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Mobile Safety Cameras to Monitor Scottish Level Crossings
Article by: robert Date: 22 Jun 2010
The Scotsman has reported that mobile safety cameras will be routinely used against drivers who ignore red lights at level crossings in Scotland.
In what is believed to be the first initiative of its kind in Britain, two mobile camera vehicles will be operated from today by British Transport Police at the country's 18 most abused crossings.
The introduction of the cameras follow a trial in Caithness and are in addition to fixed cameras already in place at eight level crossings.
The worst offenders are being threatened with disqualification or even jail.
Comments
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Posted by Trevor on Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:08 pm |
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I would have thought disqualification or jail should be the least of someones worry if they jump lights at a Level Crossing.
If they have ever seen the result of a car going under a Train they would think twice.
If you jump an ordinary set of Traffic Lights there is a chance that anything coming the other way can swerve and avoid a crash. Trains only go forward or backwards they do not avoid anything they just flatten it.
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Posted by Duddy on Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:27 pm |
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Trevor Wrote: | I would have thought disqualification or jail should be the least of someones worry if they jump lights at a Level Crossing.
If they have ever seen the result of a car going under a Train they would think twice.
If you jump an ordinary set of Traffic Lights there is a chance that anything coming the other way can swerve and avoid a crash. Trains only go forward or backwards they do not avoid anything they just flatten it. |
If you jump red traffic lights the most thats likely to hit you is 42 Ton (which can slow quite quickly) a train can weigh 60+ tons (they don't stop very well at all) and they tend to go THROUGH cars but the end result is basically the same.
HUAWEI P30 Pro (new edition) with Speedtrap Alert & alcatel1 for SatNav
CoPilot 10 with CamerAlert
RoadHawk in-car video
Reading glasses getting thicker as is my waist
Retired but want to go back to work for a rest. |
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Posted by Wazza_G on Wed Jun 23, 2010 10:02 am |
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42 tonnes? 60 tonnes? And the rest!
A Class 390 Vigin Trains (Pendolino) is 466 tonnes.
A Class 158 or 159 Diesel unit is between 77 & 115 tonnes.
A Class 450 (SWT) is 170 tonnes
A Class 444 (SWT) is 227 tonnes.
I've seen what happens when a train hits a car & the occupants usually have a free ride in a rubber bag to the mortuary.
Perhaps we should take the Australian perspective...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuAqJIpkRgk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO_s4m54w1I
I'm a train driver & I don't have time for fools who mess with level crossings, I've had one driver prosecuted for zig-zagging barriers, he got a £1k fine & 9 points, if you want to try & gamble be my guest, but the odds are you'll end up dead.
Be alert.. This country needs more lerts. |
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Posted by Duddy on Wed Jun 23, 2010 5:31 pm |
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I agree with your sentiments Wazza_g, I've looked at it from the other side as a police accident investigator with assistance of BTP!!! You forgot to mention the sponges & hose pipe but you may have left the scene by then.
As far as I'm concerned drivers who do this stupid stunt should receive an automatic 12 months min ban.
It's one of the locations I agree 100% with the new cameras, until now most cameras covered the crossing to give a general view and couldn't pick up the vehicles number plate.
HUAWEI P30 Pro (new edition) with Speedtrap Alert & alcatel1 for SatNav
CoPilot 10 with CamerAlert
RoadHawk in-car video
Reading glasses getting thicker as is my waist
Retired but want to go back to work for a rest. |
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Posted by ton181 on Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:31 am |
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What a perfect use for these cash generator cameras. I oppose the use in general.... but cannot think of a better place to lacate them than this. If these idiots want to risk their own lives and those of others by ignoring a red light then they should be caught and prosecuted, and I agree with the other comment of an instant year's ban no questions asked.
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Posted by dvd8n on Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:34 pm |
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I have never gone through a level crossing on red and never would.
However I have sat and waited at a lot of them. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited.................
And finally a train comes.
And that's why people jump them. It's to save 10-15 minutes, not to save 2 or 3.
Do they really not know more precisely when the train's coming?
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Posted by BigPerk on Sat Jun 26, 2010 11:17 pm |
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They've got all my votes as well. I was interested in Wazza_G's comment about his prosecution case. I too reckon that people should get much more than the usual fine + 3 points for this. I assume that this was a BTP prosecution under your own powers (trespass?) ?? Interested in that as I say - should be used much more often. And these drivers don't just kill themselves unfortunately (if you follow me).
And the time sometimes taken for a train to arrive is I suppose to clear the signals for a full speed run, and possibly to allow time in case some idiot HAS got stuck on the crossing (also our local crossing in Hertfordshire is controlled from London's Liverpool Street station).
David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360) |
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Posted by M8TJT on Sun Jun 27, 2010 9:18 am |
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I really can't see why everyone is making such a big deal out of this. Car v Train. Car loses, badly. Car driver and passengers wiped out, train driver badly shocked, train passengers late for work.
Trafic lights: Lights go red, another car crosses within seconds. Level crossing: Lights go red, train comes along sometime in the near future, normally minutes.
So you are far more likely to cause an accident that will hurt someone else on a normal set of lights.
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Posted by Duddy on Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:00 pm |
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M8TJT Wrote: | I really can't see why everyone is making such a big deal out of this. Car v Train. Car loses, badly. Car driver and passengers wiped out, train driver badly shocked, train passengers late for work.
Trafic lights: Lights go red, another car crosses within seconds. Level crossing: Lights go red, train comes along sometime in the near future, normally minutes.
So you are far more likely to cause an accident that will hurt someone else on a normal set of lights. |
"Train passengers late for work" yes can be very late, hitting a car at speed can derail the train and cause serious injuries or death to passengers.
Also some of the local trains have the drivers cab right at the front, his only protection from flying debris is thin aluminium or glass.
HUAWEI P30 Pro (new edition) with Speedtrap Alert & alcatel1 for SatNav
CoPilot 10 with CamerAlert
RoadHawk in-car video
Reading glasses getting thicker as is my waist
Retired but want to go back to work for a rest. |
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Posted by topbanana4 on Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:26 am |
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i live near narborough railway station in leicestershire ,at this station there is a camera at the leval crossing
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