• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Cyclists.....using the tracks as a short cut.

Status
Not open for further replies.

tra1nsp0tter

Member
Joined
4 Feb 2012
Messages
43
Don't know if this has been posted yet , from the BBC news website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-22654724


Cyclists in Gwynedd risking lives in railway shortcut

"Some cyclists have been taking a potentially fatal shortcut along a railway track to avoid a road diversion.

British Transport Police (BTP) said the riders in Penrhyndeudraeth in Gwynedd also risked being prosecuted for trespass.

A diversion was set up for works between Llandecwyn and Penrhyndeudraeth railway stations to be carried out.

A BTP spokesman warned anyone caught in future will be fined.

'Gamble'

Sgt Tony Stamp said: "Trespass may not sound like a serious offence but in the unforgiving environment of the railway it can be fatal.

"Train drivers will not be expecting anyone other than railway workers to be on the line, and by the time they see someone trespassing, it could be too late.

"Anyone who trespasses onto the railway is taking a gamble with their own lives, as well as the lives of all the staff and passengers travelling on the trains."

BTP officers will be patrolling the area over the coming months and anyone caught trespassing could be handed a penalty notice of £50.

Police asked people to report any trespassing by contacting the BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. '
 
Last edited:
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

SS4

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2011
Messages
8,589
Location
Birmingham
I'd cite Darwin's Law if it weren't for the psychological effect on innocent railway staff
 

507 001

Established Member
Joined
3 Dec 2008
Messages
1,855
Location
Huyton
Funnily enough we've had similar on the FR, and the residents of Blaenau are also pretty fearless when it comes to trespassing.

They seem to have no fear.
 

xfield

Member
Joined
20 Feb 2013
Messages
39
£50? Is that all? I'm sure my local station has a sign up that says trespass = £1000 fine.
 

Sir_Clagalot

Member
Joined
9 Aug 2007
Messages
853
I remember a few years back when the Wensleydale was gearing up for running trains and there was a letter in the local paper (Darlington & Stockton Times) asking what they were going to do to help protect the dog walkers who were using the line.... The reply was nothing as they are trespassing and shouldnt be there!!
 

HSTEd

Veteran Member
Joined
14 Jul 2011
Messages
16,633
Why are they cycling on the track itself?
Surely it would be more sane to cycle on the edge of the alignment... if nothing else there are not hundreds of sleepers to bounce you around.
 

wbbminerals

Member
Joined
16 Dec 2010
Messages
312
I can imagine it being very heavy work cycling on the ballast! Would probably be easier to just take the diversion anyway. Idiots.
 

D1009

Established Member
Joined
22 Feb 2012
Messages
3,166
Location
Stoke Gifford
Looking at a map of the area, this appears to be Pont Briwet bridge, to which this thread refers :

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=60402&page=2

Not wishing to condone the actions of the cyclists in any way, if the road across the old bridge is actually blocked, the diversion adds approximately 7 miles to the distance. However it is very worrying if they are using the railway track the whole way. Why don't they get the train across?
 

pemma

Veteran Member
Joined
23 Jan 2009
Messages
31,474
Location
Knutsford
Some cyclists seem to think they are exempt from the law. I saw two today cycling the wrong way on a 1 way street then when a car came along they moved on to the pavement - 2 breaches of the Highway Code in 30 seconds!
 

Sheepy1209

Member
Joined
26 Oct 2011
Messages
202
Some cyclists seem to think they are exempt from the law. I saw two today cycling the wrong way on a 1 way street then when a car came along they moved on to the pavement - 2 breaches of the Highway Code in 30 seconds!

Some PEOPLE think they are exempt from the law!

What do you think this post adds to the thread? Cyclists aren't some different species, they are people who happen to ride bikes. Some are tossers, but then so are some drivers.

Generalising adds nothing. The problem here is trespassers, not cyclists.
 

14xxDave

Member
Joined
20 Oct 2011
Messages
179
Location
Gateshead
Some cyclists seem to think they are exempt from the law. I saw two today cycling the wrong way on a 1 way street then when a car came along they moved on to the pavement - 2 breaches of the Highway Code in 30 seconds!

I agree. Cyclists have now got a very bad name because a reasonable amount of them seem to think the Highway Code/rules of the road do not appertain to them. I'm sick of dodging the morons when crossing on a green man and numpty cycles through. Paths, oh just a short cut around the traffic lights..sigh.

Rant over..but they don't seem to realise they can do some damage...:|
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Some PEOPLE think they are exempt from the law!

What do you think this post adds to the thread? Cyclists aren't some different species, they are people who happen to ride bikes. Some are tossers, but then so are some drivers.

Generalising adds nothing. The problem here is trespassers, not cyclists.

Because it's a cyclist doing it. Oh and yes some drivers do drive up rail lines but normally by accident not deliberately.
 

pemma

Veteran Member
Joined
23 Jan 2009
Messages
31,474
Location
Knutsford
Some PEOPLE think they are exempt from the law!

What do you think this post adds to the thread? Cyclists aren't some different species, they are people who happen to ride bikes. Some are tossers, but then so are some drivers.

Generalising adds nothing. The problem here is trespassers, not cyclists.

The trespassers are cyclists though! Bad cyclists behave differently to bad pedestrians or bad motor vehicle drivers. A cyclist ignoring a no entry sign is just the same as cycling along a train line. The only time I've seen a car driving along a rail track is on Last of The Summer Wine and obviously the BBC had arranged that with the necessary parties.

I agree that motorists doing illegal things isn't relevant to the thread but I didn't bring up speeding, sounding your horn to let someone know you've arrived etc. which are common illegal activities under taken by motorists.
 

colchesterken

Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
764
They have a much more relaxed view of the railways in France and spain I was near Montpillier a few years ago and the TVG was running alongside the road with just a grass bank between. Not at TGV speeds I would add only about 40 mph
I was in Spain Costa Blanka if I remember correctly there were about 3 or 4 bays and the link rather than going up the cliff and along the road was the costal railway tunnel it seemed to be accepted by everyone that that was the way.
Common sense and it is safe, wait for a train to pass then go being carefull there will not be another train for a few mins.
 

tra1nsp0tter

Member
Joined
4 Feb 2012
Messages
43
They have a much more relaxed view of the railways in France and spain I was near Montpillier a few years ago and the TVG was running alongside the road with just a grass bank between. Not at TGV speeds I would add only about 40 mph
I was in Spain Costa Blanka if I remember correctly there were about 3 or 4 bays and the link rather than going up the cliff and along the road was the costal railway tunnel it seemed to be accepted by everyone that that was the way.
Common sense and it is safe, wait for a train to pass then go being carefull there will not be another train for a few mins.

I think being struck by a train even at 'only about' 40mph would be fatal. If it was me that had the choice of using the tracks as a shortcut, or going the long way round......I would take the long way round everytime.
 

fsmr

Member
Joined
11 Feb 2009
Messages
659
I can imagine it being very heavy work cycling on the ballast! Would probably be easier to just take the diversion anyway. Idiots.

Unless you had one of these

[youtube]Ev7YUh2NV-U[/youtube]​

Darwin will get them
 

sevenhills

Member
Joined
6 Mar 2012
Messages
97
Location
Leeds
Why are they cycling on the track itself?
Surely it would be more sane to cycle on the edge of the alignment... if nothing else there are not hundreds of sleepers to bounce you around.

If it was in the Sun, I wouldnt believe it. Why would anyone carry their bike, when they could walk or ride it it the side of the track. There are lots of anti-cyclists around.
 

tra1nsp0tter

Member
Joined
4 Feb 2012
Messages
43
If it was in the Sun, I wouldnt believe it. Why would anyone carry their bike, when they could walk or ride it it the side of the track. There are lots of anti-cyclists around.

It was taken from the BBC news website, not the sun. & I'm not anti cyclist, but doing stupid & dangerous things like taking a short cut on a live, running railway line..... I am ANTI that..:D
 

yorkie

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Messages
67,432
Location
Yorkshire
Some cyclists seem to think they are exempt from the law. I saw two today cycling the wrong way on a 1 way street then when a car came along they moved on to the pavement - 2 breaches of the Highway Code in 30 seconds!
*Yawn* I could say some motorists seem to think they are exempt from the law. I saw two today breaching the highway code within 30 seconds...

Some PEOPLE think they are exempt from the law!

What do you think this post adds to the thread? Cyclists aren't some different species, they are people who happen to ride bikes. Some are tossers, but then so are some drivers.

Generalising adds nothing. The problem here is trespassers, not cyclists.
Great post!

Because it's a cyclist doing it. Oh and yes some drivers do drive up rail lines but normally by accident not deliberately.
Are you suggesting that trespassers on the railway do not drive?

I am sure many of the trespassers on the railway may well drive a car, or ride a bike, or use other forms of transport. But while they are on the tracks, they are not motorists or cyclists, they are trespassers!
The trespassers are cyclists though!
And some trespassers are drivers. Your point is...?

Bad cyclists behave differently to bad pedestrians or bad motor vehicle drivers.
Go on then, how do "bad cyclists" behave and how do "bad pedestrians" behave and how do "bad motor vehicle drivers" behave?
A cyclist ignoring a no entry sign is just the same as cycling along a train line.
No it's not.
The only time I've seen a car driving along a rail track is on Last of The Summer Wine and obviously the BBC had arranged that with the necessary parties.
What's the last time you've seen a car driving along a rail track got to do with anything? As it happens I've never seen a car being driven along a rail track, nor have I seen a bike being cycled along a rail track. Both would be rather difficult - the latter especially so!
Why are they cycling on the track itself?.
Are they? That doesn't seem likely and isn't what the article says.

However, one would get that impression from the misleading title.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Unless you had one of these

Darwin will get them
That line is possibly abandoned, like this.
 

pemma

Veteran Member
Joined
23 Jan 2009
Messages
31,474
Location
Knutsford
Yorkie said:
No it's not.

On checking you're right - a trespass incident is a less serious offence. The maximum penalty a court can issue for a rail trespass incident is £1000 opposed to £2500 for dangerous cycling.
 

Requeststop

Member
Joined
21 Jan 2012
Messages
944
Location
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Looking at a map of the area, this appears to be Pont Briwet bridge, to which this thread refers :

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=60402&page=2

Not wishing to condone the actions of the cyclists in any way, if the road across the old bridge is actually blocked, the diversion adds approximately 7 miles to the distance. However it is very worrying if they are using the railway track the whole way. Why don't they get the train across?

Agree with you almost entirely. Why don't they get the train? There are only 8 services a day in both directions could be the reason.
 

Antman

Established Member
Joined
3 May 2013
Messages
6,842
Some cyclists seem to think they are exempt from the law. I saw two today cycling the wrong way on a 1 way street then when a car came along they moved on to the pavement - 2 breaches of the Highway Code in 30 seconds!


Many more motorists seem to think they are above the law
 

jon0844

Veteran Member
Joined
1 Feb 2009
Messages
28,013
Location
UK
Not in London, the centre in particular. If the same percentage of motorists broke the law as cyclists, we'd have thousands more deaths every year, if not every day.

For one, there's a big difference between a car jumping red lights. For one, it's one or two cars max and lights (especially crossings) are phased to account for this.

Cyclists simply ignore red lights full stop and are therefore far more of a risk, and still pretty dangerous to a pedestrian.
 

carriageline

Established Member
Joined
11 Jan 2012
Messages
1,897
Not in London, the centre in particular. If the same percentage of motorists broke the law as cyclists, we'd have thousands more deaths every year, if not every day.

For one, there's a big difference between a car jumping red lights. For one, it's one or two cars max and lights (especially crossings) are phased to account for this.

Cyclists simply ignore red lights full stop and are therefore far more of a risk, and still pretty dangerous to a pedestrian.

I'm so glad someone bought this up.

London cyclists have made me grow to seriously, seriously hate cyclists. Bad generalisation I know, but I have very, very good reasons.

A very high percentage of them seems to believe that they can break the law, and just get away with it. Yes there are people who are perfectly fine on the road, but unfortunately I see alot more bad cyclists than I do good ones.

Anyway, I have been sitting at a red lights (this will happen a few times on a daily basis), for a good 10-15 seconds, and a few cyclists will whizz through, at full speed and rarely not give it a proper look. They regularly drive 2/3 wide, on a normal width street.

Another pet hate, is they have the cycle "boxes" at the front of the que to segregate them from the rest of the traffic at traffic lights. But some feel that is not good enough, and sit 3-4 feet in front of the traffic light, to get very nearly obliterated when they are now inside a buses turning circle.

They are not my reasons for hating cyclists either. That is just things I see on a regular basis in London.
 

yorkie

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Messages
67,432
Location
Yorkshire
London cyclists have made me grow to seriously, seriously hate cyclists.
I could say London car drivers have made me grow to seriously, seriously, hate car drivers. But I'm not that stupid.

That is just things I see on a regular basis in London.
What London is this?

Not the London I've been to many times, where a worrying proportion of road users (of all types) 'seem to believe that they can break the law'?

Or perhaps it's the same London, but you selectively only mention certain road users in order to suit a particular agenda?
 

Antman

Established Member
Joined
3 May 2013
Messages
6,842
These sweeping statements are ridiculous, cyclists are human beings many of whom probably drive as well
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top