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Level crossing stupidity...


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1 hour ago, Ramblin Rich said:

Absolutely. There's no way of stopping someone simply ignoring a ban if they just don't care! Until cars get some form of biometric locking to stop unlicensed drivers using them....

Obvious answer in that case is to bang him up for the length of the ban, and whatever is unexpired from any previous ones, on top of the 15 months.

 

Many years back we had a local magistrate who, without exception, imposed custodial sentences for driving while disqualified. Three months first time, do it again and get a longer one. There was one persistent bloke who ended up doing about five years in total before he got the hint.:jester:

 

John  

 

 

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17 hours ago, Dagworth said:

 

This particular case seems like an argument for the Dutch system where the maximum prison sentence is two years, anything after that and its either supervision in the community or a Psychiatric Hospital.  He seems like a very good candidate for some sort of Hospital Order.

 

 

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16 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

One hopes the driving ban only kicks in when he leaves prison, otherwise half of it will be wasted!

 

From the day of sentencing as far as I know, so if he did serve the full sentence he'd be free to drive again (albeit illegally) or even take his test if he's a reformed character upon release! Daft or what!!

 

EDIT:

 

https://police.community/topic/299075-when-does-a-driving-ban-start/

Edited by Hobby
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3 hours ago, Talltim said:

Latest twist in the Doncaster level crossing incident :swoon:

Hmmm.   From what I can make out of the garbled report, the Yorkshire Post's reporter doesn't seem to clear about this chap's (former) occupation.

 

He was "a Network Rail Signalman", "a signalling technician" and the judge "expressed surprise that he held a senior position in Network Rail" although his lawyers "said that he had been offered jobs with rail engineering contractors despite being dismissed by Network Rail".

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28 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Hmmm.   From what I can make out of the garbled report, the Yorkshire Post's reporter doesn't seem to clear about this chap's (former) occupation.

 

He was "a Network Rail Signalman", "a signalling technician" and the judge "expressed surprise that he held a senior position in Network Rail" although his lawyers "said that he had been offered jobs with rail engineering contractors despite being dismissed by Network Rail".

No, it is clear - he was employed by Network Rail in the signalling section and dismissed after this incident came to light. He has been offered employment subsequently with rail engineering contractors, despite the dismissal (obviously they didn't think driving a car into the side of a train while drunk was any issue). This was proffered by his counsel, presumably in an effort to keep him out of jail - if he has employment that is some incentive on the judge not to do so, although clearly ineffective here.

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It depends on the employer, some will do reference checks others won't. Also if he hadn't worked with them long he might not even have declared NR as a previous employer or if he did why he left them. I know of one train driver, now ex thank goodness, who had a terrible record but still got jobs, some employers aren't so choosy. 

Edited by Hobby
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53 minutes ago, St. Simon said:


Hi,

 

I’m sure that I’ve heard that there used to be a blacklist, but that was stopped once the unions got wind of it.

 

Simon

The unions ought to be in favour. 

Management are safely tucked up in their centrally heated air conditioned offices, but ASLEF's drivers are first to be put at risk when people like that are let loose on the railways.

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47 minutes ago, Hobby said:

I'd suggest it was probably illegal. Data protection perhaps, companies shouldn't be swapping such info. 

Not sure that would apply to a safety-critical job when he has a criminal conviction for endangering the railway.

 

I don't see it as a Data protection issue when the conviction is a matter of public record, though I'm not sure how it stands in relation to rehabilitation of offenders,

Edited by Michael Hodgson
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It depends on what type of blacklist. When I worked for the council we had several blacklists. One was for women were male employees were not to enter the address unaccompanied and likewise one where women employees were not to enter alone. These blacklists were for the protection of staff and were quite legitimate. Some blacklists were illegal in the building industry in particular where people were blacklisted for trade union activities. The bottom line is for HR departments to earn their keep and check new job applicants. In the case mentioned there was nothing to say he wasn't good at his job, his crime was driving while drunk and trying to cover up after the (inevitable?) accident. The charges related to the railway are the result of stupidity rather than malice and some employers might take that into account. 

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I was thinking more that this is swapping information about people between private companies. I suspect government institutions may have different regulations that allows them to do it in some cases, I doubt that is the case for private firms. 

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15 hours ago, St. Simon said:


Hi,

 

I’m sure that I’ve heard that there used to be a blacklist, but that was stopped once the unions got wind of it.

 

Simon

There was a blacklist that was used to deny work those who the employers (chiefly in the building and civil engineering industries) deemed unacceptable, usually due to their political beliefs. That's the one you're thinking of. Surely that wouldn't apply in this case. 

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3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

In the US there are strict rules governing school buses that take precedence over other road users. Whether they apply to trains on street trackage I don't know.

 

In Yakima WA the YVT wasn't permitted to run past Davis High School on 6th Avenue during the start and end of the School day, so you could assume the general rule is a Railroad has to give way to a school....

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Effectively a level crossing:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-58587056

 

It says at the junction of Bilston St & Pipers Row but looks more like it was on the island

 

Apparently the driver turned across the tracks with the lights against him.

A teenager is now fighting for her life in hospital

 

 

Edited by melmerby
Location?
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Definitely on the traffic island, WM Police says so!

The car was going around when it was struck on the offside by a St Georges bound tram crossing the island.

Only two people in the car, the pregnant teenage girl, who is in a serious condition in hospital and a teenage lad, who is under arrest for suspected drink driving.

 

I

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