Motorists dice with central trains
BY CLAIRE CONNELL
PATIENCE PLEASE: Phil Brown Motors owner Phil Brown wants all drivers to stop when railway barrier arms come down at the Main St roundabout.
Do you try to beat the trains?
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A Blenheim businessman is worried there will be a serious accident at the Main St roundabout if cars keep ignoring bells, barrier arms and flashing lights to beat the trains.
Phil Brown Motors owner Phil Brown wants people to be more aware of the risks they take when they are in a hurry and do not want to be held up by the train.
Mr Brown said he saw several near-misses a week from his business next to the roundabout in central Blenheim.
The railway barrier arms regularly hit cars as drivers tried to speed through the roundabout as the barriers were coming down, he said.
This also damaged the fibreglass barrier arms, he said.
Two weeks ago a train had to stop because a car didn't make it across the tracks in time, Mr Brown said.
"It was very close."
His message is clear: "When the bells go, and the barrier arms come down, stop."
Mr Brown, a district councillor on the Marlborough branch of the New Zealand Automobile Association (AA), had talked to AA district manager Kelson Swete about the problem.
The pair were determined to raise awareness during Rail Safety Week this week, he said.
Mr Swete said the AA was becoming more concerned about reports of motorists ignoring signals.
"There's no place for impatience, bad judgments or mistakes because trains can't stop quickly. If you get stuck on the lines, a train driver is unlikely to be able to avoid hitting you," Mr Swete said.
"Remind yourself to be cautious and pay extra attention whenever you're approaching the Main St roundabout.
"It's a busy area that needs your full attention," he said. "A bad decision or lapse of concentration could be catastrophic."
KiwiRail communications manager Nigel Parry said poor driving at the roundabout was a concern.
The organisation was working hard on increasing education.
Offending drivers can be fined up to $20,000.
- The Marlborough Express
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Come on people its blemheim, Hustle and bustle, go go go, a town that doesnt sleep, we havn't got time to wait for lights and barriers! Dont you realise it takes 5 mins!! to drive from one side of town to the other.
Darwin always wins in the end.
Nothing wrong with the track thru the roundabout...it's the stupid nut behind the cars steering wheel that are the cause of the accidents. I suggest the fibre glass poles are replaced with solid steel and iron curtaining hangiing down to ground level plus cameras installed nearby to catch the stupid drivers who then can be fined (if still alive) and points or disqualification applyed to the drivers....lets not muck about, make the stupid car drivers pay for repairing the arms and compensation for the train drivers also.
We all know the dangers of railway crossings. I think they should stick up a camera to take photo's of those who try to beat it, the track them down and lock em up in the looney assylum, because they are clearly suicidal.
one of the dumbest and most embarrassing things ever in this world.
i'm from blenhiem, now living in wellington, all my colleagues know i'm from their and they constantly mock the stupidity of a railway through the main round-a-bout.
seriously who came up with that idea?
we teach slow down and check both ways before going over the tracks change to a lower gear if its manual, dont trust the lights bells and whistles etc, because they are man made and as we all know machines fail at will, a lot of motorists will never figure the roundabouts out and, and barrel on through, they are just a give way with a lump in the middle, you dont use gas to turn corners, so why do it through a roundabout, drivers who dont understand how they work go through as quick as they can to get it over with and to hell with the rest of us
What do you expect? Blenheimers struggle enough with the concept of how a roundabout works, without putting a railway crossing in the middle of the busiest one in town. That Kiwirail guy may well be concerned at driving standards there, but I wouldn't think they were any worse than any other part of town.....
I agree with Mr Brown, I have been at this round-a-bout a couple of times this week, where I have seen cars speed across the railway crossing even though the lights and bells are going. It does take a while for the barrier arms to drop once the bells and lights are activated, but I am appalled that one day I may have to jump out of my car and use my first aid skills on some idiot who thought they could beat the train!!
Car v Train. Train will win. What is so hard to understand?????
It happens on the Wellington Lines too. The gobsmacking stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me.