The Bristol Railway Archive

See 1:54 on this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... ZmJtYaUTa0#!

I wonder if Network Rail have seen that?

Whilst my views on "needless" Health & Safety concerns should by now be well-known around here ( ) this bloke IMHO comes well into the category of a "bleedin' idiot"

One false move up there, falling off either way (but especially rail side) runs the risk of him having his half a day out with the undertaker a bit earlier than planned.

Clearly a paling fence is required .....

Yes, unbelievably stupid. But there seems to be a form of adrenalin released into certain cyclists' bloodstream that makes them feel they are invincible.

Of more concern, if he'd gone off rail-side, think of the delay minutes he would have incurred!

I was caught up in the carnage from that tipper lorry falling over, I could not
for the life of me understand how he managed that. If it turns out he was distracted by a cyclist flying above his cab into his eyeline, it all becomes clear.

I can only think that these people have a death wish. There again, I've got to nearly seventy by being sensible and over-cautious. And thoroughly boring as well, I expect.

But, having said all that .....

..... isn't there something being proved here that we've all been missing? Which is, that you can have all the Health & Safety stupidity you like, but it doesn't stop idiots being idiots. Let me expand on that:

Once upon a time in 1840 or so a railway was built through Sydney Gardens. Part of the specification was a low wall to separate the railway from the park. For 170+ years it stood there quite happily, then some retard or collection of retards in Network Rail or the H&S Executive or whoever it was decided that it was dangerous, so they put up a fence which can easily be scaled by somebody who wants to find out first hand whether there's life after death.

Question - how many people have gone over that wall in 170+ years and got killed and, of them, how many of them did it "by accident"?

Once upon a time, even in the UK where we have always been more keen than in most countries about fencing off railways, a post and wire fence used to be quite sufficient, together with cast iron notices at regular intervals threatening people with a fine of not exceeding forty shillings if they got themselves the wrong side of it. Then along came the jobsworths and decided that all that was dangerous, and now we've got 2 metre high fencing along much of it, together with spikes on top.

Just as an aside, last night I was watching a DVD - a Eurostar driver's eye view of the line between Brussels and St Pancras. Much of it is cleared for 300kph running. There is virtually no lineside fencing through Belgium, it is intermittent through France and only a metre or so high when it is there, but what do you think you see when you pass Folkestone and go on towards London? Yes, you've guessed it - high fencing all the way. Do you think that we have more bleedin' idots in the UK than they do in France and Belgium?

Question - how many people since 1825 have been killed whilst trepassing on the railway and, of them, how many didn't know they weren't supposed to be there?

We've now taken to fencing off platform ends in case some berk ends up on the track by walking off the end of one. I don't know about you but, when I get off a train at a station with which I am unfamiliar, I look for the "Way Out" notices. Even if you were blind, I'd hazard a guess that you would ask somebody where the exit was. And for those who are sighted, I would suggest that the "No pasengers past this point" sign would be something of a give-away ...

Question - just how many people have been killed by walking off a platform end because they thought it was the way out, or at the very least didn't know they weren't supposed to do it?

Question - How many people have fallen of the Clifton Suspension Bridge "by accident?"

Question - how many sane people are likely to try to ride a bike over Bath Road bridge in this way, but what do you think that Network Rail and the H&S Nazis are likely to do once this video comes to their attention?

And the final point - who the hell is paying for all this H&S nonsense? We all are. As part of our fare if we use the railways, as part of our taxes through subsidies if we don't. And how many lives does it all save? And how many nutters with a death wish does it stop?

I depair sometimes.

Question - how many sane people are likely to try to ride a bike over Bath Road bridge in this way, but what do you think that Network Rail and the H&S Nazis are likely to do once this video comes to their attention?

What alarms me is the fact that a lot of other idiots were posting in response to the video as to "What a fab bike rider he is!"

Idiots. Idiots. Idiots. The guy is utterly irresponsible in giving completely the *wrong* message to his brethren. And what he did was such a dangerous act, I am considering making NR aware of his antics myself. Rather than be lauded as some sort of urban hero bike rider, I believe he should be prosecuted, or at the very least, receive a very, very stern talking to ...

Anything to mitigate the chance of delay on my regular journies to Taunton

jules wrote:What alarms me is the fact that a lot of other idiots were posting in response to the video as to "What a fab bike rider he is!"

Idiots. Idiots. Idiots. The guy is utterly irresponsible in giving completely the *wrong* message to his brethren. And what he did was such a dangerous act, I am considering making NR aware of his antics myself. Rather than be lauded as some sort of urban hero bike rider, I believe he should be prosecuted, or at the very least, receive a very, very stern talking to ...

I think there are two separate points here. Having watched the video, it is clear that he does indeed have an impressive mastery of his bike. But there is a time and a place for everything, and demonstrating his bike riding prowess over Bath Road bridge in this way is about as appropriate as showing off a V2 rocket in Whitehall on Remembrance Sunday.

Secondly, as regards reporting him, this is an open railway forum where a lot of serving and former railwaymen participate. If Network Rail weren't aware of this beforehand, I am sure that they are now since you posted the link to the video and we started nattering about it

about as appropriate as showing off a V2 rocket in Whitehall on Remembrance Sunday

Always rely on Robin for the most suitable anecdote

as regards reporting him, this is an open railway forum where a lot of serving and former railwaymen participate. If Network Rail weren't aware of this beforehand, I am sure that they are now

Indeed. There are relevant people I know who browse in here but don't necessarily comment and I am sure they will be saving me the trouble of making the appropriate notifications

...and for another example of cycling stupidity, take a look at this...

http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/ ... ?cmpid=cmt

Apart from the actual video content, the reaction of the first commentator is not too brilliant either.

railwest wrote:...and for another example of cycling stupidity, take a look at this...

http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/ ... ?cmpid=cmt

Apart from the actual video content, the reaction of the first commentator is not too brillonat either.

This article, to me at least, epitomises all that is wrong with the Health & Safety culture in the UK. Let us step back a bit and examine what is actually going on here, looking at the wider picture.

In my view, the people in question are being daft. I would not call it "sheer stupidity" as the reporter did in the article, but a bit lower down the scale. That's why I chose the word daft. I might go as far as describing the father as an idiot for taking his son along there, but I wouldn't go any further.

Before I go on, I have an admission to make. As a mere 13-year-old in 1965, I did exactly what they are shown doing. I did it over Royate Hill viaduct, about 3 weeks after the line closed. Some bloke in a garden below yelled at me, telling me how dangerous it was - I shouted back down telling him the line had closed. He wasn't happy with that response - adults in 1965 didn't like being put right by kids any more than they do today, but I digress

But let's say for sake of argument that BR had decided to run one last train down there when I was riding my bike along the track (its bloody uncomfortable riding a bike over sleepers, by the way, so I wouldn't recommend it for that reason alone!) What would I have done?

I would have seen and/or heard the train coming. The rails would have rung even if I hadn't seen or heard the train itself. The driver would have seen me when he got close enough and crowed on the whistle long enough to possibly wake some of the occupants of Greenbank cemetery.

And I would have got out of the way - probably, as a kid, going as fast as my little legs would have carried me to save myself from being "caught."

Now lets translate this into the situation at the WSR. We are of course not talking about a high speed line. Notice, if you will, the 5mph speed restriction over the crossing in the video, and remember that the maximum line speed in 25mph. Also notice that there is plenty of room to get off the track especially on the right of the video clip.

So, Dafto and his son are riding their bikes along the track when they see or hear a train coming. Are they going to stay on the track? The hell they are. They are going to get off it and there is plently of refuge space on each side of the line.

Let me make it abundantly clear that I am not condoning what they did, but it needs to be seen in context, and not in the light of the H&S paranoia that the comments on the video are full of. For example:

driverjock wrote: limit is 10 mph in the direction from which the train is coming from, ie. behind the idiots' backs, the speed is not relevant it's still trespass and despite the low speed it will still kill you

Of course the speed is relevant, as is the fact that anybody with an ounce of sense would be off the track the second they realised they were not alone on it.

dcg12b wrote: And yet if they had been hit by the train, they would have happily put the blame on the driver, ignoring the fact they were trespassing.

Rather a leap into conjecture here I would suggest, and typical of the H&S paranoia that I so often complain about. I would respectfully suggest that, if they had been hit by a train, they'd be in no position to blame anybody. And even if they did survive, I can hardly see a compensation award coming their way given the circumstances.

Even the bloke in the comments section who seems to agree with my views (and he's called an idiot there so I know what I've got coming on here ) goes on to suggest that the WSR ought to be doing something about it:

Dajafman wrote: Perhaps if the railway spent more money on safety there wouldn't be such issues

No chum - idiots will be idiots no matter how much you spend to stop them being idiots - its in the blood you see .....

As I said above, I in no way condone what they did. Perhaps Plod should have a word with them, and perhaps a court case might not go amiss, if only to show the lad that his father is not the all-knowing super-being he might think he is. But let's keep it all in persepctive.

The likes of comedy performers are DAFT.

Riding a bicycle along a working railway is STUPID and most likely against some railway bye-law.

I am surprised the previous poster doesn't seem too concerned.

I believe that the WSR has had a number of problems in the past with walkers and dogs on the tracks.......

They clearly don't need pillocks like Daddy and Son!

So, Dafto and his son are riding their bikes along the track when they see or hear a train coming. Are they going to stay on the track? The hell they are. They are going to get off it and there is plently of refuge space on each side of the line.

That might be true, but the problem is when they don't see or hear it coming - such as when they are wearing headphones and listening to loud music. Even stupider I know, but not inconceivable with these people ... you really can't rely on them to use an ounce of common sense. And then, if the driver or fireman doesn't spot them, no matter what speed they are going, you have all the ingredients for a life-threatening incident.

The fact is, it is against the LAW to trespass on any railway and one can't really pick and choose which laws to obey or disregard.

I believe that the WSR has had a number of problems in the past with walkers and dogs on the tracks......

And some years ago, a woman riding a horse on the Lydeard to Norton section. She actually complained at the crew for driving a train down there, as she told them very firmly that the line was closed! Then she complained that her horse had been frightened by the blowing of the horn ...

This one is going to rumble on a bit I feel.
The only people on or about the railway lines should be people who are trained to be there and need to be there. Imagine if you hear train approaching, you panic and try to jump clear but oops you get foot stuck under rail. Trains are heavy and particularly on steam trains there are delays in brakes acting and stopping train. The tracks may be damp and this is/may be first line run of day so light coating of rust. (rust and moisture slippier than grease)oh and what about leaves (remember the old leaves on track one) ie dramaticaly extended breaking distance. have you stood on wet sleepers.
The cyclist is prety good at what he does but when the mainline is electrified there wil still probably be wires extending under bridge, gust of wind, oops , zzzzzzzzaaaap.
Anyway , what Dajafman was saying , put more fencing everywhere, this has been done bathampton to bath butpeople are still gaining access somehow and graffitying so that worked well then.