Drive on sight
Driving on sight or driving on sight means that when a vehicle is moving, the driver of the vehicle determines, at least in part, by looking that it is safe to drive.
Rail transport in Germany
In rail transport, railways and road-independent trams are usually secured by main signals or similar devices such as driver's cab signaling . However, here too, in some operating situations, driving on sight is carried out to varying degrees. In addition, in the case of railways participating in road traffic (in particular trams with a track body flush with the street and many railways with a track body in the longitudinal direction of the traffic area of a street), the application of the regulations for road traffic.
Driving on sight
If a train has been ordered to travel by sight, "depending on the visibility conditions, the speed must be regulated between walking speed and a maximum of 40 km / h [...] so that the train comes to a stop in front of an obstacle or a stop signal." thinks too bad, he can even refuse to drive on sight completely.
In the driving service regulation of DB Netz AG, it says in module 408.2561 section 1 paragraph 1:
“If a driver has to drive on sight, depending on the visibility, he may only drive so fast that he can safely stop the train in front of an obstacle or a stop signal. He may drive a maximum of 40 km / h. "
Some transport companies further limit the maximum speed when driving on sight compared to the regulations of the infrastructure company . For example, DB Fernverkehr stipulates in its driver's booklet not to drive at most at 15 km / h in the dark, at walking speed in "poor weather" and not at all in "extremely poor weather".
Driving on sight can be ordered by means of a written command or a caution signal or corresponding driver's cab signal (e.g. LZB caution order or ETCS operating mode OS (On Sight) ). This is used in particular in the event of a faulty track vacancy detection device (indirect section test ) or in the event of storm damage.
If driving ends in sight at a main signal or at an ETCS stop board , a further 400 m behind it must be driven in sight. If - as when driving on a cautionary signal or command - the regulations for a train journey with a special order also apply, special attention must be paid to longer trains that the section to be traveled at a maximum of 40 km / h may not have been completely left and thus for the time being no longer on sight, but still has to be driven at a maximum of 40 km / h. This 400 m rule exists because there can be an “entry hole” behind the entry signals, i.e. an area that is still part of the free route for the track vacancy detection system. If there is a vehicle in this section, the present block signal cannot be brought into the driving position because the danger point distance behind the entry signal is not clear, but the entry signal itself is.
If a signal-controlled train, which drives on sight according to signal Zs 7 or white-yellow-white-yellow-white mast sign , becomes a train controlled by the display, the order to drive on sight continues with line-shaped train control , but not with ETCS because it is there directly in the mode OS ( english on sight , sight ' ) is received.
In addition, blocked journeys on the return or onward journey after a stop on an open route must drive on sight until the dispatcher has been informed about the return or onward journey, also for longer than five minutes for unforeseen reasons, except because a (possibly virtual) signal is stopped, stopping trains until the stop is reported to the dispatcher. Furthermore, do not have to take a train coupled Schie service vehicles , as well as when re-attaching to an inadvertent separation, the approval of the dispatcher is required breakdown trains running on lines with interrupted working through train stations on sight. Trains must also run on sight after a PZB - emergency braking on an open route away from a main or blocking signal if the dispatcher cannot be reached.
If, when receiving any emergency call, it is not clear that your own train is not affected, you must also drive on sight until the cause of the emergency call has been clarified. However, an ambiguous emergency stop order must always be carried out, even if it is doubtful that it is affected.
Driving within sight
When driving within sight, the driver of the following train must choose his speed so that he can be brought to a stop in front of the train ahead. So it is a kind of driving with absolute braking distance . This mode is mainly used for trams with special roadbed, but also partly in branch lines, for example when Folgezugbetrieb .
For railways operated according to FV-NE, the braking distance must not exceed one hundred meters when using this operating mode. In the case of level crossing safety systems , when approaching the switch-on section, the driver must first determine that it is not switched on in order to ensure that a train ahead does not switch it off before reaching the level crossing.
According to § 39 (3) EBO, this procedure is not permitted for main railways .
Careful entrance
When operating according to the driving regulations for non-federal railways, “careful entry” (vE) can be prescribed for a train station. In this case the driver has to pay attention to the correct position of the points and the clearness of the entry way.
Maneuvering
When maneuvering without announcement of the clear route, it must be possible to stop in front of signals that call for a stop, in front of vehicles and in front of hazardous areas requiring a stop. In addition, the driver must ensure the correct position of devices such as switches, track brakes or track barriers, the clearness of the route, the clearness of converging track sections up to the boundary sign , vehicles approaching the route in a dangerous manner and the securing of level crossings.
Road traffic
Vehicles are generally only allowed to drive so fast on public roads that “they can stop within the overlooked route”. Where “oncoming vehicles could be endangered”, it must be possible to stop halfway along this route. This is known as the "visual driving requirement".
In addition to the course of the road and other road users, other travel obstacles must also be taken into account, such as a pothole covered by a vehicle in front or a camouflaged, unlit vehicle.
Obstacles that are unusually difficult to see due to their nature, however, do not necessarily need to be able to be recognized, including in particular objects with particularly high light absorption or objects floating over the route.
On motorways , but not on motorways , the visual driving requirement may be deviated from to the extent that “if the tail lights of the vehicle in front are clearly visible”, the speed does not need to be adjusted to the range of the low beam . If this is not possible, the visual driving requirement can result in a reduced maximum speed at night - for example 45 km / h, depending on the vehicle.
Situation in Austria
In Austria, “driving on sight” in road traffic is a fundamental requirement that the Supreme Court derives from the StVO. "The [...] principle of driving by sight means that a vehicle driver has to choose his driving speed so that he can bring his vehicle to a stop in good time and at least drive around the obstacle when an obstacle occurs. Every driver must therefore design his driving style in such a way that the path of the vehicle to be braked is never longer than the distance he or she can see from recognizing an obstacle on the lane until the vehicle comes to a complete standstill. ”This requirement also applies explicitly to open roads Highways.
It follows that a driver has to reckon with an obstacle in any case. This also applies, for example, if, in the event of a collision with a car, the other party in the accident rides a bicycle that is illegally unlit in the dark. In this case, both drivers are partly to blame : the driver of the car because he was not driving on sight, the cyclist because he was not illuminated.
Individual evidence
- ↑ § 49 (2) BOStrab
- ↑ § 55 (1) BOStrab
- ↑ FV-NE §45 (6)
- ↑ §45 (5) FV-NE
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2561 Section 1 Paragraph 2
- ↑ Dirk Enders: Background to the 400 m rule. February 1, 2011.
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2100Z00 Explanations for the new edition Ril 408.21-27 , valid from December 13, 2015, from October 7, 2014, p. 21.
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2481 Section 9
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2571 Section 3
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2441 2 (2)
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2485 Section 2 Paragraph 2
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2651 Section 3 Paragraph 2
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2581 Section 3 Paragraph 5
- ↑ DBAG-Ril 408.2581 Section 3 Paragraph 6
- ↑ §12 (3) FV-NE
- ↑ Appendix 12 (1) FV-NE
- ↑ Appendix 12 (4) FV-NE
- ↑ FV-NE § 53 (2)
- ↑ FV-NE § 53 (3)
- ↑ § 3 paragraph 1 sentence 3 StVO
- ↑ § 3 Paragraph 1 Clause 4 StVO
- ↑ OLG Jena, 4 U 67/09
- ↑ BGH VI ZR 188/86
- ↑ BGH VI ZR 184/71
- ↑ § 18 paragraph 6 StVO
- ^ LG Freiburg 7 Ns 520 Js 14833/06 - AK 174/07
- ↑ OGH: Section 20 (1) sentence 1 StVO - driving on sight (here: in the dark with dipped headlights on open roads). Retrieved December 7, 2019 .
- ↑ OGH: Section 20 (1) sentence 1 StVO - driving on sight (here: in the dark with dipped headlights on open roads). Retrieved December 7, 2019 .
- ↑ johannes.oft hard: fatal accident with bicycle trailer: fine for car drivers. Retrieved December 7, 2019 .