An advert released by Network Rail, which shows a Deaf couple signing by a level crossing, before getting distracted and being hit a train, has sparked fury among Deaf people online.
Here are just a few of the comments below the advert:
This advert is insulting to the Deaf community! We have plenty of common sense. We wouldn’t even dream of stopping in the middle of a road so why would we stand in the middle of a train crossing?!
I think it’s slightly exaggerated and makes deaf people look… maybe stupid?
How offensive is this!!! I’m hard of hearing – not stupid!!
One commenter reported that Network Rail had replied to his complaint, reportedly saying they had worked with a range of disability charities, including a Deaf charity, and had engaged a ‘profoundly deaf colleague’ in making the video.
The organisation also reportedly said: “the purpose of our campaign films is to raise awareness about level crossing safety – it has nothing to do with ethnicity, sensory impairment, religion, or sexuality.”
The advert can be seen below (or directly on Facebook here).
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Pam Smith
June 29, 2018
This advert makes no sense to me. Instead of highlighting to me that people need to ‘Look, Listen and Live’, it highlights to me that the crossing warnings are not appropriate for pedestrians, particularly those that cannot hear the crossing siren. Surely the problems is not the people who had already walked into the crossing area legitimately, surely the problem is that the warning lights face the traffic – once you are on the crossing you can’t see them and they are not at a height appropriate for pedestrians – they are set high so they can be seen by a queue of traffic. Surely the lesson from this advert is, yes as pedestrians we need to pay attention, but the greater lesson is that these crossing warnings are not appropriate for pedestrians, particularly those that are deaf.
Sam
June 29, 2018
Really good points, well made!!
Sam
June 29, 2018
This is so shocking on so many levels. I feel a blog post coming up!!
Lorraine Lines
June 29, 2018
I disagree because I’m deaf I know what to do when I going thru…. I don’t look stupid as special hearing people look stupid because they ignore warning sign not deaf thank you
Mike Fahey
July 1, 2018
Of the advert has nothing to do with ethnicy, disability act why bother having a deaf couple in it.