ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[robdrimmie]

[Bob_McBob]

Is it really that hard to see two giant illuminated "no right turn" signs?

[ac3r]

Another one for the /r/Kitchener collision counter. We nearly hit 50 days, too!

[KevinL]

Was on a train the other day passing that spot; a van turning into the Full Circle lot went in just before the train. Our operator laid on the horn at them.

[bgb_ca]

Is it really that hard to see two giant illuminated "no right turn" signs?

Apparently. Maybe they need to be bigger and brighter? Or maybe the person can quit looking at their cell phone or doing whatever is distracting them from seeing the sign.

Interesting note, on Streetview, you can see 512 up by Charles Terminal with passengers on it, so that picture was taken since the launch.

[taylortbb]

Second crash today, this time on Duke St. Another driver turning in front of a train.

https://twitter.com/vidman/status/122771...92198?s=19

[panamaniac]

It would be interesting to have a clearer understanding of why people turn into/into the path of a moving train. Is it the “distracted” thing (can the police check cell phones for activity?); straight incompetence (eg never use their mirrors?); inability to gauge the train’s motion/direction? One understands that there aren’t many smart accidents, but these seem particularly thought-free.

[Momo26]

Well, I don't know. I take public transit most of the time. I know when I do drive I'm cognizant of the trains (maybe a by product of being a public transit user). If one is kind of in the turning motion and right under that sign in a low roof car it could be missed?

Whole fiasco cost me additional 30 mins getting home. I should have just grabbed the 7 but I thought the issue was resolved especially since the autotron lady said the effected areas were Market Station to Grand River . I walked to market station, had to wait quite some time.

[danbrotherston]

That's a weird spot. I walk that stretch daily. The Full Circle Foods parking lot exits directly on to the track. Based on where the car's damage was, the fact it was hitched on the tow truck next to the train (but on the road), one could surmise it was about to make a right into the parking lot - all there is, is a sign that says 'no turning, train'. I suppose if not paying close enough attention, could overlook this. There are no barriers that come down like they do on Courtland at the one dealership.

there are many crossings that don’t have a train gate.  And drivers are required to check their blind spots before turning. Prior to the LRT the driver would have turned directly across the sidewalk and it would be a pedestrian they ran over instead.

there is no excuse for this low level of attention to driving. It’s a forty foot train that she absolutely had to have passed to hit it (it only travels about 10km/h there).

[Spokes]

Not just not seeing the signs, how do you not see the TRAIN

[jamincan]

It's years of being trained that cyclists and pedestrians will just make way for you out of self-preservation, and so not looking at all.

[danbrotherston]

....
I may have been in the elevator at 55 King between floors three and four taking this picture while you were taking yours. It is timestamped at 2:20.



Edit: The pedestrians don't line up, so they weren't at exactly the same time.

*waves*

I'm probably in one of the windows in that photo...

[danbrotherston]

It's years of being trained that cyclists and pedestrians will just make way for you out of self-preservation, and so not looking at all.

I was going to say this, someone in Toronto (like the university or something) did a study with cameras and found more than half of drivers don't look for peds before turning. As a ped, this is not a surprise, but it's nice for it to be empirically studied and get some press:

https://www.utoronto.ca/news/more-half-t...ning-right

These are the same drivers who will hit a train.

[Momo26]

Are there any known security cameras that would have caught yesterday's collision on Charles?

[trainspotter139]

Are there any known security cameras that would have caught yesterday's collision on Charles?

only the cameras on the train as far as I know