Again and again we read of people, especially the elderly who accidently fall from the open MRT platform onto the tracks. Some survive while others could have sustained internal injuries given the height. Today (21 Sep 2009), there is another incident. A 61-YEAR-OLD man fell onto the MRT tracks at the Dover station on Sunday morning after suffering a dizzy spell but he was pulled to safety by SMRT staff after commuters raised the alarm. (link)
So rather than to wait in anticipation and trepidation for the phased installations of barriers at the various open platforms, let’s have some interim measures. Why not simply just move the safety Yellow Line further back from its present “unsafe” safety distance. It must have been designed by some dim-witted engineer or perhaps even relegated to some outsourced contractor to decide where to paint the Yellow safety line.
Maybe one of those high and mighty MRT official should do a simple experiment, that is to drink a few glasses of alcoholic drinks or even some medications prescribed by the GP for flu or cough and try to stay balanced near the Yellow line.
Of course, those high and mighty MRT personnel, especially the design engineers or architects who probably take the MRT once in a while for showmanship can always say: “Why these stupid elderly stand so near the Yellow line when they are unwell or have taken some medication. So stupid!”
Of course, these high and mighty officials do not realise that many of the MRT seats inside the train had been removed to ensure both viability (not to be construed as profitability) to herd people from point A to point B.
Of course, these elderly people have to stay put near to the Yellow Line to ensure that they can be the first in to find the already dwindling seats available for them. So even if they are not well they have to persist in doing so and the Yellow line being just half-a-step from the track becomes a death trap for these “slowly-dementia-lised people”.
I always tell my kids to use their common sense and stay away from the Yellow line especially during rush hours when any pushing and shoving can make anyone lose their balance and fall onto the track. The is simply no space to accommodate anyone falling, whether be from dizziness or shoving. The mindless babbling from the MRT control stations actually contribute to the dizziness.
I have earlier wrote about the Yellow safety line in Tokyo, Japan is further away.
However, I guess some wise ass would probably search for some obscure or remote places where the Yellow linescloser to the track so as to vindicate themselves from any their “mindless” design. So childish indeed.
For commuters, I can only say:
Take Care
Mikey
Previous posts:
A. Metal Railing at MRT Platform to prevent accidental falling (25 Mar 2009)
B. So the Japan MRT yellow safety line is further back than ours!!!! (26 Apr 2009)
