# Phew!! cyclist near miss at level crossing



## Beebo (2 Oct 2013)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoS8tOeVFgQ


A very lucky lady.
It looks as if the cyclist is filtering down the outside of traffic and forgets all about the level crossing.
These single barrier crossings are very dangerous, why cant they install double barriers! They allow people to jump the crossing.


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## glasgowcyclist (2 Oct 2013)

Where did she cycle off to? Looking for somewhere to change her pants?

GC


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## ianrauk (2 Oct 2013)

Holy Crap.. I bet she had to have a change of knicks after that.

No excuse there apart from utter, utter stupidity imo.
The barriers were down and easy to see, lights are flashing, other traffic is stopped and peds are crossing.

I hope she learned a very valuable lesson.


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## lesley_x (2 Oct 2013)

Jeeez that is scary to watch


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## Tim Hall (2 Oct 2013)

Beebo said:


> A very lucky lady.
> It looks as if the cyclist is filtering down the outside of traffic and forgets all about the level crossing.
> These single barrier crossings are very dangerous, why cant they install double barriers! They allow people to jump the crossing.


If only they had visual and audible warnings to show that the barriers were down.

Oh, hang on, they do.


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## jefmcg (2 Oct 2013)

The single barriers are used on automated crossings, otherwise a car (or cycle) could get trapped. it does require users to apply some intelligence, though


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## Shaun (2 Oct 2013)

WWHHHOOOAAAA!!!!!

After that I think I'd have bimbled off to the side of the road and .............. collapsed in shock!


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## Born2die (2 Oct 2013)

Good grief I think I would have found the nearest pub


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## BSRU (2 Oct 2013)

Beebo said:


> View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoS8tOeVFgQ
> 
> 
> A very lucky lady.
> ...



It looks more like she was trying to cross while the barrier was down, trying her luck to save a few precious seconds.
Hopefully she will realise the barriers are there for her safety.


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## Beebo (2 Oct 2013)

BSRU said:


> It looks more like she was trying to cross while the barrier was down, trying her luck to save a few precious seconds.
> Hopefully she will realise the barriers are there for her safety.


Maybe, but I dont think so, I have seen people do that, they tend to approach slowly and look before running across, where as she approached far too quickly, seemly oblivious to the crossing. When she brakes she nearly stands the bike on its front wheel, which suggests she is a bit surprised by the massive train about to kill her.


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## glasgowcyclist (2 Oct 2013)

Got to love that wipe of the back of the hand across her forehead at 15sec!


GC


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## ColinJ (2 Oct 2013)

Pah - lightweight! Let the pros show you how it is done ...



(Seriously though - what was she thinking! Maybe she was drunk?)


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## siadwell (2 Oct 2013)

Just made it on to Radio 2 news!


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## EltonFrog (2 Oct 2013)

What a dopey mare!


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## deptfordmarmoset (2 Oct 2013)

Is sleepcycling a known medical condition?


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## Boris Bajic (2 Oct 2013)

This is not an argument for double-barrier crossings.

I was entertained by that snippet, but I knew before viewing that it was a near miss.

The ider was the architect of all that befell him or her. I imagine the train driver miht have been glad of a medicinal Cognac, too. 

Had the rider been a motorist pulling out in front of traffic, some clown would have said that the steel cage makes them feel invincible and indestructible. There is piss poor road use by cyclists, too.


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## MontyVeda (2 Oct 2013)

i think Beebo has it right, just filtering and not paying anywhere near enough attention.


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## MontyVeda (2 Oct 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> ...
> 
> I was entertained by that snippet, but* I knew before viewing that it was a near miss*.
> 
> ....



no sh!t Sherlock...


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## Hill Wimp (2 Oct 2013)

CarlP said:


> What a dopey mare!



Crikey thats tame to what was in my mind.


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## glasgowcyclist (2 Oct 2013)

Suicyclist.

GC


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## Davidc (2 Oct 2013)

Makes normal RLJ look tame.

Lack of awareness and observation, no different from loads of other near misses in that respect, but with the sounders and flashing red lights at level crossings more difficult to achieve.


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## GrasB (2 Oct 2013)

I've seen drivers pull the same stunt there... only they weren't anywhere near as close to getting wiped out as that rider. IIRC The trains can quite slow there due to the station so you can be waiting a fair old time.


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## glenn forger (2 Oct 2013)

Train drivers don't even pay road tax.


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## snorri (2 Oct 2013)

Another example of the casual attitude of Network Rail to public safety leading to a near miss.. They get all steamed up if someone has the audacity to walk across a rural railway line, yet have road crossings with no barrier or just half barriers.


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## Linford (2 Oct 2013)

my quiet backroad shortcut/longway round goes across a level crossing, always get caught on it, but barriers go all the way across so you can get trapped there. this happened a few years ago when my daughter was leading a horse across it, she only just managed to get through in time....I wrote a letter to railtrack as the stupid bloody signalmen should not lower the barrier without giving reasonable warning, and allowing anyone already on the crossing with an animal to clear it. This has happened to a few horseriderson it now.


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## Bryony (2 Oct 2013)

She may have been filtering and was oblivious to the barriers being down (although as others have said the sounders and flashing lights should have bought it to her attention!) she must be local to the area and know that there is a crossing there and the fact she would have to filter pass stationary traffic would be another clue!!


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## Arjimlad (2 Oct 2013)

Perhaps she is only on a bike because she failed her driving test. Either way, utter stupidity and a very lucky escape!


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## fossyant (2 Oct 2013)

That was a gnats whiskers distance from a mushy ending.


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## HLaB (2 Oct 2013)

Enough Said

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...er-dodging-levelcrossing-barrier-8853308.html


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## ianrauk (2 Oct 2013)

HLaB said:


> Enough Said



Already being discussed *HERE* so will merge


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## mr_cellophane (2 Oct 2013)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-24364332

I have to wait 5 hours to see the footage, but the stills look stupid enough.


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## Twelve Spokes (2 Oct 2013)

Motorists and peds do that as well.AHB's don't prevent this although full barriers generally stop the stupidity.


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## glasgowcyclist (2 Oct 2013)

Oh yes we have!

GC


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## Tim Hall (2 Oct 2013)

snorri said:


> Another example of the casual attitude of Network Rail to public safety leading to a near miss.. They get all steamed up if someone has the audacity to walk across a rural railway line, yet have road crossings with no barrier or just half barriers.


Tosh. (IMHO). They've provided audible and visual warnings. They've put barriers across. The road user (cyclist in this case) has made what looks like a deliberate decision to ignore them. The ball is in the road user's court on this one.


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## DWiggy (2 Oct 2013)

They wont be doing that again in a hurry!


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## Twelve Spokes (2 Oct 2013)

Born2die said:


> Good grief I think I would have found the nearest pub



Good grief,hopefully I wouldn't have done that.


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## cd365 (2 Oct 2013)

I hope they catch her and prosecute her


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## Nigeyy (2 Oct 2013)

Crazy. All to save what? And then she turns back -so surely it just wasn't that important was it?


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## DiddlyDodds (2 Oct 2013)

She went to the edge of the track to look if the train was actually in sight most probably with the intent to nip across if there was time.

She probably did it quite often looking at the way she rode up to the rails and stopped.

Well at least as long as she's on a bike trying to kill herself, its one less dizzy women in a car.


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## Davidsw8 (2 Oct 2013)

Nearly a prime candidate for a Darwin Award.

I guess if she'd been hit, her family would be suing the rail company for not properly protecting her against the oncoming trains...


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## Puddles (2 Oct 2013)

That is very scarey footage made me wince to watch I feel for the driver of the train


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## Custom24 (2 Oct 2013)

Her brakes looked quite good. Just as well.


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## Maz (2 Oct 2013)

Unbelievable

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-24365367


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## Cush (2 Oct 2013)

cd365 said:


> I hope they catch her and prosecute her


So do I this was gross stupidity.


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## Dayvo (2 Oct 2013)

Having your guardian angel on the ball helps:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2BLKInmEC4


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## Davidsw8 (2 Oct 2013)

I wonder if she's learnt her lesson?


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## pauldavid (2 Oct 2013)

Bloody fool, if she'd just tried a little harder on her sprint toward the barrier she'd easily have made it across


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## Boris Bajic (2 Oct 2013)

MontyVeda said:


> no sh!t Sherlock...


 
I wasn't clear... what I meant was that I would have been less entertained (sickened, even) had the ending been otherwise.

It was the knowledge that it all ended happily (although perhaps not for the train driver) that made it entertaining.


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## glenn forger (2 Oct 2013)

Anyone see the network rail documentary? The blokes who clean the trains spoke about finding a foot in a wheel arch, a young woman suicide.


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## Dusty Bin (2 Oct 2013)

To be fair - she was wearing a helmet - so even if the train had hit her, she would have been fine anyway...


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## SamC (2 Oct 2013)

I almost had a coronary incident just watching that!

Am I the only person who spends their life half expecting to be hit by a train even when the barriers on a level crossing are up and it's safe to cross?


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## Fnaar (2 Oct 2013)

News story and clip of cyclist very nearly getting run over by a train 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-24364332


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## Hip Priest (2 Oct 2013)

She was going for a Strava KOM.

The reason she turned back afterwards was to have another go.


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## Aperitif (2 Oct 2013)

She obviously poo-poohed the idea of continuing going the wrong way in any event, but - patently stupid behaviour.


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## glenn forger (2 Oct 2013)

Just off camera she stepped on a rake and it twanged her in the face.


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## Maz (2 Oct 2013)

Is she wearing a hijab? Could be a suicide bomber who neshed it.


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## Koga (2 Oct 2013)

Listening to Waiting For The Ghost Train by Madness, on her mp3 player ....


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## postman (2 Oct 2013)

Arjimlad said:


> Perhaps she is only on a bike because she failed her driving test. Either way, utter stupidity and a very lucky escape!


 

Sorry but is Either Way, Emma Way's sister.


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## glenn forger (2 Oct 2013)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-24367596


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## Hip Priest (2 Oct 2013)

glenn forger said:


> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-24367596



Getting into practice for the winter tank-commander season.


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## Rupie (2 Oct 2013)

I was talking to someone about it and they tried to say that the crossing was of poor design, and it is the responsability of the railways to make them full proof. I called him an idiot, you dont have gates at all traffic red lights to stop people jumping them, but them I thought yes cyclists jump those too, and knowone reacts like they have here about the train !!!


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## Bay Runner (2 Oct 2013)

Train Spotter maybe ????


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## kevin_cambs_uk (2 Oct 2013)

Nothing stranger than folk
People are unpredictable and it never ceases to amaze me just how thing you never expect to happen just do
I suppose she 'learned by doing' as they say......


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## Mattonsea (2 Oct 2013)

Blimey Charlie, Most unmanned crossings have an audible signal. ?????????


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## Maz (2 Oct 2013)

glenn forger said:


> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-24367596


What's the red box sitting on the engine?


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## gavgav (2 Oct 2013)

She should be prosecuted like any car drivers are for doing this. Utterly idiotic and very lucky to still have a life


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## gavgav (2 Oct 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> I wasn't clear... what I meant was that I would have been less entertained (sickened, even) had the ending been otherwise.
> 
> It was the knowledge that it all ended happily (although perhaps not for the train driver) that made it entertaining.


 Entertaining?!!!!! Try telling that to one of my friends, who is a newly qualified train driver and is petrified of his first fatality.


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## glenn forger (2 Oct 2013)

Maz said:


> What's the red box sitting on the engine?



Some sort of charger I think. That penis was on a dual carriage way.


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## Hip Priest (2 Oct 2013)

gavgav said:


> Entertaining?!!!!! Try telling that to one of my friends, who is a newly qualified train driver and is petrified of his first fatality.



Yeah, he'd soon change his choo-choon.


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## Archie_tect (2 Oct 2013)

Friend has just returned to driving trains after the 3rd suicide in front of his cab ... he had to have leave and was instructed to get proper counselling to cope [which they organised on his behalf]- thought he didn't need it but it really helped him come to terms with why people do it..


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## ComedyPilot (2 Oct 2013)

I cross rural rail crossings regularly on my rides.

Regardless of there being no barrier down/ flashing signal or audible warning I ALWAYS slow to a crawl and look BOTH ways BEFORE crossing.

It goes without saying, if the barrier's down, lights flashing etc, I just ease off and wait to cross. Then I adopt the above approach - CAUTION at ALL times.

Trouble is some people are so thick that simple common sense eludes them.

I pity train drivers in cases like this.


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## Cycling Dan (2 Oct 2013)

Dumb, Death and blind. All the qualities you need to be a shoot cyclist.


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## ColinJ (2 Oct 2013)

Mattonsea said:


> Blimey Charlie, Most unmanned crossings have an audible signal. ?????????


Deaf or listening to an MP3 player?

It still doesn't explain how she didn't notice the flashing lights, and/or barrier though.


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## Alien8 (2 Oct 2013)

I go over that crossing every day and strangely have never felt the need to go around the barrier when it's down.

It looks like there is train stopped at the far platform so maybe she thought that was why the barrier was down.


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## Spinney (2 Oct 2013)

Alien8 said:


> I go over that crossing every day and strangely have never felt the need to go around the barrier when it's down.
> 
> It looks like there is train stopped at the far platform so maybe *she thought* that was why the barrier was down.


I think you're giving her too much credit.


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## MontyVeda (2 Oct 2013)

whatever the reason for her lack of er... observation... I'm sure she's learned a lesson.

I learnt far more from stepping out on the road without looking or listening and almost getting run over than i did from joining the tufty club.


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## Hip Priest (2 Oct 2013)

Cycling Dan said:


> Dumb, Death and blind. All the qualities you need to be a s*** cyclist.



But excellent qualities for a pinball player.


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## Hip Priest (2 Oct 2013)

Archie_tect said:


> Friend has just returned to driving trains after the 3rd suicide in front of his cab ... he had to have leave and was instructed to get proper counselling to cope [which they organised on his behalf]- thought he didn't need it but it really helped him come to terms with why people do it..



The husband of a colleague works for the railways. His job is basically to drive round the country managing these situations. It happens all the time.


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## Gravity Aided (3 Oct 2013)

I recall our local railroad used a steam derrick when I worked maintenance of way when I was in college in the 70's. Some people would gape at this ancient,lumbering dinosaur and forget they were on the tracks. Until we blew the whistle.


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## Mad Doug Biker (3 Oct 2013)

No sympathy, sorry, what a stupid idiot.

THAT SAID, my Mum and I once got caught between the barriers of a 4+ track crossing in Poland as we walked across. It was a mahoosive crossing and we were able to walk round a bit at the side though.

Incidentally, a bit of advice here if you ever get caught between two trains approaching each other at any sort if speed, get down on the ground as low as you can get (preferably lying down) to avoid the air turbulence, rubbish/derbis being disturbed by the passing trains and also (and most importantly), the trains themselves!


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## Globalti (3 Oct 2013)

I nearly killed myself and my agent on an unguarded crossing in Hungary. I was driving, she was asleep, I'd been going for a long time and was following another car without really thinking when the road, which paralelled a railway, suddenly took a dogleg, crossed the railway and carried on. The driver in front of me took a dangerous risk - or maybe made the same mistake as me - and as I followed them across I saw the buffers of a diesel engine over my right shoulder; it must have missed the car by a couple of feet. I said nothing and my agent slept on. Nearest I've come to certain death.


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## glasgowcyclist (3 Oct 2013)

pauldavid said:


> Bloody fool, if she'd just tried a little harder on her sprint toward the barrier she'd easily have made it across


 
Like this driver? 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22490098
GC


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## SquareDaff (3 Oct 2013)

SamC said:


> I almost had a coronary incident just watching that!
> 
> Am I the only person who spends their life half expecting to be hit by a train even when the barriers on a level crossing are up and it's safe to cross?


Nope - you have company on that one! I work for a rail company and still do it lol


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## SquareDaff (3 Oct 2013)

gavgav said:


> Entertaining?!!!!! Try telling that to one of my friends, who is a newly qualified train driver and is petrified of his first fatality.


Yep - they invariably have to go through months of counselling when some selfish twonk decides to stand in front of their train!!


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## glenn forger (3 Oct 2013)

I knew a train driver whose brother also drove trains and was driving the train that hit and killed David Bowie's brother. They locked eyes just before impact.


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## MontyVeda (4 Oct 2013)

according to R4 news today, the woman has come forward and 'they' will be having a word with her next week.


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## PaulSecteur (4 Oct 2013)

MontyVeda said:


> according to R4 news today, the woman has come forward and 'they' will be having a word with her next week.



Good cop "We`re all glad there wasnt an accident"
Bad cop "But due to the potential risk (and the fact its been all over youtube and the telly) we will have to prosecute you"
Strava cop "Where was the sprint, you could have made that easy if you had commited to it and took the segment. You`re either first or no-where. No kudos for you!"


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## MontyVeda (4 Oct 2013)

PaulSecteur said:


> Good cop "We`re all glad there wasnt an accident"
> Bad cop "But due to the potential risk (and the fact its been all over youtube and the telly) we will have to prosecute you"
> Strava cop "Where was the sprint, you could have made that easy if you had commited to it and took the segment. You`re either first or no-where. No kudos for you!"


Cyclist "I thought I was going to get a reward."


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## Gravity Aided (5 Oct 2013)

Almost got the Great Reward


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## Mad Doug Biker (5 Oct 2013)

SquareDaff said:


> Nope - you have company on that one! I work for a rail company and still do it lol



I got into the habit of looking both ways before crossing every railway track a few years ago now. I might feel a bit daft doing it if there are a lot of tracks and its obvious nothing is there, but I don't care, I'd rather look than not.


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## Soltydog (5 Oct 2013)

gavgav said:


> Entertaining?!!!!! Try telling that to one of my friends, who is a newly qualified train driver and is petrified of his first fatality.



I work for Northern rail & on our last safety brief, the subject of fatalities was covered. The stats for us show that there is 1 fatality per 100 drivers a year, so in a 30 year career you have less than a 1 in 3 chance of it happening to you. There are some drivers though who have a few throughout their career & others who have none. 
I've done 13 years driving now & I seem to attract other vehicles rather than people


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## Phil Fouracre (5 Oct 2013)

Horrible for the drivers - also, I have a mate who works in maintenance for First group, apparently always scraping 'bits' off, on a regular basis. So, really nasty for all concerned.


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## Beebo (10 Oct 2013)

Update: a 26 year old woman has reported to police, who are now considering to press any charges!


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## Rupie (16 Nov 2013)

You all say the cyclist is a fool and you feel sorry for the train driver. Just one question, what if this had of been a video of a normal road crossroads, with a cyclist jumping the red light, on their way home, and nearly getting run over by an articulated Lorry, legally crossing the junction. it would have not created such press. The potential outcome would have been the same. Why react differently this time ?


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## Mile195 (16 Nov 2013)

Rupie said:


> You all say the cyclist is a fool and you feel sorry for the train driver. Just one question, what if this had of been a video of a normal road crossroads, with a cyclist jumping the red light, on their way home, and nearly getting run over by an articulated Lorry, legally crossing the junction. it would have not created such press. The potential outcome would have been the same. Why react differently this time ?


Because people jump red lights more often I suppose. Also a lorry is more likely to be able to stop. Trains can take extraordinary distances to come to a complete halt depending on their speed and number of carriages. You'd like to think she did it by accident, but I don't see how you can miss big red flashy lights AND an 8 foot piece of wood jutting out across the road.

I'm so pleased that cycling has increased so hugely in popularity over the last few years, but there really are an odd few people that for the sake of themselves and everyone around them really ought to just go back to using the bus!


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## Phil Fouracre (17 Nov 2013)

Sorry, Rupie, don't be too quick to generalise, I would have responded in exactly the same way, and been very sorry for the train or lorry driver. Absolutely insane, there is no way you can protect against complete tools like this. One thing that occurred to me when I first saw the vid, was, what if she actually possessed a driving licence? The thought of her on the road 'in control of a car' is really, really frightening. If only the Darwin Award rules had applied, a second earlier and..........!


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## ufkacbln (17 Nov 2013)

The consequences are far greater.

If you close a level crossing, as is happening in some cases it often means a detour of several miles befor ethe track can again be crossed


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## oldroadman (17 Nov 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Pah - lightweight! Let the pros show you how it is done ...
> 
> 
> 
> (Seriously though - what was she thinking! Maybe she was drunk?)



1937...nowadays it's instant DQ for that. If you survive your own stupidity.


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## oldroadman (17 Nov 2013)

A friend who was a train driver now works in the ticket office of my local station, because someone like the person in the first video did more or less the same thing on foot in front of his train (travelling at 80mph). Only they didn't get out of the way in time. Two years off work and extensive counselling. He's even nervous of travelling as a passenger now, and has taken a big pay cut to return to work. All because of someone who couldn't spare a couple of minutes, and now has an eternity (if you belive that sort of stuff) to reflect where being impatient got them,


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## ColinJ (17 Nov 2013)

oldroadman said:


> 1937...nowadays it's instant DQ for that. If you survive your own stupidity.


And rightly so!


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## Ron-da-Valli (18 Nov 2013)

This is how it should be done!

View: http://youtu.be/gQMtZcx9bTw


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