Robsignals
Member
- Joined
- 3 Aug 2012
- Messages
- 424
Errr no .....RED FLASHING LIGHTS.....ummm STOP if you were approaching a crossing, with booms up but lights flashing, you'd go on and not stop ? If you were at the crossing, and only one went up, you would obviously know there was a problem
Difference with traffic lights is most drivers understand that when they get red others get green and when they have green their safety depends on others obeying red and they appreciate that the lights are for their benefit. Level crossings are seen as "us and them" and believe they are closed for far longer than is really needed due to the incompetence, laziness or sheer bloody mindedness of 'the railway'. At full barriers they correctly assume that a train won't arrive until well after the barriers are down so don't fully respect the flashing reds but that can prove fatal at half barrier or open crossings.
When a signaller gets an alarm or report of a faulty AHB they caution trains to drive on sight because it's expected that cars will weave round, legal or not.