Re: Dubbo XPT hits truck

["Dean A Stalker" <dstalker2000@hotmail.com>]

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Dean A Stalker
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Michael Kurkowski <mk@netstra.com.au> wrote in message
8F23BFFEEtelstraNews@vic.news.telstra.net">news:8F23BFFEEtelstraNews@vic.news.telstra.net...
> Nobodyhere <dweebken@yahoo.com.auNOSPAM> said:
>
> >From what I saw of the footage, with the buckled track, it was amazing
> >that no one was killed. There must have been an emergency brake
> >application in time to prevent disaster. There were apparently 170 +
> >passengers on the train - I think we can see the potential here. Anyone
> >want to lobby for boom gates?
>
> Ever heard of the old analogy "build a better mousetrap and god will
create
> a better mouse". You only need to live in Melbourne to see this

> Frequently, morons are driving around boom gates, because they expect that
> a train was supposed to go through but hasn't, so it won't come.
>
> What needs to be done, is harsher controls on those who run level
> crossings. Introduce a public education campaign to teach people that a
> train can't stop in under 20 metres, let alone 200, combined with a system
> to detect offenders for the authorities to punish accordingly. This can be
> in the form of a 'red light camera' installed inconspicuously at random
> level crossings.
>
> If indeed the lights were working why did the truck driver go through in
> the first place? If the lights were working, he should permanently lose
his
> heavy vehicle licence.
>
> If the lights weren't working, why was the train allowed to go through?
> Down here in Mexico, many of our level crossings are protected (home
> signals?) so if the gates aren't down and/or lights have failed, the train
> doesn't get a stick to proceed.
>
> Right wingers and beancounters out there may say "but it's gunna cost us
> too much it will!", but the reality is, if it saves even one life, it's
> worth all the money it's going to cost. Surely it doesn't cost /that/ much
> to put up a simple television campaign, TAC style ("Car stops at level
> crossing, 30 seconds later driver looks left and right, then drives around
> boom gate only to meet up with about 1000 tonnes of non-stopping freight
> train").
>
> Regards
>
> Michael