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Level crossing near miss Sep 2013 BTP YouTube stillCambridgeshire cyclist ignores warnings... and just manages to brake before train speeds through
A woman who narrowly avoided death when she attempted to ride across a level crossing in Cambridgeshire at the very moment a train sped through has contacted police after a video of the near-miss went viral on the internet.
The video released by British Transport Police shows the bike rider ignoring the lowered barrier on the left hand side of the crossing, as well as the warning lights. There's no sound on the video, but such crossings are also equipped with bells.
At the very last moment, the cyclist realised her peril, and slammed on her brakes. Luckily, they were working, and it was also her good fortune not to go over the handlebars. Wiping her brow, the cyclist moved over to the side of the road, no doubt shaken by the near miss.
A woman contacted British Transport Police on Thursday, and has made an appointment to speak to them in person on October 9.
The incident took place at Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire on Thursday 12 September and the video has been released in an effort to trace the woman as well as to highlight to others the danger of ignoring warnings at level crossings.
PC PC Matt Mildinhall of British Transport Police said: “The footage shows a woman approach the crossing around 6.30pm as the barriers are down. She passes through the barriers and onto the line before braking hard, just seconds before a train passes through.
He added: “We are very keen to speak to the woman in this footage and explain the danger she not only put herself in but others around the crossing at the time.”
A recent safety campaign from Network Rail called Track Tests highlighted research that found that one in three people believe they would hear an approaching train in sufficient time to get out of the way.
Network Rail's Richard Schofield said: “This is one of the closest incidents of near miss we’ve seen. The person using the crossing not only didn’t hear the train but ignored the warning lights and barriers, putting her life, the lives of passengers and the train driver in danger.
“Warning systems at level crossings are there for a reason, to protect users from the railway. I hope the release of this footage will highlight the importance of following the safety advice at level crossings.”
In May last year, Network Rail launched a TV advert called See Track, Think Train to highlight the dangers of level crossings used by cyclists and pedestrians.
The same month, 34-year-old cyclist Phil Dawn from Kirkby-in-Ashfield died when he was struck by a train as he rode through a level crossing between Sutton Park and Mansfield railway stations in Nottinghamshire.
According to police, he was wearing headphones at the time. Network Rail has previously run a campaign fronted by the rapper Professor Green warning of the dangers of listening to music while negotiating level crossings.
However, the father of a teenage girl killed at a level crossing in Essex seven years ago, insisted that it was wrong to place all the responsibility on crossing users.
Chris Bazlinton, whose 14-year-old daughter Olivia was killed along with her 13-year-old friend Charlotte Thompson, told Sky News last year: "The sighting at that time was appalling, you couldn't see anything, you couldn't hear anything.
"The maximum time you could see a train is three seconds from that position.
"They were both quite short and they couldn't possibly see anything so they just stepped out in front, and they were killed instantly."
Network Rail was fined £1 million as a result of breaches of safety legislation in connection with that incident. A footbridge has now been put in place, and the level crossing gates have automatic locking.
Last year, Network Rail announced a £130 million upgrade programme for level crossings, including:
A closure programme which will see 750 crossings removed from the network by April 2014. More than 600 had already been closed by October 2012
Replacing footpath crossings with footbridges
Installing warning lights as an additional safety measure at footpath crossings
A new schools programme – Rail Life – teaching both primary and secondary schoolchildren about how to stay safe when crossing the railway
Rolling out 10 more camera enforcement vans
Investing in new technology including obstacle detection lasers
Introducing new cost effective barriers to open crossings
Employing more than 100 new dedicated level crossing managers
Community safety managers who work closely with local groups, councils and schools to raise awareness.
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64 comments
Not even wearing a hi-viz. Asking for trouble...
It never ceases to amaze me how people will risk life and limb (theirs or someone else's) to try to cut a few seconds off a journey. Was her trip really that important that it warranted nearly being spread all over the front of a train? If it was that important, she should have left earlier; if it wasn't, she should get a sense of perspective, sharpish.
"Britain's luckiest cyclist"... hmmm. I reckon I might be luckier because I haven't been burdened with such an amazing lack of common sense...
I bet she won't do that again.
Some people do not take level crossing as seriously as they need to.
I live near a few in south west London. When the warning lights and siren come on you will see cars and people speed up to get under the barriers as they come down.
The line often has delays due to a vehicle hitting the barrier (needing engineers to check the site).
Damn nearly erased you from the gene pool better luck next time you utter f***tard. Only afterwards did she turn around and go back the way she came from why was that to change her underwear??
b3nharris Er sorry mate accept responsibility for your actions there are enough warnings not to cross without double gating or is driving/riding through flashing red lights on the wrong side of the road acceptable because you need to get somewhere??
+1
and
+1
One of the many things I find amazing about this: if she was in such a rush to get somewhere fast, why did she turn around and head for the side of the road after she nearly got run over? Surely she should have been hammering onwards to get to wherever it was she needed to be, not taking a minute to ponder the fact she almost got herself killed...
Because she'd blown her chance of the strava segment of course
No doubt that the cyclist in question was being more than a little stupid, but surely barriers which only cover half the road are bordering on negligent? Network rail have as much responsibility to ensure that the crossing is as safe as possible.
To allow those already on the crossing to get across when the barriers lower?
With double barriers, there is a delayed period of time before the exit ones close, allowing for people currently on the crossing to safely exit.
There is absolutely no reason why all crossing should not have full barriers where there is a road, and locking gates when its a pedestrian crossing.
But if there were full barriers, how would the railway get these sort of videos to encourage support for its "closure programme" which divide communities like in http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-14444529 ?
We all get taught from the time we are old enough to understand how to cross the road and what to do at level crossings. Anyone who can't understand how to use them properly shouldn't be allowed out of the house on their own anyway!
Yet again someone on here trying to find fault with someone else when there is a cyclist involved
You dont need double barriers on the road, we drive on the left so why put them on both sides ?
People know that when the barrier is down its not safe and if they ignore that then its their own stupid fault.
I agree Stumps. People don't need excuses made for them. Take responsibility for your own actions. It annoys me that so many cyclists seem to get tribal and one-sided when it comes to the rights and wrongs on the road. Many of us are not just cyclists, we are pedestrians, motorists, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters etc.
BUT - I do think that double barriers are a safer prospect which prevents this sort
of reckless behaviour..
I also think that part of the problem with barriers is that people don't trust them to be efficient. I used to do a run around my old town which took me over one and sometimes the barriers would be down for an inaudinate time. Sometimes not. But it raises the question how long will I have to wait ? Though I doubt more information would help because people just rtry to use it to make their own advantage.
Yet another stupid post by you it seems.
Double barriers are needed on every level crossing.
Surely as a police officer as you claim to be, you'd support double barriers...
Don't know about you, but when I'm walking I don't restrict myself to only using the left hand pavement.
Which means that if you're walking on the right hand pavement and you reach a level crossing where the half-barrier is down and the lights and bells are going you continue to walk on?
Of course you don't!
Or perhaps you do because you really are that stupid.
Obviously nobody would ever think that.
Nobody.
Ever.
Except the person that is the reason for this thread and several others that have been cleaned out attempting such things.
I've no idea who lobbed a peanut your way, but yes, I am that stupid. In fact, I was killed on a level crossing only three weeks ago, I've just come back to haunt you.
Why have barriers at all when there are warning lights and sounds?
Because people are stupid. This woman was stupid. But we know people are stupid, so good health and safety builds human stupidity into its systems. It is negligent not to. The railway companies know this, which is why they are gradually removing and upgrading level crossings. Do you think they are wrong to do so?
That's not defending this cyclist. The previous posters didn't defend this cyclist. If anyone is having a knee-jerk reaction, I think it may just be you.
In fact, the idea that you need to build human stupidity into systems is the basis of the argument for segregated infrastructure.
How may i ask am i having a knee jerk reaction when i say you dont need barriers across the whole road, or are you refering to my earlier post towards northstar which to be honest you will not know a jot about and quite frankly is none of your business.
I dont put comments on here to be lambasted by muppets (not you may i add) who seem quite keen to put down most of the things i say because of my occupation without a: knowing me and b: not having the slightest idea about what i do or how i do it.
In all honesty i think i will stick to commenting on the fantasy side only in the future because some of the people who comment here are no better than the dross i deal with on a daily basis. There are a lot who are informative and good craik but there are others who simply want to put down anything they dont agree with and try to trivialise other peoples opinions as though they know it all and everyone else is wrong.
I apologise to the majority of people who are well informed and polite as this is not directed towards them but i'm sure they know that already.
it's just incredible that she thought she could get across without being hit by the train, the barriers come down for a reason, why is anyone THAT impatient?
That's the point Tony, it doesn't matter how she ended up there, bike, car or on foot. She did something incredibly stupid. Stupidity isn't restricted to, or defined by a mode of transport.
I'm glad she did stop, as much for her and her family as the driver and passengers on the train and hope she's wiser now.
Don't know what all the fuss is about.
She would have been fine: she had a helmet on.
Excellent point. I agree.
Obviously didn't see the cute/sick viral hit, Dumb Ways To Die...
http://dumbwaystodie.com/
...cos this was top of their list.
Seems some people prefer to be dead than late.
jeeezus, i can't believe such stupidity ....
Its more common than you think. As with most idiotic behaviour, its not down to mode of transport; you see people trying to get across on foot, on bikes and in cars.
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