Railway bridges struck by road vehicles - merged topic, ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I have seen (on the bookshelf in shops, so it much have been a while back) road maps for Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers, including all the low bridges.  It shouldn't be beyond the wit of some bright programmer to take that database and include it within the technology that's already on buses so that drivers get an alert ...


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[GBM]

....  It shouldn't be beyond the wit of some bright programmer to take that database and include it within the technology that's already on buses so that drivers get an alert ...

You've not seen our vehicles then 

[stuving]

I have seen (on the bookshelf in shops, so it much have been a while back) road maps for HGV drivers, including all the low bridges.  It shouldn't be beyond the wit of some bright programmer to take that database and include it within the technology that's already on buses so that drivers get an alert ...

When First are quoted as saying "We know where all the low bridges are located in the West of England", I take that as meaning they have all the low-bridge data, plus weight and width limits and roads not allowed by administrative fiat, probably in both printed and digital form. So it comes down to a thing that goes bleep having access to that database and knowing where it is and where it's heading.

[Bmblbzzz]

The article excelled in lack of detail!  So it could be anything but I'd presume it to be a dataset loaded to a GPS device, which will bleep or buzz at the appropriate places. Hopefully to alert the driver to a recommended deviation rather than simply "low bridge 100m ahead".

[Richard Fairhurst]

I have seen (on the bookshelf in shops, so it much have been a while back) road maps for HGV drivers, including all the low bridges.  It shouldn't be beyond the wit of some bright programmer to take that database and include it within the technology that's already on buses so that drivers get an alert ...

Historically the problem with Heavy Good's Vehicle's (HGV)s has been independent owner-operators who figure they'll save a few quid by not forking out for the (more expensive) truck satnav. But bus operators shouldn't really have that excuse...


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[GBM]

99.9% of the time, bus drivers use the scheduled route, and all/most know those routes.
It's the diversions not notified in advance that cause the problems.
First attitude has been along the lines of 'why fit equipment to all our fleet that would only be used 0.1% of the time'.
All vehicles are now fitted with the Ticketer ticket machine which each have their own sim card & are GPS tracked, so Satnav (in simple "avoid upcoming bridge") could be fitted.

[grahame]

...

First attitude has been along the lines of 'why fit equipment to all our fleet that would only be used 0.1% of the time'.
All vehicles are now fitted with the Ticketer ticket machine which each have their own sim card & are GPS tracked, so Satnav (in simple "avoid upcoming bridge") could be fitted.

Which is why the solution is to add something in the software of an existing system on the bus.   Have the Ticketer bleep (they have a speaker, right?) if approaching a low bridge.  Low / no per unit cost, no extra equipment to maintain ...

[GBM]

Have the Ticketer bleep (they have a speaker, right?)

Yes, a bleep.  (Drivers then perhaps need to be trained to listen to a bleep whilst running, invariably difficult on a school run  )

[Red Squirrel]

Maybe this is only tenuously related to the subject matter (speed may not be a major factor in many of these collisions), but I think it makes the point that better design answers the problem of vehicles hitting things better than just blaming and penalising drivers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra_0DgnJ1uQ

[Bmblbzzz]

By analogy with the video you posted elsewhere of Ghent, it seems safe to say "Design for speed and you get speed."

[TonyK]

By analogy with the video you posted elsewhere of Ghent, it seems safe to say "Design for speed and you get speed."

At last, I know how they brought the good news from Ghent to Aix.

[Red Squirrel]

Here, at last, is a complete solution to the problem of bridge strikes. No in-cab technology, no need for signage (be it metric or US Customary, though I see they've left the old sign for historic interest), no protection beams, no special mapping software...


Image: Bristol 247

[Bmblbzzz]

I like the provision of seating.

[johnneyw]

Don't temp fate there RS, there will be somebody out there with the requisite "skills" to at least have a good go!

[paul7575]

I was in Winchester earlier, and took a roundabout route home, and can confirm that the embankments at both sides of the low bridge have been completely cleared of trees and shrubs.

I wouldn?t like to think this was an admission of culpability...

Paul