Level crossing stupidity...

[jbqfc]

now they blaming trains that are to quite in new Zealand

 

http://hellogiggles.com/train-barely-missing-person/?utm_campaign=socialflowfacebook&utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Facebook

[Grovenor]

The footpath chicanes are designed so the pedestrian has to walk parallel to the track facing both ways so there is a good chance they see the train, if they have their heads up of course, these things were designed before mobile phones!

Regards

[Ohmisterporter]

now they blaming trains that are to quite in new Zealand

 

http://hellogiggles.com/train-barely-missing-person/?utm_campaign=socialflowfacebook&utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Facebook

 

Whatever happened to looking where you are going? And if you don't well, it's somebody else's fault.

[ejstubbs]

Whatever happened to looking where you are going?

 

Or even, heaven forfend, obeying warning signs that are put there to help keep you alive.

 

in the age of headphones and constantly distracting cell phones, maybe there’s a downside to something that big and fast being stealthy.

 

Or you could turn it round: in an age where there are big and fast things around (so, getting or for the last 200-odd years then - ask William Huskisson) maybe there's a downside to wilfully degrading your two most important senses by concentrating on a shiny electronic toy instead of the world surrounding you.

 

The pedestrian ignores the flashing lights and warning bells.

 

So, at the point of potential conflict between trains and pedestrians, steps are taken to make the approach of a train not 'stealthy'.  But people still don't take any notice.  Whose fault is this again?

 

Sorry, my sympathy is pretty much at rock bottom.  The exit to the gene pool is that way; hope you enjoyed your stay.

Edited April 11, 2017 by ejstubbs

[kevinlms]

now they blaming trains that are to quite in new Zealand

 

http://hellogiggles.com/train-barely-missing-person/?utm_campaign=socialflowfacebook&utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Facebook

The text says this.

 

"In the harrowing video, you can see the person looks right, but not left, before crossing. Then the train whooshes by — you guessed it — her right side. The station on tape is reportedly at Mt Eden in the city of Auckland."

 

The train to me, appears to be coming from the left, or have I missed something? Perhaps the reporter will be next, as apparently not sure about right & left.

 

Absolute idiots all those that cross after the lights start flashing (I'll exclude the poor dog)! I suppose they ignore red traffic lights and Stop/Give Way signs, when on the road, too?

[kevinlms]

Or even, heaven forfend, obeying warning signs that are put there to help keep you alive.

 

 

Or you could turn it round: in an age where there are big and fast things around (so, getting or for the last 200-odd years then - ask William Huskisson) maybe there's a downside to wilfully degrading your two most important senses by concentrating on a shiny electronic toy instead of the world surrounding you.

 

 

So, at the point of potential conflict between trains and pedestrians, steps are taken to make the approach of a train not 'stealthy'.  But people still don't take any notice.  Whose fault is this again?

 

Sorry, my sympathy is pretty much at rock bottom.  The exit to the gene pool is that way; hope you enjoyed your stay.

Melbourne has trialled this.

 

https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/blog/the-state-government-has-installed-traffic-lights-on-the-ground-in-melbournes-cbd-for-distracted-pedestrians-032817

 

 

So they'll will be relying on technology to save them from themselves, instead of looking! The problem is if they rely on this, they'll walk out in front of traffic & complain (assuming they survive), that not all crossings are so protected!

[TT3]

Melbourne has trialled this.

 

https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/blog/the-state-government-has-installed-traffic-lights-on-the-ground-in-melbournes-cbd-for-distracted-pedestrians-032817

 

 

So they'll will be relying on technology to save them from themselves, instead of looking! The problem is if they rely on this, they'll walk out in front of traffic & complain (assuming they survive), that not all crossings are so protected!

 

Reckon it is a joke, something from April 1, see this in the article

 

"During the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (opening this week), TAC lollipop people and crossing chaperones will patrol the CBD streets to ensure pedestrian safety. "

 

Well you can only hope it is a joke like the mary poppins walk signals

[Grovenor]

 

Reckon it is a joke, something from April 1, see this in the article

Not unless April 1st now occurs on March 28th down under.

Regards

[kevinlms]

Not unless April 1st now occurs on March 28th down under.

Regards

March 27 actually and the trial is costing $AU120,000. A bit of an expense for a Comedy Festival joke.

 

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mobile-fiends-now-need-not-look-up-as-melbourne-tests-streetlevel-traffic-lights-20170326-gv73bd.html

[ejstubbs]

Melbourne has trialled this.

 

https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/blog/the-state-government-has-installed-traffic-lights-on-the-ground-in-melbournes-cbd-for-distracted-pedestrians-032817

 

Similar systems are also being trialled in The Netherlands, and in Augsberg, Germany.

 

The idea is not universally welcomed:

 

Dutch road safety group VVN said the idea "rewards bad behaviour".

 

This also reminds me of those idiots who say that we should aim to get deaths on the roads down to zero.  I can understand the idea of setting a challenging goal or having an inspirational vision, but choosing something which is obviously unachievable (unless everyone just stays at home) probably has more negative effects than positive.  Many people will find an attempt to appeal to them through nonsense insulting, quite possibly triggering an antagonistic response which will cause them to ignore exhortations to modify their behaviour, or even to adopt the opposite of the desired behaviours.  Others may be persuaded - through respect for authority, or uncritical idealism - to pursue the unachievable goal, resulting in skewed priorities, and time, money and effort wasted in pursuit of a mirage.

Edited April 11, 2017 by ejstubbs

[pH]

I think this picture captures beautifully the title of this topic - http://www.railpictures.net/photo/614666/

[MarkC]

I think this picture captures beautifully the title of this topic - http://www.railpictures.net/photo/614666/

I doubt that anyone on the loco would feel a thing, if they just kept going. That car, on the other hand...

Edited April 30, 2017 by MarkC

[96701]

I doubt that anyone on the loco would feel a thing, if they just kept going. That car, on the other hand...

They might not feel anything physically, but emotionally, now that would be a different matter.

[YesTor]

So they'll will be relying on technology to save them from themselves, instead of looking!

 

Indeed, you solve one 'problem' only to create a new one.

[96701]

Indeed, you solve one 'problem' only to create a new one.

Education is the only way. Unfortunately, it is not possible to educate everybody, and even the educated fail sometimes. I often wonder how many people safely negotiate crossings that aren't monitored by anybody against those who fail.

[martin_wynne]

Another RAIB report published today where the failing is on the railway side:

 

 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/590895eeed915d06b000024b/R082017_170503_Dock_Lane.pdf

 

Martin.

[big jim]

We haven't had any stupidity for a while.....

 

https://twitter.com/laughingcow4/status/862713873958416385

[Guest]

We haven't had any stupidity for a while.....

 

https://twitter.com/laughingcow4/status/862713873958416385

 

What an absolute ####### #### ####.

<insert your own thoughts>

[Dunsignalling]

What an absolute ####### #### ####.

<insert your own thoughts>

Working really hard to put himself in danger. Maybe if he thinks a bit more about how to do it beforehand, he'll succeed one day.

 

Let's just pray he hasn't passed on his genes before it happens.

 

John

Edited May 12, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Guest]

Working really hard to put himself in danger. Maybe if he thinks a bit more about how to do it beforehand, he'll succeed one day.

 

Yeah, bless him. He's in a real hurry isn't he? With all that pent up impatience, I reckon that day won't be too far in the future.

I am reminded of "Futurama". An excellent idea that doesn't traumatise others or rely on someone to clean up the mess...

 

[Dunsignalling]

Melbourne has trialled this.

 

https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/blog/the-state-government-has-installed-traffic-lights-on-the-ground-in-melbournes-cbd-for-distracted-pedestrians-032817

 

 

So they'll will be relying on technology to save them from themselves, instead of looking! The problem is if they rely on this, they'll walk out in front of traffic & complain (assuming they survive), that not all crossings are so protected!

Correct. Unless applied universally it's likely to do as much harm as good. It's about time we stopped wasting taxpayers' money enabling people to survive behaving ever more stupidly.

 

If pedestrians want to be safer around traffic, they should simply put the headphones back in their pocket. 

 

As for cyclists who use them (and motorcyclists, who can do so without being noticed), I despair. Who in their right mind deliberately increases their own vulnerability in situations that everybody already knows to be especially hazardous?

 

John

[jim.snowdon]

If we're lucky, he'll grow up, otherwise sooner or later he will end up on the front of a train, in which case my only thoughts are for the unfortunate train driver, who won't be able to do anything about it.

 

Jim

[PhilJ W]

We haven't had any stupidity for a while.....

 

https://twitter.com/laughingcow4/status/862713873958416385

Was that a copy of the 'Sun' in his pocket.

 

Yeah, bless him. He's in a real hurry isn't he? With all that pent up impatience, I reckon that day won't be too far in the future.

I am reminded of "Futurama". An excellent idea that doesn't traumatise others or rely on someone to clean up the mess...

 

ENB1fIlVnMRcQ.gif

Perhaps we should install one at every level crossing. At least train services won't be disrupted.

[ejstubbs]

If pedestrians want to be safer around traffic, they should simply put the headphones back in their pocket. 

 

As for cyclists who use them (and motorcyclists, who can do so without being noticed), I despair. Who in their right mind deliberately increases their own vulnerability in situations that everybody already knows to be especially hazardous?

 

I would point out that motorcyclists (including me) often wear earplugs due to the risk of hearing loss from noise.  The major risk is actually from wind noise around the helmet, with road and engine noise significantly less of a worry as speed increases.  Given that these noise risks exist, it should be possible to understand that hearing is not actually a very useful sense on a motorcycle.  Most motorcycles have mirrors, and the test regime has emphasised both use of mirrors and life-savers for decades (at least since I passed my test in 1990-something).

 

There's plenty of reference material about this on the web.  Here is a starter for ten.

[Coryton]

We haven't had any stupidity for a while.....

 

https://twitter.com/laughingcow4/status/862713873958416385

 

Bizarre.

 

I only explanation I can think of that makes sense to me is that he assumes that a train can brake hard enough to avoid hitting someone in the way and the barriers are just there to avoid the inconvenience of a train having to stop (which might also explain the gesture).

 

That or the whole thing was staged and carried out with perfect timing...in which case I hope he was very sure there wasn't a train coming the other way because he doesn't seem especially concerned about the possibility.