Non-motoring > Buses and bridges Miscellaneous
Thread Author: smokie Replies: 27

 Buses and bridges - smokie
What is it with either of the above that they keep coming into contact?

I can understand maybe an HGV driver not being used to a road or route but this particular one was a local bus - maybe not on a regular route but that'#s not clear.

Most low bridges are signed with their height, don't the drivers know how tall their vehicle is, and/or why don't they have satnav, or at least a height warning sensor, to warn them?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-65669589
Last edited by: smokie on Mon 22 May 23 at 11:36
 Buses and bridges - CGNorwich
Human error I guess. Autonomous driving systems will eventually remove that type of accident.
 Buses and bridges - Zero
>> Human error I guess. Autonomous driving systems will eventually remove that type of accident.

probably not based on the Tesla experience.
 Buses and bridges - Bromptonaut
If this was a rail or air accident with a machine written off then there would be a full independent report. SFAIK there's nothing similar for road based public transport. Obviously the bus company will investigate and one hopes the industry has means to share information.

In most cases I guess it's either a change of vehicle or a diversion followed by inattention, some sort of habit?. 'Looked but did not see' is a regular for rail accidents. Another is 'ding ding and away' where the driver responds to the conductors signal for doors closed etc without checking the signals.

There are any number of hot spots on the rail network for bridge strikes. One is at Kings Langley, just north of Watford Junction on the line out of Euston. I lost count of the number of times I was delayed on my commute by that one.

ISTR the late Pat of this parish wrote of some reasons why it happened with LGVs.
 Buses and bridges - Zero
Looks like the bus was on diversion, so an unusual route for the driver. Still no excuse, its not as tho it was sufficiently plastered with warning signs!!!!!
 Buses and bridges - CGNorwich
That’s the problem with humans. They still made inexplicable errors whatever is done to prevent them. Some form of automated emergency breaking system would have prevented it. I guess all vehicles will eventually be so equipped.
 Buses and bridges - Robin O'Reliant
>> Some form of automated emergency breaking system
>>

Braking system, GC, Braking.

Tut tut.
 Buses and bridges - Zero
>> >> Some form of automated emergency breaking system
>> >>
>>
>> Braking system, GC, Braking.

Unless the braking system is broken of course.
 Buses and bridges - CGNorwich
“Tut Tut”

Like I said, humans make inexplicable errors. And it’s CG not GC :-)
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Mon 22 May 23 at 19:01
 Buses and bridges - R.P.
If this was a rail or air accident with a machine written off then there would be a full independent report. SFAIK there's nothing similar for road based public transport

There will be a Police investigation, a Traffic Commissioners report and a possible HSE report...how many more bodies do we need ???
 Buses and bridges - R.P.
 Buses and bridges - Bromptonaut
>> There will be a Police investigation, a Traffic Commissioners report and a possible HSE report...how
>> many more bodies do we need ???

Police and HSE both cover the area but would also have responsibility for anything criminal or otherwise within their purview in aviation, shipping etc. Accidents are also reported to DfT but I suspect the Traffic Commissioners would only be involved if an operators licence was at stake after police etc have done their stuff.
 Buses and bridges - R.P.
You're right, no need for an additional layer of investigation. This incident seems to be an open and shut case - easily done, bit more than a momentary lapse.
 Buses and bridges - bathtub tom
I destroyed a flourescent tube in a multi-storey car park. I had to drive a van to a location I wasn't familiar with. The van had a roof rack. I looked at the height restriction (6' 6") and gauged I had enough room - I hadn't. It seemed they were new lights and the height restriction hadn't been changed. Never heard another word.
 Buses and bridges - henry k
>>I destroyed a flourescent tube in a multi-storey car park.

A few years ago when clearing out loads of stuff from MIL's bungalow it was then off to the
local tip in my Mondeo plus roof rack plus stuff on the rack.
The local tip had a goal post at the entrance to stop "white" vans entering.
On arrival there was a load bang and I tested it!!!!
The roof rack and content got moved rearwards and smashed the HRW.
I had to do a 50 mile trip home with a draft and the noise.
 Buses and bridges - smokie
Ahhh tips and HRWs. I remember overfilling my newly new Escort for a trip run - slammed the hatch down and the rear window shattered due to the piece of furniture in the way!!!
 Buses and bridges - Zero
>> Ahhh tips and HRWs. I remember overfilling my newly new Escort for a trip run
>> - slammed the hatch down and the rear window shattered due to the piece of
>> furniture in the way!!!

Was that before or after you threw creosote all over the boot of a car and wrote it off?
 Buses and bridges - smokie
Good memory Z - that was a car or three before the creosote incident! This one was a near brand new Escort Ghia in terracotta, the first car I ever bought new. Lovely looker. The creosote was a the Vectra Elite. But also a tip-related incident of course...
 Buses and bridges - Bromptonaut
>> Ahhh tips and HRWs.

Mum had one shatter spontaneously in her Renault 5TS when she shut it leaving work. This was in the days of toughened glass which breaks explosively into thousands of tiny pieces. Car was deemed undriveable and left in a covered place at the school where she worked.

I was despatched the following day to pick it up and go via Renault Leeds to pick up the replacement and then to the 1979 equivalent of autoglass where it was fitted.

Still a thing with toughened glass today as we discovered moving the lid over the caravan stove to open a window...
 Buses and bridges - CGNorwich
“ I destroyed a flourescent tube in a multi-storey car park”

Pity it wasn’t self raising :-)
 Buses and bridges - Duncan
Why is this in non-motoring?

A few months back a lorry crashed into a bridge in Hersham.

www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/hersham-railway-station-congestion-skip-13448699

After the accident it was realised that the bridge was lower than the dimension stated on the approach to the bridge. Since then we have had temporary diversion "warning low bridge" signs on the approach to the bridge.

Why don't the authorities simply change the numbers on the bridge?b
 Buses and bridges - Zero
>> “ I destroyed a flourescent tube in a multi-storey car park”
>>
>> Pity it wasn’t self raising :-)

Well he's not the brightest bulb in the chandelier
 Buses and bridges - Ted

I was delivering a Mercedes to the dealers in The Cow Roast at Tring by trailer. I had to turn left off the road and then left again onto their forecourt.

Half way round the second left, I was keeping an eye on the twenty foot long trailer as I had to pass a row of sales cars on the nearside when the whole outfit stopped dead with a bang. When I got out I saw that the offside front corner of the Range Rover had been destroyed by a short steel post...the one that a barrier came down on !

" It's ok" said the manager, " Lots of people hit that !" Six feet welded on top would have helped ! Cost me a second hand bonnet, headlamp and bumper.

They had the cheek to send me a bill for £75 to repair the post. I told them to ssip off !

As an aside, I had a neighbour with me as we were going on to Harrow to pick up a 1934 Daimler Light 14. An uncle had died and for years Alec had been promised the car. The will left everything to the elderly, female housekeeper who lived next door in a house also owned by the old uncle. No mention of the car. However , Alec had worked on her and she relented.

Also, in the house and garage, every room was lined with shelves holding O gauge railway locomotives and rolling stock. We weren't allowed in the house and she kept an eagle eye on us in the garage in case a couple of locos fell onto the back seats of the Daimler.

So, a widow, mid-eighties inherited two 4 bedroom semis in Harrow, all the contents and half a million quid in readies.

Aint life a bummer !

Ted
 Buses and bridges - Bromptonaut
A now long deceased friend of Mrs B's mother wrote of several hundred pounds worth of bike after forgetting they were on the roof rack and driving into a car park.

All but fifty years ago a who's Commer minibus had got onto the multi-storey car park at Ringway airport just fine loaded found it couldn't repeat the trick unladen. A few aircraft enthusiasts, well known for lurking where they can see the runway, in the back sorted it for him.
 Buses and bridges - zippy
Our god-daughter (passed away nearly 2 years ago) was a bus driver at 21.

Newly qualified, there was an unrelated accident on an urban dual carriageway. The police were directing vehicles in to a council car park to avoid the accident (the entrance was before the accident and the exit was past the accident).

She was driving her bus and was ordered to take the said diversion and didn't want to because she knew the the bus wouldn't fit under the barrier or through the narrow width restriction.

The police offer ordered her to proceed or be done for obstruction so did as she was told under protest.

Much damage was done to the bus and when she "told them so" the offending officer was whisked away before names and collar numbers could be obtained.

God daughter was charged with driving without due care and attention or similar by the cop that took over the scene!

Luckily there were enough witnesses on the bus to back up god daughter's version of events and the police had to be taken to court to pay for the damage.
 Buses and bridges - BiggerBadderDave
I witnessed a lorry hit the railway bridge on Lingard Lane (Brinnington to Stockport). It was a busy road in those days, now bypassed by the M60. I was driving to Stockport and the oncoming lorry and me passed each other at the exact moment we were under the bridge. The noise was frightening enough but I was blinded by the light from all the sparks that fell on the windscreen. Like being in a steel foundry. Shock and confusion for a split second.
 Buses and bridges - VxFan
>> I destroyed a fluorescent tube in a multi-storey car park.

Safer to take the tube next time.
 Buses and bridges - R.P.
Been there and done that...minor scrape with a railway bridge and a van a few years ago now. Nice sunny day listening to the Archers and forgot about the low bridge very minor scratches to an air-con unit - no railway chaos. BTP were very nice about it.
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