Level crossing stupidity...

[Michael Hodgson]

4 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

A ferry company might have considered the matter when they drew up - or subsequently amended - their Bylaws, of course ............ though I don't think anyone had invented mobile 'phones when the Ballachulish Ferry last ran !

The ugly bridge is not an improvement.  I liked the ferry.

[Wickham Green too]

20/8/74

[RJS1977]

With regards to using a phone in a stationary vehicle - it is quite easy for a police officer to see (and hear) that the engine is running. However they need to look inside the car in order to ascertain whether it is in neutral and the handbrake is on - indeed they may even need to waggle (or ask the driver to waggle) the lever in order to check.

 

With regards to parking on pavements, AIUI, it is not (outside London) illegal to park on pavements, however it is illegal to drive on them (other than to access property), which of course most motorists do when parking on the pavement and driving off. However, a car parked on the pavement does not necessarily imply that it was driven there, it could have broken down and been pushed.

 

Quite apart from the issue of obstruction, another issue with vehicles parking on the pavement is that their weight can break and disarrange paving stones, potentially causing trip hazards.

[Wickham Green too]

18 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

With regards to using a phone in a stationary vehicle - it is quite easy for a police officer to see (and hear) that the engine is running. ...

Hmmmm ............ has the law been updated to encompass the increasing number of vehicles which don't have an engine ??!?

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, Wickham Green too said:

Hmmmm ............ has the law been updated to encompass the increasing number of vehicles which don't have an engine ??!?

Trailer caravans ?

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Hmmmm ............ has the law been updated to encompass the increasing number of vehicles which don't have an engine ??!?

I assume you mean electric.

If so the electric motor is an engine and I assume there is some thingy akin to an ignition switch/sensor/whatever which needs to be activated for it to operate.

[Wickham Green too]

No, an electric motor is not an engine - though it may serve a similar purpose.

 

I was wondering how the Law would interpret "engine can be running, but in Park or Neutral" for an electric vehicle where the motor only runs when the vehicle is in motion.

[Compound2632]

8 minutes ago, Wickham Green too said:

No, an electric motor is not an engine - though it may serve a similar purpose.

 

Oxford Languages, via Google:

 

engine

1. a machine with moving parts that converts power into motion.

 

Written by a lexicographer with a poor grasp of physics but clearly enough encompasses an electric motor, so whatever you think, usage is against you.

[Compound2632]

I'd further point out that as well as an electric motor being an engine, an internal combustion engine is also a motor. Hence "motor car" - the type of motor is not specified; could perfectly well be a steam motor car.

[martin_wynne]

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

I'd further point out that as well as an electric motor being an engine, an internal combustion engine is also a motor. Hence "motor car" - the type of motor is not specified; could perfectly well be a steam motor car.

 

And a level crossing might not be level. The railway at least could be on a gradient.

 

Just a gentle steer back on topic, almost certainly doomed to fail.

 

 

 

[martin_wynne]

Presumably:

 

"or using a car that has a start/stop engine"

 

would cover an electric motor?

 

[jcredfer]

5 minutes ago, martin_wynne said:

Presumably:

 

"or using a car that has a start/stop engine"

 

would cover an electric motor?

 

 

Not always, it just depends on how the designer thought they might best fit in the space available.  🧐

 

 

[Dagworth]

8 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

With regards to parking on pavements, AIUI, it is not (outside London) illegal to park on pavements, however it is illegal to drive on them (other than to access property), which of course most motorists do when parking on the pavement and driving off.

Near to where I live there are parking spaces marked out on the pavement, alongside marked spaces on the road so you can have two rows of cars parked next to each other on the same side of the road. The only access to the pavement spaces is by driving on the pavement. All the pavement spaces are signposted as resident permit holder only but are not the property of the houses.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.9030584,-2.0910455,3a,75y,174.68h,78.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMFtUSbHx4Je1Q77u3XwUOg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en-GB

 

Andi

Edited January 8, 2023 by Dagworth

[martin_wynne]

14 minutes ago, Dagworth said:

Near to where I live there are parking spaces marked out on the pavement, alongside marked spaces on the road so you can have two rows of cars parked next to each other on the same side of the road. The only access to the pavement spaces is by driving on the pavement. All the pavement spaces are signposted as resident permit holder only but are not the property of the houses.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.9030584,-2.0910455,3a,75y,174.68h,78.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMFtUSbHx4Je1Q77u3XwUOg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en-GB

 

Andi

 

This is also a bit odd:

 

 https://goo.gl/maps/TiYPw855BdFi72nu8

 

 

[Budgie]

10 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

However they need to look inside the car in order to ascertain whether it is in neutral and the handbrake is on - indeed they may even need to waggle (or ask the driver to waggle) the lever in order to check.

 

What lever? My car's handbrake has a switch to put it on; that switch returns to its normal position once you let go of it. To take the handbrake off you depress the accelerator. 

[Hobby]

9 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

This is also a bit odd:

 

 https://goo.gl/maps/TiYPw855BdFi72nu8

 

I'm not sure why. You aren't allowed to park where the van is, it's still a pavement, despite the lack of a kerb, the yellow lines mark out the road and the kink is to try to deter boy racers. It's Bewdley, Severn Side South, just south of the bridge, for anyone wondering... If you swing it though 180' it makes more sense.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.3749769,-2.3117903,3a,75y,326.36h,62.3t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPS4hgH56Pffbu0km9jVI0g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Edited January 9, 2023 by Hobby
spelling

[Compound2632]

1 minute ago, Hobby said:

You aren't allowed to park where the van is, it's still a pavement,

 

What we see here is the white van or tradesman's exemption - the hazard lights are probably on as well.

[Hobby]

People do, usually to just drop stuff off, though there aren't any shops that far down, but if they stay any length of time they'll get booked, they are pretty keen round there, especially in Summer when that pavement (on both sides) will be busy with tourists. Judging by the signage on the side of the van he's local so probably just dropping stuff off. The road leads down to one of Bewdley's car parks and is one way.

Edited January 9, 2023 by Hobby

[Hobby]

Photo of the same road some years ago!

 

[RJS1977]

7 hours ago, Budgie said:

 

What lever? My car's handbrake has a switch to put it on; that switch returns to its normal position once you let go of it. To take the handbrake off you depress the accelerator. 

 

That's true - having barely driven in the last 20+ years (apart from hiring a few cars for work purposes in the last 6 months or so), I'm a little behind on automotive technology. And yes, most of the cars that I've hired have had switches - but I for one would still much prefer a proper handbrake, a proper ignition key, and a proper engine and gearbox!

[Siberian Snooper]

A handbrake, that's lever operated is very useful on snow and ice, as you can apply a little retardation, without the risk of the wheels locking up and inducing a skid.

 

 

[melmerby]

16 minutes ago, Siberian Snooper said:

A handbrake, that's lever operated is very useful on snow and ice, as you can apply a little retardation, without the risk of the wheels locking up and inducing a skid.

 

 

On a front engine front wheel drive car that's more likely to lock the rear wheels. You want the braking where the weight is and it's not the rear wheels.

Whats wrong with a little gentle retardation with the foot brake?

 

(Or do you drive a Beamer where the foot brake only has two settings - on or off?🙂)

[Siberian Snooper]

I used to drive Cortina's on snow and ice up and over Dartmoor and a couple of clicks on the handbrake would stop the car getting away, without any incidents, that still left the footbrake, should the need arise. I tended to use the gearbox for increases and decreases, in fact I still do, I try to only use the brakes to stop, or when some idiot takes my braking distance, by pulling in front of me. Harsh braking can unbalance the vehicle of any sort and size.

 

 

[newbryford]

16 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

 

 

Just a gentle steer back on topic, almost certainly doomed to fail.

 

 

 

 

Looks like it didn't work.... 😉

[Compound2632]

2 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

Looks like it didn't work.... 😉

 

Well, Martin's very next post continued the drift!