OT: Talk about over-reaction and the nanny state....

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board' started by Tekkytyke, May 12, 2019.

  1. Tek

    Tekkytyke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2005
    Messages:
    7,369
    Likes Received:
    4,609
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Italy
    Style:
    Barnsley Dark
    ....https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-48229400

    Whilst it is undoubtedly illegal and dangerous to go onto railway property there is surely a distinction in the context of this risk between being 'trackside' and 'on the tracks'
    Neither of the two photographs in the article (one being used by police as an example of dangerous behaviour) support the argument. People of the embankment are well away from the actual track and the two rail enthusiasts with the camera tripod have chosen a spot where the fence is slightly recessed and are far enough away from the track to be well clear of any 'vacuum effect' of passing trains.
    The driver claiming "it was probably the most stressful experience I have ever had" has clearly never driven an express train at high speed through crowded local commuter stations with many passengers waiting just behind the yellow lines which are no more than a metre or so from the track. It is even worse on the London underground where trains arrive at high speed often into crammed stations with people very close to the platform edge. The fact that people (usually youngsters) ARE often killed from trespassing onto the tracks or actually climbing onto trains and 'surfing' makes it understandable that Network rail are concerned but this article is surely media overreaction given that these events have happened regularly.
    The vast majority of people who turn out when trains like the FS are running are railway enthusisasts are well aware of the dangers of encroaching onto the tracks. As the article states no-one has been killed.
    EDIT: There were 337 public fatalities in 2017-18 Up 9.1% compared to 2016-17 of which 45 were non-suicide fatalities and 292 were suicide or suspected suicide fatalities. Most of the none suicide deaths were young people many of which were no doubt electrocutions form climbing onto trains etc. That is 45 fatalities and whilst each one is tragic it is hardly an epidemic. Most young people are not interested in the FS anyway.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2019
  2. Sparky

    Sparky Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    Messages:
    3,830
    Likes Received:
    3,306
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    I'm not an expert but I think you need to be about 3m from the track if the 125 is passing, the two in the second picture are within that.
    I don't think you would find people who work on the lines every day standing that close.
     
  3. Redhelen

    Redhelen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2018
    Messages:
    34,746
    Likes Received:
    40,744
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Keep away from the tracks. What's nanny state about that? We had the same warnings back in the 70s.
     
    Mr C and DusThaNoIII like this.
  4. Sparky

    Sparky Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    Messages:
    3,830
    Likes Received:
    3,306
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    After just messaging a friend who works on the railway, he's said the sign beside them means "No Refuge" so you cannot get far enough away from passing trains.
     
  5. Farnham_Red

    Farnham_Red Administrator Staff Member Admin

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2005
    Messages:
    33,657
    Likes Received:
    22,830
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Farnham
    Style:
    Barnsley
    Whilst I am one of the last people to support nanny statism I can’t see much wrong there. It’s against the law and dangerous to trespass on the railway. The fact that “ only 45 people “ were killed last year is hardly supportive. It’s perfectly possible to view trains legally and safely so no excuse for getting the wrong side of barriers and too close to the tracks.
     
  6. Redstone

    Redstone Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2005
    Messages:
    15,494
    Likes Received:
    10,839
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Style:
    Barnsley Dark
    Best to take care around trains.

     
  7. Glo

    GloucesterRedsBigBro Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2005
    Messages:
    3,200
    Likes Received:
    519
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Retired Bus Driver
    Location:
    A, A
    Home Page:
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Not quite the same but watch the numpties trying to photograph cyclists on Tour de France/Yorkshire etc
     
    Donny-Red likes this.
  8. Don

    Donny-Red Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Messages:
    5,766
    Likes Received:
    7,780
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Rallying in some countries - though it's better than it was - the footage of Portugal in the Group B era is really scary, fans were literally trying to 'touch' passing cars, mental when you think these are 500bhp supercars driving on loose gravel tracks
     
  9. Skryptic

    Skryptic Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2015
    Messages:
    2,829
    Likes Received:
    2,865
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Typical of the old snowflake generation, "the rules don't apply to me".
     
  10. DusThaNoIII

    DusThaNoIII Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2013
    Messages:
    4,967
    Likes Received:
    2,991
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Leeds
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Imagine being so pent up and angry that you get mad about the idea of not being allowed to get dangerously close to moving trains.
     
  11. Frans

    Frans Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2007
    Messages:
    600
    Likes Received:
    643
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Yes, I have one of those
    Home Page:
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Our train back from Bristol last Sunday was almost an hour late getting into Sheffield because of these selfish idiots. Stuck near Lichfield for ages until the Flying Scotsman went past and the tracks were cleared. It was then announced the train would no longer be stopping at Leeds in order to try and catch some time back, which meant the Sheffield to Barnsley train was packed as all those going to Leeds got off in Sheffield and caught the local train. No doubt loads of people missed connections.

    Bloody nerds, you’d think they’d have more sense :mad:
     
    TitusMagee and Redhelen like this.
  12. DEETEE

    DEETEE Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    Messages:
    10,230
    Likes Received:
    2,188
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Keep behind the yellow line..
     
  13. KamikazeCo-Pilot

    KamikazeCo-Pilot Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2011
    Messages:
    4,710
    Likes Received:
    6,589
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Sunny Darton
    Style:
    Barnsley
    Dont trespass. Simple. what if one of the 'enthusiasts' loses their footing near the track? What if someone with a tripod tries to readjust it at the wrong moment and it slips? What if....? Far too many variables. Do as you're told and stay where you are told to stay. If you don't then you're an idiot. The OP has got this completely wrong.
     
    Redhelen likes this.
  14. man

    mansfield_red Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2011
    Messages:
    9,312
    Likes Received:
    14,997
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    I like the bit where you know more about the stresses facing a train driver than an actual train driver.
     
    pompey_red, TitusMagee and Mr C like this.
  15. Mr C

    Mr C Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2011
    Messages:
    24,636
    Likes Received:
    15,368
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Saving the world.
    Location:
    Wentworth
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Some people have too much time on their hands. & I'm not talking about trainspotters..:)
     
  16. Mid

    Mido Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2006
    Messages:
    11,569
    Likes Received:
    6,759
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Trainlines are for trains not for people
     
  17. Tek

    Tekkytyke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2005
    Messages:
    7,369
    Likes Received:
    4,609
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Italy
    Style:
    Barnsley Dark
    Fair do's. Given the responses, particularly the supporting video by Tyketastic (no6 #) showing some people seem to have a death wish and no common sense my OP is obviously out of step with opinion and therefore wrong.
     
  18. Tek

    Tekkytyke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2005
    Messages:
    7,369
    Likes Received:
    4,609
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Italy
    Style:
    Barnsley Dark
    Who is "pent up and angry"?
     
  19. Tek

    Tekkytyke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2005
    Messages:
    7,369
    Likes Received:
    4,609
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Italy
    Style:
    Barnsley Dark
    Sounds a lot . I wonder if the yellow safety lines are that far back on platforms where the 125 passes through or does it slow when passing through commuter stations. I wonder what the safe distance would be for the Freccia Rossa and Italo Trains here in Italy although they pass through 'no stop' stations on dedicated lines away from platform...
    Frustrating as the line runs parallel to the Autostrada from Bologna to Milano and you are bombing along in your car at about 140km/h thinking how well you are doing only for one of these thing to blast past you at up to 200 mph every few minutes.
    Even Regional Veloce trains are as fast as the fastest UK trains, more comfortable and reliable plus miles cheaper so why can't the UK do it
     
  20. KamikazeCo-Pilot

    KamikazeCo-Pilot Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2011
    Messages:
    4,710
    Likes Received:
    6,589
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Sunny Darton
    Style:
    Barnsley
    If you still believe you're correct then that's fair enough. Each to their own views. I personally don't agree with you. Regards.
     

Share This Page