Level crossing stupidity...

['CHARD]

Don't think this has been posted before, published a couple of days ago:

 

[Colin_McLeod]

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2053017441393181&id=976217172406552

[scouser]

Don't think this has been posted before, published a couple of days ago:

 

Well, this is obviously the railroads fault. As some posters on here will tell you, there is no such thing as a stupid motorist!

[The Stationmaster]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2053017441393181&id=976217172406552

 

The only thing you can say about that is at least he was a very lucky idiot.

[Spitfire2865]

Darwin mustve been taking a nap that day.

[kevinlms]

Some ideas for protecting level crossings. Mind you it could be a tad expensive, if the equipment malfunctions & attacks the wrong vehicle.

 

[duncan]

Amazing these Americans have invented the flight deck safety barrier (only 80 years late) !

 

It might stop a lorry, but would it stop an 80 yr old doing 20mph ?

Edited August 18, 2018 by duncan

[Trog]

Not a legal requitement, .....................and cows on Hungerford common have been painted in reflective paint to enable them to be seen at night

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11906156/Dartmoor-ponies-to-be-painted-blue-and-given-reflective-beads.html

 

Is that because their horns don't work?

[kevinlms]

Not a legal requitement, but Ponies on Dartmoor and cows on Hungerford common have been painted in reflective paint to enable them to be seen at night

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11906156/Dartmoor-ponies-to-be-painted-blue-and-given-reflective-beads.html

It just occurred to me. Perhaps the stripe should be angled, like those on mineral wagons, to indicate which end the fertiliser drops out of?

[PatB]

Some ideas for protecting level crossings. Mind you it could be a tad expensive, if the equipment malfunctions & attacks the wrong vehicle.

 

 

I'm not convinced that a barrier that appears specifically designed to shear the lid off a car (like those first two are likely to do) and the top halves of its occupants, is really going to result in a net safety improvement.

[duncan]

would increase the entrants for the Darwin awards though

[martin_wynne]

Is this POGO equipment released by the signaller? If the gates open when you press the button, would a reasonable user assume it is safe to cross? I think I would.

 

 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/collision-at-frognal-farm-user-worked-level-crossing

 

 

RAIB report on this published today:

 

report:  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/735329/R122018_180823_Frognal_Farm.pdf

 

press release:  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/report-122018-collision-at-frognal-farm-user-worked-crossing

 

Simon French, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said:

 

“This accident, which came very close to killing a motorist, has shown up some significant weaknesses in the way that some level crossings have been managed over many years. User worked level crossings, where the user is responsible for operating gates themselves, are usually on rural, private roads. They are a legacy of agreements between railway companies and landowners, made at the time the railways were built in the nineteenth century. Today’s trains are more frequent and travel faster than the Victorian railway builders could ever dream of, and the risk to crossing users and people on trains at these level crossings is now one of the most significant that the railway has to manage.

 

“This type of crossing differs from public road crossings that many motorists are familiar with, in that the user is responsible for protecting themselves from being hit by a train while they cross. This is a concept which needs to be made very clear to the user, as the consequences of failing to understand it may be tragic. In this case, a green button labelled “press to operate crossing gates” created a belief that the gates would only open if it was safe. That was not the case, and the driver of the road vehicle was lucky to escape with his life. The signs that told him to telephone for permission before using the crossing were confusing and badly positioned. They included an unauthorised adaptation of a legally specified sign. This non-standard sign was created because the law has not kept up with technical developments, and there is no sign approved for use in connection with power operated gates. Fresh thinking is needed on how to tell an unfamiliar user what kind of crossing they have arrived at, what the hazards are, and what to do to be safe.

 

“The nineteenth-century approach to managing the use of private level crossings revolved round the concept of the authorised user, the person occupying the land or premises that the crossing gave access to. They were considered to be responsible for making sure that anyone who had a valid reason to visit them and needed to use the crossing was aware of how to cross safely. It’s doubtful whether this concept was ever really effective, and in today’s world of parcel deliveries by multiple couriers it just doesn’t work. We are recommending that, when reviewing the way it manages these crossings, Network Rail looks hard at how crossing users get information from the railway about how to cross safely.

 

“However, I believe that the vital lesson from this investigation is how important it is that each user worked crossing is managed in a way that takes into account the context in which it is used, and the needs and expectations of the people who may encounter it in the course of their everyday business. It is time for a fresh approach to this problem, for the sake of crossing users, train passengers and railway staff, who are all at risk."

[The Stationmaster]

Something some of us have been saying - in various ways - for a long time (including previously in this thread).  The day 'somebody' started applying the term 'level. crossing' to occupation and accommodation crossings was the day the issue first started to be confused and it has at times become worse ever since because there is a natural tendency to think of them in the same way as a statutory level crossing (within the proper meaning of the term).

 

Whether or not Simon French's words will do anything to sort out the confusion within the minds of various NR employees remains to be seen but a big step would be to restore the correct terminology so that people more readily appreciate these sort of crossings are very different beasts from level crossings and need a different type of management with different critical elements.  

[PhilJ W]

cancelled

Edited September 3, 2018 by PhilJ W

[phil-b259]

Something some of us have been saying - in various ways - for a long time (including previously in this thread).  The day 'somebody' started applying the term 'level. crossing' to occupation and accommodation crossings was the day the issue first started to be confused and it has at times become worse ever since because there is a natural tendency to think of them in the same way as a statutory level crossing (within the proper meaning of the term).

 

Whether or not Simon French's words will do anything to sort out the confusion within the minds of various NR employees remains to be seen but a big step would be to restore the correct terminology so that people more readily appreciate these sort of crossings are very different beasts from level crossings and need a different type of management with different critical elements.  

 

However as Simon French has illustrated, it makes sods all difference what the railways calls them - to parcel couriers, etc (and all media organisations) they are all 'level crossings'

 

The idea that an 'authorised user' has the ability to influence the behaviour of users in this day and age is laughable - as was noted in the report where exactly do you state on your online shopping order "please get the delivery driver to ring me so I can tell them how to use the accommodation / occupation crossing over the railway"

 

As such it makes perfect sense for all crossings over the railway which the public can access* to be called level crossings regardless of the legislative niceties that may apply to a particular crossing.

 

Ultimately what the railway needs is simple procedures that non railway folk can easily obey if we want to keep them off the tracks when a train is due. If for no other reason than to spare the train driver the mental trauma, never mind physical injuries when 'joe public' gets it wrong!

 

 

*As opposed to places where there is a secondary checkpoint - a locked gate the key for which needs to be signed out (at which point a briefing can be issued about the crossing) or where you need to pass through a security checkpoint (e.g. at the enterance to an industral complex where a briefing can be carried out).

Edited September 5, 2018 by phil-b259

[phil-b259]

Another idiot causing signifiant delays for rail commuters and no doubt a lot of work for the local S&T

 

https://www.facebook.com/BBCSE/videos/2170935139850094/

[melmerby]

The day before we had this:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-45448130

 

Keith

[phil-b259]

The day before we had this:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-45448130

 

Keith

 

A couple of seconds of impatience turns into hours of work! grrr.....

 

Not good - those booms with the extra framework are a pig to deal with. Particularly if the only spares you can get your hands on have said extra framework on the 'wrong' side an it needs swapping over (as has happened at Keymer Crossing in the past) https://www.google.com/maps/@50.9593997,-0.1227751,3a,75y,240.6h,93.09t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spSLRJOYm4oF8mmqtMiaWwQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)

Edited September 8, 2018 by phil-b259

[RJS1977]

Came across this one the other day:

 

https://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk/article.php/152/thoughtless-and-dangerous-action-by-inconsiderate-level-crossing-users-delays-re-opening

[lmsforever]

Sadly the behaviour of the general public is getting to be very predictable with regards to works blocking there so called rights of way and many of them profess to be saving the planet.There is an excellent right up in the latest Watlington Flyer the lads did a fantastic job and do not deserve to be attacked whilst doing it.Glad that we are in to Risboro next job Aston Rowant!

[beast66606]

Sadly the behaviour of the general public is getting to be very predictable with regards to works blocking there so called rights of way and many of them profess to be saving the planet.There is an excellent right up in the latest Watlington Flyer the lads did a fantastic job and do not deserve to be attacked whilst doing it.Glad that we are in to Risboro next job Aston Rowant!

 

And I bet that despite the police being called no-one was prosecuted, giving the normal "it's ok to act like a ...." as you won't get prosecuted lesson

[Trog]

Sadly the behaviour of the general public is getting to be very predictable with regards to works blocking there so called rights of way and many of them profess to be saving the planet.There is an excellent right up in the latest Watlington Flyer the lads did a fantastic job and do not deserve to be attacked whilst doing it.Glad that we are in to Risboro next job Aston Rowant!

 

The reverse also happens I remember one level crossing where Network Rail was crowing about having closed a level crossing because it was unsafe, and how wonderful they were. An internet search brought up a letter from the local council / statutory body complaining about the illegal closure, and Network Rails reply fobbing them off and ignoring the complaint that they were acting illegally.

Edited September 8, 2018 by Trog

[melmerby]

The reverse also happens I remember one level crossing where Network Rail was crowing about having closed a level crossing because it was unsafe, and how wonderful they were. An internet search brought up a letter from the local council / statutory body complaining about the illegal closure, and Network Rails reply fobbing them off and ignoring the complaint that they were acting illegally.

Possibly claiming something was unsafe could overide other concerns?

 

Keith

[royaloak]

And I bet that despite the police being called no-one was prosecuted, giving the normal "it's ok to act like a ...." as you won't get prosecuted lesson

This is the real problem, a few well publicised prosecutions might make some of them think before acting/opening their mouths!

[caradoc]

The reverse also happens I remember one level crossing where Network Rail was crowing about having closed a level crossing because it was unsafe, and how wonderful they were. An internet search brought up a letter from the local council / statutory body complaining about the illegal closure, and Network Rails reply fobbing them off and ignoring the complaint that they were acting illegally.

 

What was the outcome of this; Did Network Rail have to re-open the crossing, or did it remain closed ?