Above is the shocking footage that shows a man who gambled with his life and those of others when he dashed across a railway crossing. The video shows how the man was just inches from being hit.
He narrowly avoided the Thameslink service at Enfield level crossing in North London, but it was too close for comfort. Network Rail has released a video of the man, who can be seen slipping through the barriers in front of stopped traffic before walking over the tracks.
Just when it seems like he will make it to the other side unscathed, the train rushes past. Network Rail posted the video showing the incident, which took place in the early hours of May 5, 2020, on its social media channels, saying: "Don’t be like this.
"This man risked his life - and the lives of others - at Brimsdown level crossing in London. Never take a chance on a level crossing and always use it correctly."
The man's actions have sparked outrage on social media, with many warning he was lucky to be alive.
One person commented: "Wow that guy was lucky if he had stayed a few seconds on the track he would have gone."
Another posted: "No words really are there?"
While there are hundreds of near-misses at level crossings with pedestrians every year, they don't always make it in time. Between 2019 and 2020 the number of near misses increased to 316 and two people lost their lives.
The British Transport Police has published a safety message to anyone using one of the UK rail networks’ 7,000 level crossings. It states people should only cross when the barriers are fully raised and the lights go off, or when granted permission by an operator.
Network rail has closed more than 1,250 level crossings since 2009 as part of its ongoing efforts to improve safety, but this is not always possible. The company warns anyone thinking of skipping the barrier they are unlikely to survive as trains travel at up to "125mph and cannot stop quickly".
