Nottingham Tram vs Mini Stand-Off

[harry42]

How childish, could be protesting about the Beeston Tram Extension or just simply wanted some attention...

Link to story

A group of bystanders lifted a car out of the way after the driver left it parked on a city centre tramline.

There was a "stand-off" between the Mini and a tram, dubbed #TramVSCooper on Twitter, which lasted for at least 20 minutes near Nottingham Trent University.

At one point there were two trams stuck behind the Mini but the driver did not return to her car despite loud beeping.

She was given a penalty charge notice when she eventually came back.

The "stand-off" between the car and tram lasted at least 20 minutes

The incident was dubbed #TramVSCooper on Twitter

It is not known whether the woman knowingly parked in the way of the tram, or if she did not notice the tramlines.

When she drove away everyone started cheering”

She was heard telling a Community Protection Officer: "I'm not from Nottingham."

Journalism student Billy Taylor, who filmed what happened, said: "The car was parked half on the pavement and half on the tram lines, and the tram was unable to get past.

"There was a long stand-off. The tram was beeping its horn and no-one came to get the car."

He said the tram was stuck for between 20 and 25 minutes, from about 11:00 GMT on Thursday.

The tram operator said all of its services between the city centre and Phoenix Park and Hucknall were delayed for about 15 minutes.

Group lifting car A group of bystanders moved the car
People moving car They lifted the Mini and rolled it on to the pavement
Mr Taylor said: "It did cause quite a lot of disruption because the people on the tram weren't allowed to get off, because they weren't at the stop.

"There was another tram behind it as well, so there were two trams stuck at one point."

Some people said the woman came out of a coffee shop nearby.

"She seemed quite calm and collected considering the dozens of people that were outside and the fact she was holding up this big tram," said Mr Taylor.

"When she drove away everyone started cheering. I think she was very embarrassed."

 

[edwin_m]

Expensive way of protesting - the double yellow lines are clearly visible and the fixed penalty notice richly deserved. And the round of applause from bystanders suggests that despite a few moaning minnies (or should that be Minis?) the tram is actually pretty popular.

 

[Statto]

Plus even if the driver was from outside Nottingham how did she not spot the Tram lines?

 

[Simon11]

Or the double yellow lines....

 

[Antman]

Not sure if its been mentioned already, but here it is...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-30138390

Surely the tram driver could have gone round the car?

I've seen similar incidents in Croydon and drivers claiming that they didn't think the tram lines were in use:roll:

 

[rebmcr]

Should be given the tram delay minutes cost, as well as the fixed penalty for the double yellows!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Or give trams plough fronts, barging rights and immunity from the repair bills to the car!

 

[jopsuk]

Wasn't a protest, simple standard ignorance/belief that "double yellows don't count if you;re just popping into the shop". Oh so common. Oh so selfish.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Typical motorist. Just abandoned her car where it rolled to a stop, got out, did what she needed to do and came back to a big fuss.

Doubt there was any protest involved, merely thoughtlessness.

Happens tens of thousands (or millions) of times per day across the land. I saw this on the BBC website where there was also a story about a fake speed camera van in some village. Couldn't help but notice it was parked completely blocking the pavement, and in front were two other cars doing exactly the same. So we have a village with a speed problem but it's fine for pedestrians to be forced to walk in the same road to suit the convenience of motorists!

The only difference here is that a tram was disrupted rather than pedestrians or other road users.

Should the road be 'yellow hatched' or similar to mark the tram running area - as per the Weymouth Tramway?

1) Interfering with the safe operation of the railway? (but I guess trams run to the highway code in shared space locations).
2) fit them with bulldozer blades and just push it out of the way!

 

[muz379]

Wasn't a protest, simple standard ignorance/belief that "double yellows don't count if you;re just popping into the shop". Oh so common. Oh so selfish.

Yeah probably one of those people who thinks that if you need to do something expressly forbidden by the highway code you just flick the hazard lights on and your car becomes invisible to the naked eye and your ok to do whatever ever it is

 

[12CSVT]

What a pity a police tow truck didn't turn up to take the car to a local scrappie.

 

[MCR247]

To be fair it was a bit lazy of the tram driver to not bother using his steering wheel to go round it :roll:

 

[gg1]

Should the road be 'yellow hatched' or similar to mark the tram running area - as per the Weymouth Tramway?

Still didn't stop the occasional idiot blocking the route however BR staff had developed ways around that problem (2 minutes in to the film) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6XEVvVRB_4

 

[edwin_m]

Still didn't stop the occasional idiot blocking the route however BR staff had developed ways around that problem (2 minutes in to the film) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6XEVvVRB_4

That's moreorless what they did in Nottingham!

 

[Deerfold]

I happened to stay in the Premier Inn next to the Costa you can see in the video the day before this happened.

It's quite clear from signage that cars are not even allowed on the part of the road that the mini was "parked" on.