relatives are directing the blame at the wrong entity with these campaigns to close LC's?!
If so, isn't the crossing doing its job and it is the people who are actually dangerous??
It's tragic when people get killed on these things, but surely relatives are directing the blame at the wrong entity with these campaigns to close LC's?!
People easily make mistakes- and the consequences of one on a crossing can be fatal. It's easy to take the PH tough guy stance on this but I'm not sure that it is the right one. If steps can be taken to remove or reduce the risk of mistakes etc then I'm all for it. Heard an interview on Radio 4 this morning with a parent whose 14 year old had died because she didn't realise that after her train had chugged through to stop on the platform an express would be following. If sensible steps in signage and warning measures can prevent this then of course it should be done. But doubtless some knuckle dragger will be along to quote Darwin (mistakenly as usual) ....
Riley Blue said:
The subject should be, "What's the problem with British people who use level crossings?"
They don't seem to have any problems in Europe.When you ask where the money to upgrade the rail network is going in this country....it's going on bridges so we don't have to put up with those down right lethal level crossings that jump out of nowhere and kill us.
Cyder said:
Stupidity mostly.
People are unable to grasp that the flashing lighty things mean they need to stop.
So the railways have to pander to the lowest common denominator.
Exactly. Never mind the cost of building a bridge/tunnel or closing the road instead of having a crossing.People are unable to grasp that the flashing lighty things mean they need to stop.
So the railways have to pander to the lowest common denominator.
Perhaps the front of the train should just have 47 mattresses ratchet-strapped to it?
coppice said:
People easily make mistakes- and the consequences of one on a crossing can be fatal. It's easy to take the PH tough guy stance on this but I'm not sure that it is the right one. If steps can be taken to remove or reduce the risk of mistakes etc then I'm all for it. Heard an interview on Radio 4 this morning with a parent whose 14 year old had died because she didn't realise that after her train had chugged through to stop on the platform an express would be following. If sensible steps in signage and warning measures can prevent this then of course it should be done.
In that case (and it is horrible, I don't wish it on anyone), the child in question ignored the first rule of a crossing - if the barriers are down, there could still be another train coming.
coppice said:
But doubtless some knuckle dragger will be along to quote Darwin (mistakenly as usual) ....
Actually as a re-imagining of Darwin's meaning, it's quite apt for our current situation. After all, we no longer starve to death if we're not intelligent enough to hunt down our prey; the dangers for our species have evolved with us, so to speak.Hackney said:
Riley Blue said:
The subject should be, "What's the problem with British people who use level crossings?"
They don't seem to have any problems in Europe.When you ask where the money to upgrade the rail network is going in this country....it's going on bridges so we don't have to put up with those down right lethal level crossings that jump out of nowhere and kill us.
France has replaced almost all level crossings, at great expense. Level crossings are also disappearing on the European scale.
They are not considered as a safe road design, and rightly so. I would not even think about people dying from their own stupidity, but from a railway company point of view, every accident on a level crossing means damage to the rolling material, to the railway, and more or less huge disruptions to traffic. Not counting the risk towards passengers in case of derailment. So it seems quite logical to replace them in most cases.
TooMany2cvs said:
Cyder said:
Stupidity mostly.
People are unable to grasp that the flashing lighty things mean they need to stop.
So the railways have to pander to the lowest common denominator.
Exactly. Never mind the cost of building a bridge/tunnel or closing the road instead of having a crossing.People are unable to grasp that the flashing lighty things mean they need to stop.
So the railways have to pander to the lowest common denominator.
Perhaps the front of the train should just have 47 mattresses ratchet-strapped to it?
One close to us has been re-equipped after a fatal accident. In this case the driver lived, but the toddler did not. Very hard to live with.
Knowing the reputation of the driver it's very unlikely that she was 'jumping the crossing'.
Blinded by the sun, poor lights on the crossing, maybe distracted etc... Plenty more ways to die.
coppice said:
People easily make mistakes- and the consequences of one on a crossing can be fatal. It's easy to take the PH tough guy stance on this but I'm not sure that it is the right one. If steps can be taken to remove or reduce the risk of mistakes etc then I'm all for it. Heard an interview on Radio 4 this morning with a parent whose 14 year old had died because she didn't realise that after her train had chugged through to stop on the platform an express would be following. If sensible steps in signage and warning measures can prevent this then of course it should be done. But doubtless some knuckle dragger will be along to quote Darwin (mistakenly as usual) ....
I don't know the full circumstances but if another train is coming the barriers stay down, the lights stay flashing. If either of these is happening DON'T CROSS THE RAILWAY LINE.It's really not that difficult.
Seriously what's not sensible about the current signage? At that particular crossing, or any.
Hackney said:
They don't seem to have any problems in Europe.
When you ask where the money to upgrade the rail network is going in this country....it's going on bridges so we don't have to put up with those down right lethal level crossings that jump out of nowhere and kill us.
This. Breaking the law has become a way of life in Britain, particularly among road users, helped along by almost total lack of policing and the prevalent attitude of 'I'm not responsible, it's someone else's problem'. When you ask where the money to upgrade the rail network is going in this country....it's going on bridges so we don't have to put up with those down right lethal level crossings that jump out of nowhere and kill us.
People are almost reverting to an infantile state in which they grow up lacking any kind of survival instinct or sense of responsibility for their own actions, and need to be protected from their own stupidity by warning signs everywhere, lowest common denominator health and safety rules and regulations, and engineering changes to 'dangerous' roads and level crossings.
Keeping these people alive is violating natural selection and polluting the gene pool...
Hackney said:
I don't know the full circumstances but if another train is coming the barriers stay down, the lights stay flashing. If either of these is happening DON'T CROSS THE RAILWAY LINE
How about the occasions when the barrier isn't down? Or when someone was incorrectly given permission to cross?Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff