Corporation Street Manchester: The bollards that take no prisoners!1

[Thmsshaun]

Works for me - I must be special

Yay its back again now. Must have been the magic touch Pammy

 

[Dryce]

Thats what im thinking at the moment.Did anyone see the van driver at the end whose passenger isn't wearing a seat belt? His head broke the windscreen

Scary.

There's a DFT publication at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/pdf/dft_roads_pdf_504750.pdf

Note page 5 under safety considerations:

Whilst most applications will be to enable the passage of one vehicle at a time, there will be instances where two or more vehicles attempt to pass through in close succession. The system should ensure that bollards cannot rise beneath a vehicle because of the danger this would create. It is better to risk a certain amount of violation by "tailgating" vehicles, rather that put road users at risk.

Any system, however well designed, will fail to operate correctly on occasions. The system should fail to a safe state, ideally with the bollards retracted. In the event if an accident the emergency services may need to override the control system and retract the bollards.

While the drivers clearly are in the wrong for attempting to tailgate the bollards filmed are dangerous. The 4x4 appears to have its airbag triggered, the woman in the small hatch looks like she hits the steering wheel (should have put her seatbelt on!), and the van driver breaks the windscreen with his head.

I would suggest that the bollards shown contravene the Dft's recommendations.

 

[Diapason]

Quote....

Should be wearing a seatbelt then ......

I do , i'm sure you do too ......

Who was it that said the most effective airbag would be a large sharp metal spike, in the middle of the steering wheel , wait and see how carefully people drive with one of them fitted .....

I understand that it was Jeremy Clarkson who said that. Bollards like these are popping up (forgive the pun!) around the country at the entrances to pedestrianised zones. It's sad that a good amount of our money needs to be spent putting these up (sorry - another pun!) as people should be able to obey the signs, but since apparently they can't any more - as shown on on the video - it's necessary to spend our council tax money on these measures to prevent violation. Like you Howard, I really have very little sympathy with those who simply cannot obey the rules. I imagine they'll think twice before trying this trick again.

 

[Diapason]

I know what you mean but.....

I honestly don't know if that's hilarious or dreadful Not very forgiving are they? I know the drivers shouldn't be trying to get through - but the damage and level of risk is a tad extreme I think.

Pammy, I understand what you mean, but it's worth just thinking what a motorist who deliberately drives through the signs - and into what is a pedestrian zone - could do to a young child. Maybe that would be a tad extreme too

 

[MartAD]

Pammy, I understand what you mean, but it's worth just thinking what a motorist who deliberately drives through the signs - and into what is a pedestrian zone - could do to a young child. Maybe that would be a tad extreme too

Unlike the acutely aware Bus drivers and Postmen? Surely if its a 'pedestrian zone' it should be just that.

Why don't they just enlist some snipers with high-powered rifles and be done with it.

Whats next? ~ Land mines on double yellow lines?

 

[aceg3905]

Thats what im thinking at the moment.Did anyone see the van driver at the end whose passenger isn't wearing a seat belt? His head broke the windscreen

no seatbelt means he got what he deserves....... you know its got to the point that with so many people taking the michael when it comes to bus lanes etc... that doing this is the only way people will understand that you cant keep breaking the law.

myself my driving takes me to may city centres, and many problems with loading however people will never understand why I dont go done pedestrian areas during the non advertised hours, its simply the fact i respect laws and also have to pay for all tickets / infractions myself.

 

[aceg3905]

I understand that it was Jeremy Clarkson who said that. Bollards like these are popping up (forgive the pun!) around the country at the entrances to pedestrianised zones. It's sad that a good amount of our money needs to be spent putting these up (sorry - another pun!) as people should be able to obey the signs, but since apparently they can't any more - as shown on on the video - it's necessary to spend our council tax money on these measures to prevent violation. Like you Howard, I really have very little sympathy with those who simply cannot obey the rules. I imagine they'll think twice before trying this trick again.

here here !!

 

[guydewdney]

but as its not a requirement to be able to read english any more, a sign saying "busses only" or "authorised vehicles only" isnt much use / warning to an uninsured, non-taxpaying illegal immigrant is it?

Tongue removed from cheek...

 

[Swiss Toni]

This MUST be challengable on Human Rights grounds - the risk of injury to the occupants is not likely to be seen as proportionate to the offence committed.

I'd go so far as to say that it is so obviously disproportionate, running a car over it and taking the damage/injury might be lucrative for anyone prepared to sue the authority? (particularly when you showed that the authority was aware of previous injuries caused at the same location...)

I'd be interested to see where the DoT / RTR have authorised the use of this device (I looked and can't find anything?).

Tis Funny though

 

[BTB 500]

As far as I can see anyone "innocently" going through would be travelling a lot slower. The ones really coming to grief KNOW they're not meant to be doing it - they're trying to get through fast before the bollards come up again.

I walk past a 'no right turn' junction onto a main road every day, and every day I see at least one car or van deliberately ignore it. Ditto a road that is buses and taxis only ... and there's a steady stream of private cars going down it every day (well there was - it's closed for roadworks at the moment).

Years ago I watched a car have the sump pan ripped off trying to tailgate out of a carpark that had metal 'wedges' in the road surface at the exit (similar idea to the bollards). Hilarious, and totally deserved IMO

 

[Flash]

That video is just quality – once at a very busy multi storey car park (I cannot say the location) I had some how lost my ticket (which I paid for shortly before hand from the automated machine on one of the floors where the car was parked). I admit that it was not a clever thing to do and very silly but as soon as the car in front had cleared the raised barrier that raises up (not bollard) I floored my car and cleared it without any contact being made.

 

[nick mercedes]

LOL excellent !!!

Really stops them dead doesn't it !!

How they test them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuXjuIHSdZY

 

[Thmsshaun]

How they test them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuXjuIHSdZY

Wow. The truck must have been doing a good speed. it destroys it.

 

[guydewdney]

jeez... not messin' with one of those then..

Theres a fixed one next to a mates' work - on a roundabout. theres a crash every week - as several GPS systems have yet to catch up, and the drivers dont look....

 

[pammy]

How they test them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuXjuIHSdZY

Jeez - difficult to see how a driver/passenger could walk away from that! Though to be fair - if bollard are up, the chances of anything going into them has to be massively reduced as they can be seen! It's a diff story when the pop up at you

 

[BTB 500]

Got to remember that in the original video posted here there's a big LED illuminated 'no entry' sign each side of the bollards. People who deliberately ignore those deserve what they get IMO - they'd presumably take a short cut the wrong way down a one-way street if they thought they'd get away with it.

 

[Shude]

That truck and bollard clip is from Fifth Gear, it was amazing to watch!

Earlier on that show had a clip of a truck hitting a secure, motorised gate and rather than crash through it like Hollywood would show the truck was destroyed, the driver would not have survived!

 

[Howard]

How they test them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuXjuIHSdZY

Doh Ray Me !!!!!

And it still works and retracts after the impact !!

It must have foundations stretching for 10 feet in every direction ....

 

[Satch]

Scary.


I would suggest that the bollards shown contravene the Dft's recommendations.

They do and very clearly. I reckon a good number of those impaled, rightly or wrongly, could mount personal injury claims.

Manchester Evening News carried this a few days before the video was posted:

Thursday's victim, Natalie Kelly, 35, who suffers from spina bifida, said she was in the city centre with her disabled mother and daughter Annie on a shopping and was struggling for somewhere to park. She was outside Marks & Spencer in her Toyota Starlet when she saw a free spot in the disabled bay on the other side of the bollards.

She then followed a bus through - only for the posts to impale the front of her car. "I'd actually had second thoughts about going in and stopped to use the intercom there to make sure that it was all right" said Natalie. "But then I heard this massive bang and knew right away what had happened.

 

[Howard]

They do and very clearly. I reckon a good number of those impaled, rightly or wrongly, could mount personal injury claims.

Manchester Evening News carried this a few days before the video was posted:

Thursday's victim, Natalie Kelly, 35, who suffers from spina bifida, said she was in the city centre with her disabled mother and daughter Annie on a shopping and was struggling for somewhere to park. She was outside Marks & Spencer in her Toyota Starlet when she saw a free spot in the disabled bay on the other side of the bollards.

She then followed a bus through - only for the posts to impale the front of her car. "I'd actually had second thoughts about going in and stopped to use the intercom there to make sure that it was all right" said Natalie. "But then I heard this massive bang and knew right away what had happened.

Whenever someone has a crash or an accident , and they want to have a claim against someone, they always make out that they are hard done by or disabled ....

So on that basis , that i wear glasses and once had to visit an osteopath , i am going to claim against Richmond council for when i kerbed my wheel and then i shall go to the local paper ...

Partially sighted , disabled man Howard , kerbed his wheel the other day, he said :-

'I was struggling to drive my car round the corner because of my poor eyesight and I had my father with me who once tripped over and bumped his head and now is brain damaged when we clipped the kerb which triggered my back pain again , so i can't possibly work for the next 45 years , so i would like a million pounds please '

She knew she was in the wrong and has obviously got in touch with InjuryLawyers4U ... no sympathy from me i'm afraid , spina bifida or not ....

All these people know what they are doing , and are just trying to weasel out of the consequences, i bet if the local news hadn't done a piece , they would just be getting on with their lives , repairing their cars and be done with it ..... bloody media .....