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Spotters dicing with death

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bailey65

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I just saw this clip on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae_P4OO1TtM it seems some spotters are oblivious to how dangerous the rail environment is.
Not only did the stupid man that almost got hit put himself in danger but a lot of those on the platform did too.
Do you think spotters arrogantly believe themselves to be indestructible and above all railway rules and laws,should they be clamped down on more?.

[youtube]Ae_P4OO1TtM[/youtube]
 
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Grantham

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screek.jpg


I love a good safety debate! I wasn't too close to the track here...can't have been! ;)
 

O L Leigh

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I love a good safety debate! I wasn't too close to the track here...can't have been! ;)

Slightly different.

Lower speeds (I presume), plus as you were facing the oncoming train the driver will have had confidence that you were aware of the train's approach. The incident at Thurston was totally different.

Having your back to the traffic is, for me as a driver at least, a key difference. If someone is watching me approaching they usually move back away from the edge (some don't, admittedly). But if they have their back to me I cannot be sure that they know I'm approaching so will whistle up to warn them. Most times they leap back away from the edge like they've been poked with a cattle prod.

O L Leigh
 

Grantham

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Slightly different.

Lower speeds (I presume), plus as you were facing the oncoming train the driver will have had confidence that you were aware of the train's approach. The incident at Thurston was totally different.

Having your back to the traffic is, for me as a driver at least, a key difference. If someone is watching me approaching they usually move back away from the edge (some don't, admittedly). But if they have their back to me I cannot be sure that they know I'm approaching so will whistle up to warn them. Most times they leap back away from the edge like they've been poked with a cattle prod.

O L Leigh

I'm pulling your leg, I parked the engines there before hopping out and taking a photo or two. ;)

Yes, the bloke on the crossing was standing in the goose position, trying to help reinforce the laws of natural selection. I bet he developed a nasty stain in those undies!

It's a pity that so few people can give train buffs a bad reputation. They get the same bad rep here in Australia for the same reasons, yet the actual number of complete idiots is very low.
 

Phil6219

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I agree with Sprinterguy, it's not necessarily the ones that unknowingly place themselves in danger but the increasing number of ones who deliberately place themselves in such a position so that they will get a reaction from the driver, all in the need of one more "tone".

Aside from the obvious what would happen if one of them slipped it's prats like that which will end up ruining it for the rest of us who move away and generally perform some wave of acknowledgement so the driver knows we can see him/her approaching.

I heard something a few days ago which is of some relevance here and maybe someone could clear it up for me but, a few Saturdays ago there was a fatality at Leyland. I had heard at the time that someone had jumped infront of a Blackpool bound train however a few days ago a few people had said that it was infact a spotter trying to shoot the Duchess (running light engine) who had slipped and fallen infront of a southbound Pendolino.

Even if it turns out that it wasn't true it certainly has put the thing into perspective, I would occasionally lean slightly (never lean over the edge) but those days are over now as in the end it's not worth it.

Phil 8-)
 

Schnellzug

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chicken curry with chips, please.

(I was going to say something in response to something someone said, but I could see that wearisome beast Controversy lumbering pver the horizon again like a bear ins earch of hunny, so I decided it wasn't worth it.)
 
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Cherry_Picker

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Presumably you are a driver, then, I am presuming. I do find it sad that people who actually work in the business seem not only to have no interest in it at all, but an attitude of utter contempt for those who do.

What makes you say that? As a driver he has enough interest beyond doing his job to make an account on this forum but he isnt a spotter. I'm very much in the same boat. I like to talk about a working railway but have absolutely no interest in spotting traction and the list of things I would rather to than stand on a platform taking photographs of passing trains is a very long one. Does that mean I have contempt for spotters? I dont think so.
 

ANorthernGuard

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I hate trains (apart from steam or something that has plenty of nostalgia) but I love the railway, I am born n bred railway, but why do a small proportion of spotters risk getting themselves cut and mashed into 1000's of pieces for a number or photo? I will never get it.
 

Class377/5

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Bloody hell!! Are those guys for real??:-x

Wow, normally you'd say get out and have a life but in this case that's not the best opition.

As someone who enjoys the railway from insider as much as outside (seems I'm a spotter and a photter too), I am at a loss for works over these people reckless action. One tiny mis step and their videos will go from 'fun' to disaster.
 

andykn

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Wow, normally you'd say get out and have a life but in this case that's not the best opition.

As someone who enjoys the railway from insider as much as outside (seems I'm a spotter and a photter too), I am at a loss for works over these people reckless action. One tiny mis step and their videos will go from 'fun' to disaster.

One tiny mis step on the roads often turns 'fun' into disaster for young motorists, the railways are no different in this regard.
 

Harbon 1

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I think you need to revise the terminology you used in that post mate, as:

The people in that video in that video are mostly carrying cameras, and thus are not spotters, as spotters are generally people who just take down numbers, perhaps taking the occasional photograph, they usually gather at major stations, as their aim is to see as many items of stock as possible.

The people in the video are better known as "photters", people who go out specifically to take a picture of, or film trains, these people may never take down a number in their lives, so are very far away from being spotters.

I would always hope that railway professionals would perhaps have a little more insight into trainspotting, and not the rather nasty view the general public has, n your case that is obviously not so, just because you don't enjoy/understand something, doesn't mean you have to ridicule it.

Totally agree, most enthusiasts start by spotting, like myself, and have essentially 'evolved' to another area of the interest. Such as photoing certain trains or anything that passes through a station, others bash certain classes or lines. I personally have moved away from spotting because I got nothing from it, and had to have a camera because I would get bored without it, now I just note down what I've been on and take pictures from stations of anything and everything (which I think is known as vegging?) :lol:
 

Temple Meads

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Totally agree, most enthusiasts start by spotting, like myself, and have essentially 'evolved' to another area of the interest. Such as photoing certain trains or anything that passes through a station, others bash certain classes or lines. I personally have moved away from spotting because I got nothing from it, and had to have a camera because I would get bored without it, now I just note down what I've been on and take pictures from stations of anything and everything (which I think is known as vegging?) :lol:

I'm very much the same as you, I started out in 2001 just spotting in my local area, but after about 2 years I'd seen pretty much everything, so I started travelling to other places to spot, then I'd seen everything in places I could easily and cheaply get to, so I fell out of love with the hobby for a few years, then I bought a cheap camera, and got into photting, who knows how long it'll be before I get bored with that, hopefully it'll be a long time indeed :)
 

221129

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I'm very much the same as you, I started out in 2001 just spotting in my local area, but after about 2 years I'd seen pretty much everything, so I started travelling to other places to spot, then I'd seen everything in places I could easily and cheaply get to, so I fell out of love with the hobby for a few years, then I bought a cheap camera, and got into photting, who knows how long it'll be before I get bored with that, hopefully it'll be a long time indeed :)

You'll just move across to buses Tim ;)
 

142094

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anthony263

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I have seen a few idiots at Cardiff Central when there have been steam specials.

Too be fair as well a good few enthusiasts I have seen getting close to the platform edge are those who are age 50 or over.

Mind you I have seen some idiotic bus spotters when I have been driving a bus (I will let you all guess what they do :D )
 

221129

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I have seen several photters all in their 50's+ Normally over the Do not pass this point at platform ends! I must say at stations Like Tiverton Parkway I will occasionally venture down the platform ramps (Where it is Permitted!) And only when it is a train that is stopping/Stationary or Departing.
 

yorkie

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I have deleted a provocative post and the posts that referred to it.

Can I remind people to please use the report button (
report.gif
- at the bottom left of each post) if you see anything of concern. If you think you are being "slagged off" do not respond to it, report it!

We appreciate these reports, as the forum staff do not read all posts (with around 1,500 posts per day, we cannot possibly do so) and so we do rely on reports to moderate. If there have already been insults & arguments flying around, it makes our job a lot harder to deal with the offending post.

Also, if anyone re-publishes content, it would not be unreasonable to assume they are happy with it...! So, if you think a comment is inappropriate, please report it rather than re-publish it and argue back.

Anyway, back on topic... the Northallerton incident has been discussed numerous times and was well-reported at the time, it even made the Northern Echo. The perpetrators are the sort of people who give rail enthusiasts a bad name, despite only a small proportion acting anything like it.

The Thurston incident has also been discussed numerous times too.

Neither incident is new, they occurred in early 2008 and mid 2010, respectively.
 

crewmeal

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Whilst you have specials, loco hauled trains, odd movements etc etc you will always have spotters whose mind is only on what they want to photograph, be it still or video. If the mind wanders off the safety rule then that's when a fatality will happen. Idiots waving their arms hoping for a hoot are a different ball game. One day a cross wind or wind sheer might, just might throw them off balance and they would end up as mincemeat. Playing chicken with 25kv well they deserve all they get.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Although not in the UK this one takes the biscuit:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xu2Iw7P66eE#
 

anthony263

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I know and I think all of us dread the day something very serious happens like a group of enthusiasts being hit by a train because they were too close to the edge of the platform.

Lets face it if that happened I can see network rail etc puting heavy restrictions on enthusiasts at stations.
 

martin2345uk

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Whilst you have specials, loco hauled trains, odd movements etc etc you will always have spotters whose mind is only on what they want to photograph, be it still or video. If the mind wanders off the safety rule then that's when a fatality will happen. Idiots waving their arms hoping for a hoot are a different ball game. One day a cross wind or wind sheer might, just might throw them off balance and they would end up as mincemeat. Playing chicken with 25kv well they deserve all they get.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Although not in the UK this one takes the biscuit:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xu2Iw7P66eE#

Oh. My. God.

That was terrifying to watch, what a total and utter moron. Crawling out while the freaking train is still going over him... Can't believe what I just watched!
 
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