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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2011 18:53:20 GMT
There is clearly an issue with driver training for Double Deckers buses as the frequency in which double decker buses are being driven under low bridges is alarmingly high. Something needs to done drivers just do not seem to be paing attention. I suspect a part of it they probably normally driver single deckers but this should not be an excuse this time is was a school bus The roof of the double-decker bus was ripped off on Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield, at about 0835 GMT
In addition to better driver training maybe its needs to looked at at putting a system in that warns the driver that he is approach a low brifge that the bus will not go under. LU on the underground use a simple mercury switch to prevent Met & Circle line trains from entering tube tunnels. If the train does it breaks the mercury switch and the train is stopped. If must be possible to come up with a system for buses. It could be an IR or UV beamacross the road. If a bus breaks the beam it sets of an alarm say in the drivers cab or perhaps simpler there are traffic light installed and if the beam is broken the lights go to red
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Post by vjaska on Mar 16, 2011 0:15:08 GMT
There is clearly an issue with driver training for Double Deckers buses as the frequency in which double decker buses are being driven under low bridges is alarmingly high. Something needs to done drivers just do not seem to be paing attention. I suspect a part of it they probably normally driver single deckers but this should not be an excuse this time is was a school bus The roof of the double-decker bus was ripped off on Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield, at about 0835 GMT In addition to better driver training maybe its needs to looked at at putting a system in that warns the driver that he is approach a low brifge that the bus will not go under. LU on the underground use a simple mercury switch to prevent Met & Circle line trains from entering tube tunnels. If the train does it breaks the mercury switch and the train is stopped. If must be possible to come up with a system for buses. It could be an IR or UV beamacross the road. If a bus breaks the beam it sets of an alarm say in the drivers cab or perhaps simpler there are traffic light installed and if the beam is broken the lights go to red Firstly, I think your exaggerating the frequency of de-roofed vehicles as it will happen with or without technology. Secondly, I-Bus warns off low bridges on the approach to one, good example of this is on the 197 at the notorious Portland Road bridge where it will alert the driver not to drive under it, hence why the 197 uses Manor Road and Sunny Bank to bypass it. Before I-Bus was fitted, Metrobus had a device fitted to all their deckers that would of any low bridge in the South East region, ideal for railway replacement work in places like Brighton and Canterbury, etc. |
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Post by eggmiester on Mar 16, 2011 0:53:56 GMT
There is clearly an issue with driver training for Double Deckers buses as the frequency in which double decker buses are being driven under low bridges is alarmingly high. Something needs to done drivers just do not seem to be paing attention. I suspect a part of it they probably normally driver single deckers but this should not be an excuse this time is was a school bus The roof of the double-decker bus was ripped off on Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield, at about 0835 GMT In addition to better driver training maybe its needs to looked at at putting a system in that warns the driver that he is approach a low brifge that the bus will not go under. LU on the underground use a simple mercury switch to prevent Met & Circle line trains from entering tube tunnels. If the train does it breaks the mercury switch and the train is stopped. If must be possible to come up with a system for buses. It could be an IR or UV beamacross the road. If a bus breaks the beam it sets of an alarm say in the drivers cab or perhaps simpler there are traffic light installed and if the beam is broken the lights go to red Firstly, I think your exaggerating the frequency of de-roofed vehicles as it will happen with or without technology. Secondly, I-Bus warns off low bridges on the approach to one, good example of this is on the 197 at the notorious Portland Road bridge where it will alert the driver not to drive under it, hence why the 197 uses Manor Road and Sunny Bank to bypass it. Before I-Bus was fitted, Metrobus had a device fitted to all their deckers that would of any low bridge in the South East region, ideal for railway replacement work in places like Brighton and Canterbury, etc. Pretty much hit the nail on the head there, Ibus has a Bridge Warning system in place that is GPS based and still works well outside of the initial Greater London area, as i have had it go off as far afield as Faversham on Rail Replacement. Metrobus's vehicles had a system called Bridgeclear, very similer to that employed on a Sat-Nav. This system was integrated into the CCTV system, i beleive they still fit this on new/refurb vehicles in addition to having the Ibus warning on TFL spec buses. Outside of this companies can employ specialist Sat-Nav applications that warn of low bridges and other hazards etc. As for roadside equipment, many notorious low bridges have variable message signs that are triggered by height sensors on the side of the road. Once triggered a message on an approaching sign will flash something like 'OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE - DIVERT NOW'. Usually such signs will be placed near a turning where an alternative route can be taken to avoid the Low Bridge. Such bridges i know of that employ such a system are at Orpington Station - Crofton Road, and Southend Lane, Lower Sydenham. Theres many more around london. But i think to get such equipment fitted to a site it must have had suffered X amount of bridge strikes! |
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Post by vjaska on Mar 16, 2011 3:07:34 GMT
Firstly, I think your exaggerating the frequency of de-roofed vehicles as it will happen with or without technology. Secondly, I-Bus warns off low bridges on the approach to one, good example of this is on the 197 at the notorious Portland Road bridge where it will alert the driver not to drive under it, hence why the 197 uses Manor Road and Sunny Bank to bypass it. Before I-Bus was fitted, Metrobus had a device fitted to all their deckers that would of any low bridge in the South East region, ideal for railway replacement work in places like Brighton and Canterbury, etc. Such bridges i know of that employ such a system are at Orpington Station - Crofton Road, and Southend Lane, Lower Sydenham. Theres many more around london. But i think to get such equipment fitted to a site it must have had suffered X amount of bridge strikes That must be why bridges such as Tulse Hill, Thurlow Park Road & Brixton, Coldharbour Lane (junction with Atlantic Road) don't have these devices in place. I've only ever heard of one bus being de-roofed at Thurlow Park Road and none at Coldharbour Lane. Thanks 'eggmeister'  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2011 8:45:36 GMT
Such bridges i know of that employ such a system are at Orpington Station - Crofton Road, and Southend Lane, Lower Sydenham. Theres many more around london. But i think to get such equipment fitted to a site it must have had suffered X amount of bridge strikes That must be why bridges such as Tulse Hill, Thurlow Park Road & Brixton, Coldharbour Lane (junction with Atlantic Road) don't have these devices in place. I've only ever heard of one bus being de-roofed at Thurlow Park Road and none at Coldharbour Lane. Thanks 'eggmeister' Thurlow Park Road does have such a system in place in the westbound direction before Lancaster Avenue, where overheight traffic is also diverted through. Bear in mind though that this is some distance from the bridge itself. The eastbound direction is very close to the Tulse Hill junction so road signs warn of height restriction and offer diverted route before you reach the junction. |
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Post by slr on Mar 16, 2011 9:14:52 GMT
Firstly, I think your exaggerating the frequency of de-roofed vehicles as it will happen with or without technology. Secondly, I-Bus warns off low bridges on the approach to one, good example of this is on the 197 at the notorious Portland Road bridge where it will alert the driver not to drive under it, hence why the 197 uses Manor Road and Sunny Bank to bypass it. Before I-Bus was fitted, Metrobus had a device fitted to all their deckers that would of any low bridge in the South East region, ideal for railway replacement work in places like Brighton and Canterbury, etc. Pretty much hit the nail on the head there, Ibus has a Bridge Warning system in place that is GPS based and still works well outside of the initial Greater London area, as i have had it go off as far afield as Faversham on Rail Replacement. Metrobus's vehicles had a system called Bridgeclear, very similer to that employed on a Sat-Nav. This system was integrated into the CCTV system, i beleive they still fit this on new/refurb vehicles in addition to having the Ibus warning on TFL spec buses. Outside of this companies can employ specialist Sat-Nav applications that warn of low bridges and other hazards etc. As for roadside equipment, many notorious low bridges have variable message signs that are triggered by height sensors on the side of the road. Once triggered a message on an approaching sign will flash something like 'OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE - DIVERT NOW'. Usually such signs will be placed near a turning where an alternative route can be taken to avoid the Low Bridge. Such bridges i know of that employ such a system are at Orpington Station - Crofton Road, and Southend Lane, Lower Sydenham. Theres many more around london. But i think to get such equipment fitted to a site it must have had suffered X amount of bridge strikes! On the company intranet there is a list of all the low bridges on the ibus system and it does cover quite far out places where you would never expect a london bus! |
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Post by eggmiester on Mar 16, 2011 13:41:51 GMT
That could be related to the fact that theres now an Ibus login available for Rail Replacements and Commercial (non tfl) routes that operators can use. Known as a ZZ route, this enable's easier contact between drivers and controllers alike as all the GPS, radio and SMS features will be active.
In addition Drivers get full use of all the PA messages, the 'Bus Stopping' signs on the Ibus displays will work, basically they get full functionality but without stop by stop announcements.
For controllers they have a ability to keep track of all vehicles logged into that service, they can broadcast messages to that specific service and contact individual buses etc etc.
For engineers, it enables them to test the ibus system etc. without having to unofficially log into an actual route.
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Post by John tuthill on Mar 16, 2011 14:02:56 GMT
Such bridges i know of that employ such a system are at Orpington Station - Crofton Road, and Southend Lane, Lower Sydenham. There's many more around London. But i think to get such equipment fitted to a site it must have had suffered X amount of bridge strikes That must be why bridges such as Tulse Hill, Thurlow Park Road & Brixton, Coldharbour Lane (junction with Atlantic Road) don't have these devices in place. I've only ever heard of one bus being de-roofed at Thurlow Park Road and none at Coldharbour Lane. Thanks 'eggmeister' The Atlantic road/Coldhabour lane junction, no buses SHOULD be using Coldhabour lane at this point. At the junction with Gresham Road, there is a high restriction sign, all the routes, 35, 45& 345 all turn right into Gresham Road. |
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Post by vjaska on Mar 16, 2011 15:38:18 GMT
That must be why bridges such as Tulse Hill, Thurlow Park Road & Brixton, Coldharbour Lane (junction with Atlantic Road) don't have these devices in place. I've only ever heard of one bus being de-roofed at Thurlow Park Road and none at Coldharbour Lane. Thanks 'eggmeister' The Atlantic road/Coldhabour lane junction, no buses SHOULD be using Coldhabour lane at this point. At the junction with Gresham Road, there is a high restriction sign, all the routes, 35, 45& 345 all turn right into Gresham Road. Obviously I know that having lived in Brixton for 19 years and used the 35, 45 & 345 millionjs of times but it can happen and nearly did many years ago. I heard a 45 turned down there but managed to turn back after reliasing his mistake. |
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Post by John tuthill on Mar 17, 2011 8:30:59 GMT
The Atlantic road/Coldhabour lane junction, no buses SHOULD be using Coldhabour lane at this point. At the junction with Gresham Road, there is a high restriction sign, all the routes, 35, 45& 345 all turn right into Gresham Road. Obviously I know that having lived in Brixton for 19 years and used the 35, 45 & 345 million's of times but it can happen and nearly did many years ago. I heard a 45 turned down there but managed to turn back after realiasing his mistake. I remember that, I was stuck behind him. Everyone coming towards him was flashing him, he got to Somerleyton Road before he re aliased his mistake!!(P.S. I lived in Landor Road for 35 years, never saw anything stuck under that bridge ) |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2011 9:58:28 GMT
There is clearly an issue with driver training for Double Deckers buses as the frequency in which double decker buses are being driven under low bridges is alarmingly high. Something needs to done drivers just do not seem to be paing attention. I suspect a part of it they probably normally driver single deckers but this should not be an excuse this time is was a school bus The roof of the double-decker bus was ripped off on Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield, at about 0835 GMT In addition to better driver training maybe its needs to looked at at putting a system in that warns the driver that he is approach a low brifge that the bus will not go under. LU on the underground use a simple mercury switch to prevent Met & Circle line trains from entering tube tunnels. If the train does it breaks the mercury switch and the train is stopped. If must be possible to come up with a system for buses. It could be an IR or UV beamacross the road. If a bus breaks the beam it sets of an alarm say in the drivers cab or perhaps simpler there are traffic light installed and if the beam is broken the lights go to red Firstly, I think your exaggerating the frequency of de-roofed vehicles as it will happen with or without technology. Secondly, I-Bus warns off low bridges on the approach to one, good example of this is on the 197 at the notorious Portland Road bridge where it will alert the driver not to drive under it, hence why the 197 uses Manor Road and Sunny Bank to bypass it. Before I-Bus was fitted, Metrobus had a device fitted to all their deckers that would of any low bridge in the South East region, ideal for railway replacement work in places like Brighton and Canterbury, etc. It is not that rare for double deckers to be de roofed. It is something that should almost never happen & in almost all cases is down to driver error. They ignore the warning signs as I dont know of any low bridges that are not clearly marked. It probably occurs more outside of London & the major cities. I suspect because drivers are not used to driver DD and forget they are driving one so ignore the warning signs It probably needs a UK wide electronic system to warn drivers electonically that they are approaching a low bridge that their vehicle will not go under |
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