Cyclist puts her life in danger at rail crossing
DRIVERS watched in disbelief as an impatient cyclist illegally climbed over safety barriers into the path of oncoming trains.
The scenes were captured by a motorist who was waiting with others at Aughton Road level crossing, close to Birkdale station.
In the dash-cam footage, the woman can be seen walking up to the barrier, pushing her bike alongside her.
Then, seemingly oblivious to the danger to herself and others, she begins the struggle to hoist her pink bike over the barrier.
After a number of seconds, she succeeds in heaving the bike over and on to the dangerous level crossing.
The footage then shows her straddling the barrier, while holding on to her bike and eventually hopping over it, into danger’s path.
She then hurriedly, while looking over her right shoulder and down the level crossing, pushes her bike over the rail lines - as passers-by can be seen glancing curiously at her reckless actions.
Once she gets to the other side, she can be seen again glancing quickly, presumably to check for any oncoming trains, before again hoisting the bike above her head on to the other side of the barrier.
This time she allows the bike to fall to the floor, while she again wrestles with the barrier to jump over.
The woman, who was wearing Ugg boots and a green parker jacket, and whose identity is not known, then picks up her bike, gets back on it and rides off down the road.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Ignoring the warning lights, sirens or barriers at a level crossing is not only incredibly dangerous, it is also illegal.
“You may be in a hurry. You may use a level crossing every day.
“You may even think you know when the train is coming.
“But, if you take a chance, you’re putting your life, and train passengers’ lives, at risk.”
A spokesperson for British Transport Police spokesperson said: “Misusing level crossings is very dangerous and can have disastrous consequences.
“We ask anyone who witnesses such incidents to report it to us by texting 61016.”
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