German attempt to stop texters stepping under trams

[jefmcg]

View: https://youtu.be/1o-i6HE7Ur8

 

[mjr]

It's both a cool idea and slightly depressing that we can't rely on people looking up to see A TRAM WITH A BELL/HORN.

 

[ColinJ]

It doesn't surprise me - I'm sure that we are all used to people walking out in front of us when we are riding our bikes!

I spotted a big guy the other night wandering along the pavement in front of me and fiddling with his phone. I could tell that he was about to step out into the road and that he was completely unaware that I was approaching at over 20 mph. I decided to go round the back of him close enough to give him a fright and make him realise his mistake ...

My plan failed miserably. I accelerated to 25 mph and shot past a few feet behind him but he didn't even notice me!

 

[swee'pea99]

Can't they just order them not to do it?

 

[jefmcg]

I grew up in Melbourne. Two stories:

1. The have trams running through as pedestrian mall in Melbourne. A friend of my mother's woke in hospital to be told you had walked into the side of a tram. This was 30 or more years ago, so she wasn't texting.
2. When I was a kid, a got off a tram that ran over a little girl at the next stop. Apparently she was conscious and crying for hours while they found a lorry jack to get the tram off her. She died later that day in hospital. You only have to look at a tram wheels running along a track to imagine how bad her injuries could have been.

Thus, while I find this an amusing I think it is a very good idea.

 

[MichaelW2]

In a smart, connected world, the tram would send a message to update the social media page of the pedestrian texter and change her status to "About to Die"

 

[ColinJ]

A punishment pass you mean?

Punishment pass

• Bloody scary
• Very close (< 1 ft?)
• Very fast passing speed
• Consideration given to risk = 0% (driver not going to get hurt)
• "Get off my road, w**k*r!!"

ColinJ pass

• So scary that the pedestrian didn't even notice ...
• Passing distance > 3 ft BEHIND him so the distance was increasing all the time
• Speed differential 25 mph
• Consideration given to risk = 100% (I was going to get hurt if we collided)
• "I say, you need to take care - there are actually objects coming towards you, old chap!"

 

[perplexed]

I can't help but think the Germans are interfering with the laws of Darwinism...

 

[jefmcg]

I can't help but think the Germans are interfering with the laws of Darwinism...

I don't want to invoke Godwin's law, but I prefer Germans when they aren't practicing eugenics.

 

[T4tomo]

Great idea, although in Germany my work colleagues have told me off for not waiting for the green man before crossing the road, so maybe its a solution to a problem the Germans don't have.

 

[stephec]

Great idea, although in Germany my work colleagues have told me off for not waiting for the green man before crossing the road, so maybe its a solution to a problem the Germans don't have.

I've had that as well, even on a deserted road at night.

 

[ColinJ]

Great idea, although in Germany my work colleagues have told me off for not waiting for the green man before crossing the road, so maybe its a solution to a problem the Germans don't have.

I've had that as well, even on a deserted road at night.

My stepdaughter experienced the same thing as a student in Germany. Concerned Germans were shouting at her that she MUST NOT cross the road until the lights said it was ok, even though there were hundreds of metres of traffic-free road in both directions!

 

[ColinJ]

Everything that is not forbidden is compulsory?

She made a joke about it to the German bystanders, but there was definitely a sense of humour failure there. Some of the older people were getting quite annoyed that someone would dare to even consider crossing when the signal said no, even though it was manifestly safe to do so.

I wonder if those same people would be flinging themselves in front of any car which crossed a red light, since they would have been given permission to do it!

 

[ufkacbln]

She made a joke about it to the German bystanders, but there was definitely a sense of humour failure there. Some of the older people were getting quite annoyed that someone would dare to even consider crossing when the signal said no, even though it was manifestly safe to do so.

I wonder if those same people would be flinging themselves in front of any car which crossed a red light, since they would have been given permission to do it!

In theory the system works both ways..............

The cars would not cross red lights

 

[jefmcg]

The cars would not cross red lights

unless the driver was English. Or American. Or Australian ... is it just the Anglo saxons who don't always obey robots?