[PRCo] Re: Portland Green Line

[Phillip Clark Campbell]

________________________________

> > 2009/9/19 Phillip Clark Campbell <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>:
> > Yes; these low cars eliminate ramps and lifts but at
> > what cost in both $$$ and $afety?


From: Joshua Dunfield <joshua.dunfield at gmail.com>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 10:21:36 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Portland Green Line

Offhand, this strikes me as similar to hand-wringing about
airliner crashes, which, in effect, never happen.  (Though 
I doubt the adage about being more likely to die driving to
the airport than in the plane applies to me, since I ride the 
bus—well, three buses and a train, but who's counting.)

Anyway, if making transit safer means making it more 
inconvenient, it may actually cause more people to die, 
because more of them will drive, which is a higher-risk 
activity than riding transit.

That said, if there were a lot of side-impact collisions, 
you might have a point.  But in LRT crashes, isn't it 
usually the *other* vehicle that gets hit on the side?

-j.

________________________________

Mr.Dunfield;

Should we tell those left behind after the Air-France crash
into the Atlantic that it didn't happen?  It appears we won't
ever know 'the' reason on this one.  What about the Air 
Alaska crash into the Pacific off Los Angeles?  Plane
problem; maintenance issue as a result of intentional
human neglect.

You make some interesting observations;  I would like to
add to that on the basis that all contribute to the whole -
no one individual has all the answers.  Additionally transit 
companies 'used to' remind employees about rules and 
regulations under the heading of 'Lest We Forget;'  it
is easy for any of us to miss important points isn't it.

A hint has been made at statistics;  what is forgotten -
overlooked - neglected is that human life is lost.  Life is
short enough as it is;  it's always painful to lose a loved
one to age.  It is more painful to lose one younger to
tragedy.  It is easy to dismiss such tragedies from a
distance;  when it is personal one sings an entirely
different tune doesn't he.  

Mr.Dunfield;  the following is addressed to you but it
is not personal.  It is done to make a point.  Studies of
human nature reveal that if someone very dear to you,
or you yourself, are seriously injured from a side
impact collision into a low vehicle you shall sing a
vastly different tune from the one expressed here.

'Safety First' is the motto of all transit agencies;  'Lest
We Forget' that includes far more than labor maneuvering
the vehicle along the streets doesn't it.  Safety includes
schedules, bus stop locations and security, and vehicle
design just to name a few of the many.

This current 'recession' has revealed untold greed in very
high places, people with much education, people in top
positions of management.  Rest(?) assured that the same/
similar exist within the transit industry;  again, studies of
human nature reveal this - daily.

Life is precious;  it is never wrong to raise a safety issue.

As an aside - you seem to ride the subway much Mr.Dunfield;
you are underground for a very long time, surface to make
a few comments, and then disappear again!  You seem to
move considerably;  do you work in the transit field?


 Phil
Without  a   'coast'   but  not  a   'cause.'