31 Crash - Wasn't on

petermakosch · Post by **petermakosch** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 6:46 pm

Hmm, perhaps, but maybe some people have never gotten over it?

dkightley · Post by **dkightley** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:43 pm

One point that hasn't been made is that TopGear is essentially an entertainment programme.....and an item on that type of programme would be seen as being "entertainment" irrespective of the seriousness of the item.

I agree that education of the public at large as to the correct use of level crossings, and the dangers involved is a good thing, and showing something on TV will get to a wide audience.......but not necessarily as part of a light-hearted magazine programme such as Top Gear has now turned into. And certainly not so soon after such a real tragedy has occurred.

Now if Top Gear was to cut out the glamourisation of speed and the stunts, and have more about real issues such as affordable cars, road safety, congestion prevention and anti-pollution measures, etc....then a level crossing story would be more appropriate at such a time. But I guess that would kill the popularity of the programme.

Doug

Elojikal · Post by **Elojikal** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:50 pm

I think it's pretty well understood that while Top Gear glamourises speed and stunts its always with the understanding that it should "not be tried at home."

And light entertainment can still have a serious point to it.

daniel533 · Post by **daniel533** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 2:40 pm

Elojikal wrote:I think it's pretty well understood that while Top Gear glamourises speed and stunts its always with the understanding that it should "not be tried at home."

And light entertainment can still have a serious point to it.

as with richards high speed crash. in some interviews he has said that speed is fun but is not to be tried on public roads, but with the recent rail death in scotland in my opinion i think that they should show it to show the consequences of running the level crossing lights

ForburyLion · Post by **ForburyLion** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:10 am

jamesinbolton wrote:
danielw2599 wrote:
Which im my opinion was the completly wrong decision.
I'm afraid I disagree.

As I previously stated however, this was the BBC's call, nothing to do with Network Rail or Top Gear.

I think to air this so shortly after such an incident would have shown extremely poor taste and insensativity, and (understandably) would most likely have drawn a considerable number of complaints.

From another point of view, the actual tradgedy in Scotland has raised awareness and running the 'ad' once that incident has slipped out of mind and awareness levels dropped will prove more effective.

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:52 pm

jamesinbolton wrote:
danielw2599 wrote:
Which im my opinion was the completly wrong decision.
I'm afraid I disagree.

As I previously stated however, this was the BBC's call, nothing to do with Network Rail or Top Gear.

I think to air this so shortly after such an incident would have shown extremely poor taste and insensativity, and (understandably) would most likely have drawn a considerable number of complaints.

As for the Australian adverts, I do think that these adverts do deliver a much stronger message and perhaps something along these lines should be shown in the UK.

More the perfect time to air it to give a double whammy and prove to people that they will die slowly, in a horrible, mangled mess? The idea isn't to be nice about it - being nice doesn't appear to work in such cases.

Thrashin · Post by **Thrashin** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:18 pm

*Bump*

http://www.therailwaycentre.com/UK%20Ne ... 07_NR.html

carlwestwood · Post by **carlwestwood** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:46 pm

i'll be watching that.
I passed Derby yesterday and saw the 31 in the yard... its got a fair few crumples to its front i'll say that much.

Carl

spartacus · Post by **spartacus** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:37 am

I wouldn't bet on it. A fatal crossing accident involving a van has happened in Scotland today.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/gla ... 388695.stm

JSReeves86 · Post by **JSReeves86** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:45 am

Oh well just shows how much this campagian is needed.

Of course thoughts with the dead mans family and the train driver.

JR

Elojikal · Post by **Elojikal** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:35 am

Level crossing accidents seem to happen all the time these days. If they're going to put it off everytime there is an accident then the feature will never get shown.

carlwestwood · Post by **carlwestwood** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:36 am

Dont people realise!? The red flashing lights and big white barriers on on the crossings for a reason!!! the reason - A blooming train is coming. go through the lights or past the barrier and you die!

Some people are jsut plain stupid IMO

i just feel sorry for the people who have to deal with it. such as the train driver and the relatives

Carl

petermakosch · Post by **petermakosch** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:56 am

But when you're in a rush?
A level crossing near me closes the barriers when the train is about 2 miles away. I never have, but could easily pass over the track three or four times (walking) without being run down.

I wouldn't do it anyway as I know better, but when we live in a world of getting from A to B as fast as possible, people won't wait. I have seen people drive through red lights, [removed cause Mods would remove it anyway] as these red lights are on those crossings that are controlled by people, not a junction. When it is late at night and there are no other cars or people around, it seems silly to me to stop at such a light. Obviously remember I am not talking about a junction where the lights are on set timers, I am talking about those that are simple crossings and the time of day.

Again though, even more reason to show it perhaps.
The BBC delayed it once, but will they choose to do so again?

spartacus · Post by **spartacus** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:58 am

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/disp ... ossing.php

Seems the guy was a NR employee. I've found a reason why he could have been on the line (rather than suicide), but I'll wait for the investigation to find out the cause.

RichD3167 · Post by **RichD3167** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 7:32 pm

petermakosch wrote:But when you're in a rush?
A level crossing near me closes the barriers when the train is about 2 miles away. I never have, but could easily pass over the track three or four times (walking) without being run down.

That's because the distant signal to the signal protecting that level crossing will be a fair distance away. The train should get a green in it so that it can hurtle through at line speed without causing too much delay. If the train had stopped at the signal protecting the crossing, you'd be waiting even longer for the train to clear the crossing, due to the fact that a car tends to out-accelerate a train! Take Appleby LC, for example, in North Lincolnshire. Stands right on a 1 in 95 gradient. Class 60's always rumble through there with 3,000-odd tonned of iron ore. I wouldn't really like to stop that on the grade, you'd be waiting for quite some time...