Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill14564
When there is ANY credible reason to believe that gate visibility is a contributing factor then it might be worth looking into painting them pink with purple polka dots. However, there is no evidence today that visibility is a factor. Yes, there is a lot of, "I think it must be..." but that is speculation, not fact.
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Obviously, gate visibility is considered important, hence, the law (state and federal) that mandates they be marked with reflective tape. We don't really need "evidence" beyond common sense. If you can't see it, or you don't see it, you are more likely to hit it.
Now, to put this whole thing into context: I never said it was the ONLY factor, nor do I believe it is the main factor contributing to most gate crashes. I was agreeing with someone who said something like "some of the gates are hard to see", and it's a plain fact, that in certain lighting situations, and with certain gates that are beat up and not that reflective anymore, they are difficult to see. They could be made more visible.
I also disagreed with the idea that making them more visible would "enable" drivers with vision problems to continue to drive, and hence, making them more visible is a bad idea.
I did not say it would be worth the effort and the money to change all of the gates to make them more visible and more reflective. I merely agree with the statement that some are hard to see at certain times. In my opinion, it probably would be a good move to periodically examine the gate arms, starting with the oldest ones, and put some fresh tape on them.
The saving grace here is that the gates aren't there to protect motorists from a life threatening situation, such as a railroad train crossing, nor are the cars going very fast when confronted with a gate they may not have seen, so the issue is confined to small damages that are easily repaired.
I have seen a handful of videos of gate crashes, and from the few I've seen the main cause seems to be approaching a gate arm that is in the "up" position, and assuming it will stay up, not slowing down or stopping, and getting caught by the descending arm.
Why anyone would try to sneak through as the 2nd vehicle is beyond me.
I have approached the gate arm that is up for no apparent reason, with no previous vehicle in sight. I hate that. Sometimes they stay up, sometimes they come down.
I approach those gates very slowly.
I also disagreed with the idea that it's ok if they are hard to see because "we all know they are there". As demonstrated by one of our new members, we have drivers unfamiliar with the set up here.