34101 Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 At least three injured as one bus collides with the rear of another on Cambridge's guided busway on 15th February 2013. Only minor injuries fortunately: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-21479277 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I am pleased the injuries are minor. Having read the report I note that "Diversions are in place". Presumably this means via a different route altogether, because AFAIK there is no facility for buses to overtake in the guided busway. This is a scenario that critics always had for the scheme when it was first mooted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted February 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 16, 2013 "Ms Murray said she saw people who looked like they had broken their noses and she took herself to the doctors after having neck pains." She did what? BBC English has suffered, it seems.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 16, 2013 Maybe they should install signals and Absolute Block working (and rails)? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 If guided busways were built in order to save space, drivers should learn to steer buses the old fashoned way, ideally on the Abergele-Rhuddlan 'straight'! I'll bet its narrower than a guided busway and it cambers into ditches each side. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Maybe they should install signals and Absolute Block working (and rails)? Or at least a driver reminder/alertness device (whatever it's called). It must be easy to be lulled into a false sense of security "knowing" there won't be anything to slow you down until the next stop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I've asked this before, I'll ask again? The guided busway was built - logically - as a "guided way", ie a railway in a different physical form, so is not/cannot be a road? In which case, does/should "railway" legislation apply, should there be a proper accident report done? Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 "Ms Murray said she saw people who looked like they had broken their noses and she took herself to the doctors after having neck pains." She did what? BBC English has suffered, it seems.... Laying the ground for a nice compo claim, perhaps? Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 It's not a railway but it has similarities to a tramway - the vehicles are driven on line of sight without block signals, so should always be going slowly enough to stop short of an obstruction. For whatever reason that doesn't seem to have happened... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 It's not a railway but it has similarities to a tramway - the vehicles are driven on line of sight without block signals, so should always be going slowly enough to stop short of an obstruction. For whatever reason that doesn't seem to have happened... And I suppose it could be argued that if the driver doesn't have to concentrate on steering, he/she only needs to watch out for red lights in front and plan to stop at them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted February 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 16, 2013 It's not a railway but it has similarities to a tramway - the vehicles are driven on line of sight without block signals, so should always be going slowly enough to stop short of an obstruction. For whatever reason that doesn't seem to have happened... Permissive working? I think every mile I've driven a car in the last 40 years required me to stop short of an obstruction - my insurer would prefer it that way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpion Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Tramways manage with driving on sight, don't see supertrams running into each other and when they do an emergency stop for a dreamy pedestrian they stop dead. i suspect tram drivers have a different level of training/ different temperament to bus drivers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Tramways manage with driving on sight, don't see supertrams running into each other and when they do an emergency stop for a dreamy pedestrian they stop dead. i suspect tram drivers have a different level of training/ different temperament to bus drivers Bus drivers? ...I mean they don't have to steer, or change gear, use indicators so what's left? Eeh lad, I remember when't steering were that heavy we used to ask passengers to sit at back.... I had arms like an arangutan, changing gear was ruddy lottery, and stopping a bus was like stopping a ship... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpion Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 ..look ahead, anticipate, use the brakes.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 This seems to have been a simple case of driver error, though his union will try hard to show otherwise. Looking at the pictures, if two double deck buses were involved the passenger numbers could be substantially higher than many of the dmus I have seen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted February 16, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 16, 2013 "Passenger Michaela Murray said the bus she was on slowed down for horses and another bus hit it from behind." What were horses doing on the guided busway? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushVeteran Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 The words speed and distance spring to mind!!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 "Passenger Michaela Murray said the bus she was on slowed down for horses and another bus hit it from behind." What were horses doing on the guided busway? Er, perhaps they were crossing it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 It's possible there was some problem with the brakes on the rear bus, so let's not point the finger at the driver without the full evidence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Bus drivers? ...I mean they don't have to steer, or change gear, use indicators so what's left? Eeh lad, I remember when't steering were that heavy we used to ask passengers to sit at back.... I had arms like an arangutan, changing gear was ruddy lottery, and stopping a bus was like stopping a ship... There is the important difference that trams cannot swerve to avoid an obstruction, and even with track brakes they can't stop as quickly as other road vehicles, so between the design of the tramway and the training of the drivers there needs to be a lot of consideration of possible hazards (I've been involved in some of it). Modern trams have indicators too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted February 16, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 16, 2013 Er, perhaps they were crossing it? AH!!! good thinking there Horse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salopian Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 What were horses doing on the guided busway? Avoiding Tesco? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 The busway is legally a private road, so theoretically subject only to whatever regulations the owner (Cambridgeshire County Council?) choses to impose, which should include some form of safe method of working such as minimum following distance behind another vehicle... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 There are occasionally similar accidents on Melbourne's tram system. They do cause major disruptions because nothing can move behind the accident scene. Our trams do have magnetic track brakes for emergency stops and these can stop a tram within its own length. However, with a tram full of passengers, they don't dare use those brakes as there would be more injuries than if they just hit the (usually movable) object in front, particularly if it is 'only' a car! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 The buses should have "I slow down for horses" stickers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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