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PalmerEldritch
Say goodnight to the bad guy
Joined: Jun 16, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 27, 2008
Location: Princes Park, Carlton
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| PalmerEldritch |
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:39 pm
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Found at: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24428128-2862,00.html
| Quote: | Tram track risk tackled
Mary Bolling
October 01, 2008 12:00am
CYCLISTS and the high-heeled may be spared the risk they now run of being tripped up by tram tracks.
But cyclists must wait another two months before some buses are banned from Swanston St.
Last night, Melbourne City Council was considering asking the State Government to investigate the installation of rubber barriers between tram tracks and the bitumen, so high heels and bike tyres could not be snagged in the gap.
Cr Catherine Ng, who proposed the idea, said the gap posed a major hazard to cyclists, and the rubber inserts had been a successful safety measure in Amsterdam.
She said injuries often occurred outside the Town Hall.
"In particular, women with high heels get caught and injured quite often," she said.
But Yarra Trams warns that cyclists shouldn't be encouraged to ride along tram tracks.
"So far, we are unaware of a solution anywhere in the world that can make steel rails safe for bicycles," spokesman Colin Tyrus said.
"Yarra Trams would not want to encourage bike riders to use tram tracks as a bike path. This practice is inherently dangerous because of the relative sizes of the two modes of transport."
Mr Tyrus said getting buses off Swanston St should be the priority for bike safety.
The call to remove the buses follows the death of a cyclist who fell under a bus there last month.
Last night, council heard the buses would move to a temporary location - most likely on Russell St, near the Old Melbourne Gaol - in eight weeks.
Bus companies have told council the shift from Swanston St will cost $410,000, and have asked council to contribute.
Some $75,000 will also be lost as parking meters make way for the buses.
A move to Russell St, or possibly St Kilda Rd, is a temporary solution, as the bus companies intend to move permanently to Southern Cross next year.
Nightrider buses, charter buses serving Swanston St hotels, and the Melbourne Airport Skybus service will still have the use of Swanston St. |
Watch out for the mighty Blues in 2008, with Judd, Stevens, Kreuzer, Cloke and Aisake
Ó hAilpín to join Fevola, Gibbs, Murphy, Carrazzo, Scotland, Fischer, Waite, Setanta
Ó hAilpín, Houlihan, Walker, Simpson, Betts and co!
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NathanCastle
Assistant Commissioner
Joined: Dec 11, 2007
Last Visited: Nov 24, 2008
Location: Gippsland
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| NathanCastle |
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:04 pm
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This would have to Increase the tram wheel friction and there for Increase the power consumption oft the trams and also slow them down.
I say people should wear better shoes, not step In the flange groves and cyclists should never ride along the tram lines and only cross them at angles of around 90 degrees.
"But hang on" there Is mostly concrete between the tram tracks and the bitumen !!
And for how long has Melbourne had trams for ?
This proposed carbon trading scheme Is going to ruin the economy of Australia. "Dump It Now"
65 miles from Flinders Street Station Melbourne and 703 feet above sea level
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route14
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Dec 28, 2006
Last Visited: Jan 9, 2009
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:05 pm
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and why should a bicycle be ridden near tram rails?
A true friend will see you through when others see that you are through.
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Heihachi_73
Deputy Commissioner
Joined: Jan 20, 2004
Last Visited: Jan 9, 2009
Location: Ringwood Stopping all stations except East Richmond
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| Heihachi_73 |
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:15 pm
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How about we think about getting rid of the bumpety-bump tracks with gaps and dips before installing useless crap like rubber to save the one or two people who manage to trip over such a high-up obstacle such as a tram track. Racing bikes (thin tyres) should be banned from the CBD or put in special lanes (hopefully shared with buses, but give buses priority so they're always right, even if they decide to plough into the back of a bike in anger), and high heel shoes should have been banned 100 years ago.
You cannot run from your own bunghole.
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wongm
Minister for Railways
Joined: May 26, 2005
Last Visited: Jan 1, 2009
Location: Geelong, Victoria
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| wongm |
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:57 pm
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| Heihachi_73 wrote: | | and high heel shoes should have been banned 100 years ago. |
The world of women's clothing is full of impractical things - but if they want to wear it I don't mind. 
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tonyp
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Dec 20, 2007
Last Visited: Jan 5, 2009
Location: Sydney
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Speed
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Mar 19, 2007
Last Visited: Jan 9, 2009
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| Speed |
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 2:27 pm
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The tram-tracks in the CBD are mostly in dedicated lanes.
Firstly, this means that cyclists shouldn't need to ride parallel to the rails such that they can get snagged. Trams do get caught behind slow cyclists in the city. Unlike cars, trams can't change lanes to pass bicycles.
Secondly, this means that you could lay ballast and sleepers under the rails. That would stop wearers of stilettos dead in their tracks.
If they are going to lay rubber to protect stiletto-wearers from inconvenience, you need only lay it at pedestrian-crossings. Wearers of stilettos need not cross elsewhere.
Having said that, I have noticed that people with white canes lift their canes to avoid the rails. Even though they're blind, they rarely make a mistake.
It would be interesting to know whether rubber between the tracks made a difference to white canes.
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peterjameswalsh
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Jan 27, 2005
Last Visited: Jan 4, 2009
Location: Not drooling over a train, that's for sure.
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| peterjameswalsh |
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:11 pm
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| Quote: | | It would be interesting to know whether rubber between the tracks made a difference to white canes. |
I just asked my dad (he's completely blind; can barely see light) and he reckons that the way canes are used (about a 45 degree angle) sort of makes such canes "bounce" over the track if you get my gist. Moreso, he reckons that tram tracks are better for him as they give a reminder as to what street he is in. (He worked in the city for 20 years.)
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fabricator
Deputy Commissioner
Joined: Jun 12, 2007
Last Visited: Jan 9, 2009
Location: Gawler
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| fabricator |
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:59 pm
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the rubber would make sense if ONLY installed at proper pedestrian crossings, that wouldn't effect trams much or cost a fortune.
If the problem is at the town hall, start then and see how it goes.
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Natronomonas
Train Controller
Joined: Jan 14, 2008
Last Visited: Jan 10, 2009
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| Natronomonas |
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:48 pm
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I think I've seen this sort of thing on railway crossings. They seem fine, useful at specific locations that are likely to have less-agile people crossing and the like. Certainly I don't see a need to put rubber everywhere, tram tracks are kind of hard to miss, but in crowds you can get forced to walk over/into pothole, tram tracks and the like you mightn't otherwise, so at ped crossings etc, sure, give it a go.
Bikes should just get a separate lane away from the cars or some other separation, they're just too vulnerable.
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route14
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Dec 28, 2006
Last Visited: Jan 9, 2009
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:08 pm
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Are there rubber inserts at existing tram-rail crossings?
A true friend will see you through when others see that you are through.
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Axver
Station Staff
Joined: May 15, 2008
Last Visited: Jan 10, 2009
Location: Melbourne
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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:14 pm
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| Speed wrote: | Having said that, I have noticed that people with white canes lift their canes to avoid the rails. Even though they're blind, they rarely make a mistake.
It would be interesting to know whether rubber between the tracks made a difference to white canes. |
| peterjameswalsh wrote: | | Quote: | | It would be interesting to know whether rubber between the tracks made a difference to white canes. |
I just asked my dad (he's completely blind; can barely see light) and he reckons that the way canes are used (about a 45 degree angle) sort of makes such canes "bounce" over the track if you get my gist. Moreso, he reckons that tram tracks are better for him as they give a reminder as to what street he is in. (He worked in the city for 20 years.) |
I'm legally blind, and at this point I would like to emphasise that low vision does not equal no vision and the majority of people you will see with canes can see to one degree or another (if I recall correctly the stat Vision Australia gave me, only 10% of their clients are fully blind). Personally, my vision is pretty decent as far as legal blindness goes. I go gunzelling frequently, rarely have trouble identifying a given class of tram or train, etc. Plus I take some amusement in the occasional looks I get from people who find it peculiar that a guy with a cane is brandishing a camera. That's not to say things are ideal; when enlarging my photos at home, I often see all kinds of things I wasn't able to see for myself. Anyway ...
Both of the posts I've quoted pretty much reflect my own experience. Tram tracks are rarely a problem at all. I tend to lift my cane to remove all possibility, as the last thing I want is to get winded by my cane bouncing back into my ribs in the middle of a busy intersection (I've bruised myself badly in the past from cracks in the footpath). However, even if I don't lift it, the cane normally just comfortably rolls over the tracks with a slight bounce if it's held at a decent angle.
There really is no issue here. If I can easily avoid a tram track, it is no problem for the sighted. If somebody's high heels are getting caught in tram tracks, that's because they're an idiot. Rubber inserts would be a waste of money that could be better spent on something actually useful. Like, I don't know, destination boards that are actually readable (Z3s and As are the only ones I have no trouble reading; the rest are hell).
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