Successful prosecution of a level crossing light jumper

[royaloak]

For me the use of the vans should be one fold, to catch anyone that would ordinarily jump the lights instead of just discouraging them that one time, who knows it could be one of the discouraged ones that ends up kissing the coupler next time but if they had been prosecuted it might have changed their behaviour once and for all.

[BoD]

I know it's stating the obvious but the only problem with discouragement is that, for some (most) potential offenders, it will only work when the van is there. They will not think 'oh, there was a van here five weeks ago there might be a hidden camera now'.  Discouragement will only work when the discouragement is there.  How many of these vans are there and how often are they used?

 

Mind you prosecution isn't always a deterrent either.

[MJI]

I have been passed while waiting!

[kevinlms]

I do wonder why these vans cannot be plain white (or any other colour) instead of having to have all the day-glo signs all over them, I mean it isnt like anyone sees a (day-glo) van and speeds up is it?

Most of those that would have broken the law if they hadnt seen the (day-glo) van will have slowed down, which to me defeats the point of these vans, everyone who would have jumped the lights (if they hadnt seen the day-glo van)  should be allowed to instead of being warned by the sight of the van, that way we would know exactly how many people jump the lights instead of just the idiots that get caught.

Of course they don't see the van - because they were busy talking on the phone at the time.

[newbryford]

I know it's stating the obvious but the only problem with discouragement is that, for some (most) potential offenders, it will only work when the van is there. They will not think 'oh, there was a van here five weeks ago there might be a hidden camera now'.  Discouragement will only work when the discouragement is there.  How many of these vans are there and how often are they used?

 

Mind you prosecution isn't always a deterrent either.

 

There was a camera van at a local full barrier crossing last week. It was parked about 100 yards away behind a couple of cars with the camera on a stalk out of the roof. There was no way it was visible from one direction. I await reading the local paper next week to find out how many they got.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Xerces Fobe2]

I am glad to see more pro-active action been taken and hopefully this will stop the often incorrect reporting by the media that tends portray the railway as the party to blame. I hope that stronger inforcement is implemented in other areas where road users think they are above the law. If you stay within the law whilst using the road you have nothing to worry about!

 

XF

[beast66606]

Beast, can I ask how you done it?

Was it simply just a case of taking a fot as the car drove through the reds?

Im surprised in a way as some folk say that digital images are not  submissible by the public as they can be altered and so are not considerd reliable,  that theory is obviuosly BS!!

Well done anyway, good work!

 

I was at the crossing and had my video cameras set up, one in each direction, one, looking over the crossing, also included the lights. This clearly shows the light sequence (Yellow, steady reds, flashing reds), the car drives over when the flashing red was showing and the barriers dropping, that, combined with my still photos to confirm the registration number meant the driver couldn't really argue against the charge. After chatting with BTP I now always (where possible) set my videos so I capture the lights, just in case.

 

Anyone can report an offence but without extra evidence it would be one word against another and so it's unlikely they would pursue it, I assume they would log it and possibly use it if the same car came up again.

[kevinlms]

I am glad to see more pro-active action been taken and hopefully this will stop the often incorrect reporting by the media that tends portray the railway as the party to blame. I hope that stronger inforcement is implemented in other areas where road users think they are above the law. If you stay within the law whilst using the road you have nothing to worry about!

 

XF

Of course, its the usual suspect groups responsible.

 

http://www.transportsafety.vic.gov.au/rail-safety/safety-improvement/pedestrian-behaviour-at-level-crossings

 

Penalty in Victoria is 4 demerit points (12 allowed per 3 years) & around $450.00

[Fat Controller]

I have been passed while waiting!

In one of the fatal crashes on the RH&DR, the car driver pulled out of her drive, within shouting distance of the crossing, then drove past the row of waiting vehicles, before jumping the lights. Sadly, it was the driver of the locomotive that paid the price for the impatient motorist.

[MJI]

In one of the fatal crashes on the RH&DR, the car driver pulled out of her drive, within shouting distance of the crossing, then drove past the row of waiting vehicles, before jumping the lights. Sadly, it was the driver of the locomotive that paid the price for the impatient motorist.

I remember that.

 

Also seen the result of a 47 hitting a tractor

[Dagworth]

Another one

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-22088463

 

Andi

[RedgateModels]

I am reminded of the incident I witnessed a few years back recounted on the old forum here
 
The crossing was this one - still makes me shudder sometimes.

[Happy Hippo]

Sadly, I read in the paper this morning that yet another crossing jumper and his passenger came off much the worse in a collision with a train.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2306587/Two-people-killed-level-crossing-car-hit-train-travelling-60mph.html

 

Usual post crash scenario: pictures of barriers down and red lights flashing.

 

No sympathy for the driver of the car, just for his passenger, the driver of the train and all those involved in the clearup operation.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[newbryford]

Sadly, I read in the paper this morning that yet another crossing jumper and his passenger came off much the worse in a collision with a train.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2306587/Two-people-killed-level-crossing-car-hit-train-travelling-60mph.html

 

Usual post crash scenario: pictures of barriers down and red lights flashing.

 

No sympathy for the driver of the car, just for his passenger, the driver of the train and all those involved in the clearup operation.

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

And reading the comments at the bottom of the report, I came across this numpty one. 

 

 

Yet another level crossing tragedy - surely it is time to review the safety of level crossings and install measures to ensure that if a crossing is blocked by a car then the train automatically stops...

 

 Maybe a better way is to ensure that the car stops when the barrier is down.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[BoD]

...........yet another crossing jumper..........

You may well be right but that is just an assumption at the moment.

[Edwin_m]

And reading the comments at the bottom of the report, I came across this numpty one. 

 

 

Yet another level crossing tragedy - surely it is time to review the safety of level crossings and install measures to ensure that if a crossing is blocked by a car then the train automatically stops...

Also known as a MCB, CCTV or now a MCB(OD) crossing.  Tell the road users that for their own safety they have to wait three times as long so the barriers can be closed in time for the signals to be cleared and a train have a clear run through.