8/18/2009

First MRT, next trains, then roads

The great success in saving lives at MRT station with the erection of screen doors has spawned more great ideas about saving lives at railway tracks. The open railway tracks are even more hazardous as no one will be there to watch over those careless souls wandering into the tracks. And the trains are so difficult to spot, probably installed with stealth capability that they cannot be seen or heard. The trains will creep up quietly to mow down anyone found on the tracks. In the My Paper today, there were many good suggestions on how to make the railway tracks safe for people or jaywalkers. Instal barriers, fences, electronic devices or maybe human patrols to keep people out of the tracks. But no one is suggesting the $126m screen doors. Ok, maybe they know that it is expensive. The most relevant and practical solution is like what Matilah suggested, barbwires, cheap, good and efficient. And this can also be used later when they want to keep the roads safe as well. I remember watching a CNA programme of a train driving through the heart of a market place in one of the Asian cities. Before the train arrives, goods and people were all milling and scattered along the tracks. But the surprising thing is that without any signal or any electronic devices to warn the people and stall holders, at certain specific moments, they will remove everything from the railway track and the train will pass by uneventfully. Once the train has left, the track and its surrounding will be packed with goods, carts and people again. The strange thing is that nobody will be run over by the train. Even in our backyard, there used to be squatters with their huts along side the railway tracks. Amazing that no one got run over by the trains. Wonder how such a miracle could exist for so long without casualties. Can we learn something from these unsophisticated natives?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The difference is, in that Asian city people want to live, in Singapore, many prefer to die?

And please, no barb wires. If any of the playful spoiled brats get pricked, there will be another round of crying father and mother.

Jaunty Jabber said...

Most of the problems that occurs in Singapore will be solved by spending money and resources.

Singapore is still very backward in terms of resource conservation to save the earth.

Singapore is still quite backward in terms of creative problem solving.

Singaporean no longer know how to live with common sense. Singaporean is losing the basic human knowledge to ensure own safety, we need uncountable hardware and unlimited man-made systems to keep us in human shape.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Ok no barb wires. Maybe electric fence could work. and definitely cheaper.

what jaunty said is everything about singaporeans. when they cross the road they need people to hold their hands and tell them can or cannot cross. if no one is around, they will wait for the traffic light to say can cross. if no light is around, they will go looking for one. if they can't find one, they will ask the govt to erect one.

and if still got people get knocked down, they will want to erect barbwires or ban the cars.

Jaunty Jabber said...

When Singaporean can't even take care of themselves to ensure own basic safety, how are we going to defend the country when there is a war?

Discontinue the SAF maybe, can save alot of $$$. When there is really a need, out-source the defence force to some other countries. Pay others to help us. Practice the Singaporean way, spend money to solve all possible problems. Might be more cost effective too, at least cut the overhead, spend only when the need arises.

Anonymous said...

"Can we learn something from these unsophisticated natives?"

Redbean, you must be kidding right?
We have the best brains in the world and we do not need to learn from our backward neighbours lah!

Seriously, I think JJ is right. We always think that everything can be solved with money. And that makes us think that others are below us in capability in solving problems because they are poor. We are dead wrong.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

this reminds me of the americans spending several million bucks trying to develop a pen that can write in zero gravity. they even sent an astronaut to test the pen in space.

the russians used pencils instead. 10c each.

IMAGOD said...

Employ more police officers or conscript more suckers into the SPF.

Then low-level SPF "koolie-kangs" can escort citizens to trains, buses, along walk-aways... whatever, and handcuff them if necessary so none of the precious citizens are in danger.

Anonymous said...

Pathetic Singaporeans and Pitiful Singaporeans = PAP.

patriot

Anonymous said...

Mr RedBean,
One effective way is to top-up every commuters with $3 for transport fare at end of month if they retain their live.

It works when one feel that there is benefit in staying alive at end of month. Still, this greedy gov will never do anything that result in them losing money. Citizen's life is none of their business to them.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

hi anonymous, money is not everything. the commuters will not be tempted by money. unless the amount is BIG.

Anonymous said...

Very soon we will end up with a country ranked No. 1 in the world in having the most walkways and barriers.