From: denismfmcmahon@gmail.com   
      
   On Fri, 20 Feb 2015 14:59:23 +0000, Adam H. Kerman wrote:   
      
   > bob  wrote:   
      
   > You cannot contend that a safety system can be placed at a grade   
   > crossing that no driver will violate.   
      
   I fully agree.   
      
   I have seen at least two videos of different incidents (one in East   
   Anglia, one in Hampshire) where drivers being pursued by the police went   
   through lowered full width barriers.   
      
   Unless the lowered barriers will stop a vehicle under such circumstances   
   (and you need to design for worst case, so vehicle = in the UK case 44   
   tonnes @ 60 mph) then there exists the potential for a vehicular   
   incursion just before the train reaches the crossing.   
      
   >>In the collision in question here, the barrier came down *on top of*   
   >>the vehicle.  That means the vehicle was *already* inside the crossing   
   >>(as defined by the area bounded by the road barriers) *before* the   
   >>barriers came down.   
   >   
   > It means that she violated the grade crossing, ignoring the flashers and   
   > bells AND the gate that was in the process of being lowered. If   
   > anything,   
   > a gate being lowered moves and truly catches the driver's eye, so that   
   > actually adds a bit of safety.   
      
   Perhaps not - she may have encroached upon the crossing in heavy slow   
   moving traffic *before* the barriers activated, and then been in a   
   position where the weight of traffic behind her was such she could not   
   reverse.   
      
   Still at fault to encroach on the crossing before she could drive proceed   
   across it to a position of safety on the far side, but given reports   
   suggesting she may have been non local following nose-to-tail traffic on   
   a diversion from a closed freeway, at night, I can accept that a lapse in   
   concentration, rather than any deliberate action, may have caused that   
   initial problem to happen.   
      
   Then she is in the following situation: she is on the crossing, bells and   
   lights have activated, no exit behind, no exit ahead. Presumably not   
   enough space to drive between oncoming and preceding traffic, or onto a   
   sidewalk.   
      
   I can imagine a combination of sheer terror and blind panic.   
      
   If I was in such a situation, I think I would aim my vehicle at any gap I   
   thought it would fit through and force my way off of the crossing.   
   Perhaps that's what she tried to do, but she was too late.   
      
   >>I would suggest that, while some drivers will enter crossings with the   
   >>barriers up even if the lights/sound warnigns are active, and will drive   
   >>around partial barriers (plenty of youtube videos show this taking   
   >>place),   
   >>they are far far less likely to drive *through* a barrier that is   
   >>blocking the road.   
      
   Less likely perhaps, but it happens. If you want to prevent any   
   possibility of road vehicles encroaching on grade crossings (or any other   
   railway track for that matter, there have been several incidents of   
   vehicle encroachment other than at grade crossings) then you need to wrap   
   your whole railway up in safety barriers that will stop 44 tonne lorries   
   at 60 mph.   
      
   --   
   Denis McMahon, denismfmcmahon@gmail.com   
      
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