Safe Speed Forums

Watching some trashy TV tonight and right in the middle of primetime was a Think! advert about not jumping the lights at level crossings (cue smashed up car and fireman picking up baby seat).

Now I'm all for a change from the usual 'speed kills kids' adverts, but why level crossing safety? A primetime ad must have cost megabucks, so how can they justify covering a topic that is so obscure - I haven't got the figures to hand, but the amount of people KSI per year in level crossing jumping accidents must be pretty damn low.

Why not Tailgating, poor observation, pulling out of junctions onto busy roads or even more of that teenager getting wiped out by an Escort?

It's been all over the news...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4988550.stm

I agree with you Blackadder - sure, there are a occasional nasty crashes because of idiots who jump level-crossings. And these need to be eliminated. But I just wonder how many have died because of the other reasons you suggest. I have never seen a Think! advert about tailgating yet it's surely one of the biggest causes of accidents and fatalities - certainly a lot lot more than level-crossing jumping anyway.

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Why can't we just use Common Sense?

Follow the money.

It's the trains they're worried about.

The ad was run on behalf of Network Rail




Be nice to see some other car ads like tailgaiting /convoy driving at slow speeds, but do Network Rail have to do the work for DFT.


Perhaps we need NR in charge of the roads too, HA need some guidance.

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

We could do with a Think! campaign warning about the dangers of police cars. "Assume the worst when you see one" might be good, and would be particularly useful when a police car jumps a red light without the blue lights on! (the police officer's word went against our complaint when he reckoned it was amber!).

What do we really think about level crossing crashes?

What are the mindets or errors that ACTUALLY result in crashes?

I don't think I believe the simplistic: "He took a chance".

I've go no answers right now - only questions...

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

At a barrier controlled crossing, maybe the accidents are just down to chancers - people who cannot stand the thought of waiting a few minute for a train to pass.

At the "self service" crossings with no barriers I would suggest a mixture of a lack of appreciation of the closing speed of an incoming train and a lack of observation (i'm sure I read somewhere that most drivers favour their right (in the UK) when observing for hazards in unusual situations, maybe a train from the left catches them out?).
There may also be something in the uneven nature of most crossings - maybe they stall getting up the small inclines or are distracted by having to slow/steer to avoid the bumps?

Don't forget that a train needs a lot of space to stop - recomended space is 1.75 miles - steel don't work against steel for braking - thats why blokes on track wear hi vis and keep a sharp lookout especially when trains can and do do 125 - sit down and work out the distances - i do daily when i take blokes out on track - minimum time to be off track =10 secs , at 125 train can cover 1 mile in 28 secs,that gives you 18 secs to get off - try timing that.

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

Or 15 minutes at my local level crossing; a frequent occurence. Normally, the amber light illuminates just after the barriers have risen too! (Once I was at the front of the queue at 11pm on a weeknight, and the bell began to ring whilst I was on the crossing! That's how bad it is!)

I wonder why people jump the lights? I cannot think why.

Would it be impudent of me to suggest that in the 21st century our much vaunted "rich" nation would have taken these roads beneath the rails?


After all, the rails were layed down 150 yrs ago and need to be level, surely we can afford to upgrade the road/rail crossing by now?..........in this richest of all richest nations?

Being done - mostly over -- on West Coast line (Euston - Glasgow) and other routes with speed of 125 on West Coast.Something to do ( i hear) with HSE reccomendations.

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on