Re: Rail tragedy triggers review of crossings

["David Bennetts" <davibenn@ozemail.com.au>]

Could do something along the lines of Operation Lifesaver in the US and
Canada, which claims that accidents between motor vehicles and trains have
been more than halved since its inception.  See www.oli.org for details

Wouldn't follow the example of Thailand, where I was last week.  Interesting
to watch the operation of a level crossing in the suburban area of Bangkok -
after the lights start flashing everything keeps going until the last
possible moment before the boom gates are lowered manually by the crossing
attendant, city buses and all.  After boom gates are lowered that doesn't
stop many of the motorcyclists who duck under the gates.  Finally a suicidal
pedestrian sprints across literally one second ahead of the train. Didn't
see any hi-visibility gear worn by the rail workers, and rail tracks are
often used as public footpaths.
There was even a photo in the paper of a railway which runs through the
middle of a vegetable market, eight times a day when trains run through the
vendors have to take down their shelters to let it pass.

Regards

David Bennetts