European Railroad Discussion > TGV nearly takes out bike race peleton

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8976434

These bike riders are a bit lucky.I didnt think there would be any crossings at grade where the TGV operated.
Regards,DK

In general, new high speed lines are built without grade crossings, but the TGV and other country's high speed trains also operate on 'classic' lines beyond the limits of the new lines where grade crossings still exist.
John McIvor
http://svsfilm.com

 

Idiots all. Each rider has a number on his back. It shouldn't be too difficult to identify the law breakers (and that's what they are) and fine them. This could have ended very badly.

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>  .
> This could have ended very badly.

I agree,Most definately.At the very least,the organisers of this race should have co-ordinated the race with the railroad timetables.Sheer stupidity.
I wouldnt be surprised if the railroads in france take this incident  a little further.
Regards,DK

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Idiots all. Each rider has a number on his back.
> It shouldn't be too difficult to identify the law
> breakers (and that's what they are) and fine them.
> This could have ended very badly.

Take a look around at your local bike riders.
They don't stay in their lane, stop at stop signs or even red lights half the time.
So this is nothing new...

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> andersonb109 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Idiots all. Each rider has a number on his
> back.
> > It shouldn't be too difficult to identify the
> law
> > breakers (and that's what they are) and fine
> them.
> > This could have ended very badly.
>
> Take a look around at your local bike riders.
> They don't stay in their lane, stop at stop signs
> or even red lights half the time.
> So this is nothing new...

"I'm a bike,"  now "I'm a car," now "I'm a pedestrian,"  as is convenient for the moment. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/15 20:31 by norm1153.

To the issue of TGVs or any other high speed train running outside the high speed lines: only on Japan Shinkansen and all maglevs high speed trains run on separate routes from normal train routes. This is a typical misconcept. The idea is just the opposite: you build the trains so that they can benefit from super high speed lines, but at the same time you carefully make sure that they are compatible with any other parts of the system.

A couple of pictures very much outside the high speed territory. These are from Nissan and Nice in Cote de Azur, France.

---

---

---

This story sounds just ridiculous. Before the barriers came down there would have been a red light, probably flashing, for some time to enable any road traffic to stop well before the descent of the barriers. I presume that if a major cycle race was organised, the various obstacles and hazards en route were recognised and planned for. What were the cyclists epexcting when they came up to a level crossing? If they had been led to believe that the normal rules did not apply, then that is a major burden on the people who planned the race. If, on the other hand, they were told to obey all normal road sgnals, then the errant cyclists have only themselves to blame. UK news reports that the cyclists said that they didn't have time to stop sound like complete garbage unless there was a failure of the red light warning system.

It all smacks of cyclist grandiosity to me!

spflow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It all smacks of cyclist grandiosity to me!

Indeed! From the noble publication Pearls Before Swine: 

---

Torisgod Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> spflow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It all smacks of cyclist grandiosity to me!
>
> Indeed! From the noble publication Pearls Before
> Swine: 

A favourite theme of mine, not just relevant to cycling, is how every activity these days cannot be undertaken without the addition of a huge amount of specialised kit and gadgetry, to say nothing of the correct clothing!

When I was a kid we would spend all our time just watching trains, or going for bike rides, in our ordinary clothes (usually including a school blazer). I don't think I had a single accessory for my old bike until I stopped riding (on account of the risks from London traffic) when in my early 40s. I shudder to think of what the carbon footprint is of today's boy racer cyclists - it can't possibly be environmentally friendly.

What happend to the old bone-shaker?

The hosts of Top Gear UK often poked fun at cycling and even made several hilarious mock safety videos for cycling. ...great laugh!

Posted from Android