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Off-angle Rail Crossings are extremely hazardous for people who bicycle - University of Tennessee

Submitted by Brent Hugh on Wed, 04/19/2023 - 11:55pm

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

This video is the result of a research effort by faculty and students at the University of Tennessee to document and study the hazards associated with railway grade crossings on bicycle safety (published in the Journal of Transport & Health). . . .

This video was collected as a part of an ongoing research project funded by the Southeastern Transportation Center (www.stc.utk.edu). Additional related research is forthcoming.

Link: 
Off-angle Rail Crossings are extremely hazardous for people who bicycle - University of Tennessee
MoBikeFed comment: Bicycle riders can safely cross railroad tracks when the angle of approach is near 90 degrees.

But many railroad crossings feature angles closer to 45 degrees or even worse - tracks that are partially or nearly parallel to the cyclist's direction of travel.

How safe or unsafe are these crossings?

Many cyclists will say these crossing are not a big deal. Just bunny hop over the tracks, or ride a bicycle with wider tires (a mountain bike or similar) or approach the tracks to make the angle closer to 90 degrees.

But just watch this video compilation of people crossing low-angle railroad tracks crossing a trail. The number of people who have falls - many of them quite serious - is astonishing.

Bicyclists: NEVER cross railroad tracks unless you can cross them at close to a 90 degree angle. Even if your bicycle has wide tires, they can still get caught in the groove formed by the tracks, leading to a serious fall. If you actually can't cross the tracks at close to a 90 degree angle (for example, when the lane or trail is too narrow to develop the required angle) stop, dismount, and walk a cross the dangerous tracks.

Facility designers: NEVER design a bicycle crossing where bicyclist are required or encourage to cross railroad tracks at less than about a 75 degree angle. Low-angle railroad crossing guarantee that a decent percentage of your users WILL have serious falls and injuries - some life altering.