I'm amazed that it's legal for brand new trains to be designed so that they still give you interlock even with a 30mm (!!!) obstruction in the doors. A child's wrist is less than 30mm! As a driver of very similar trains to the one involved in the below Safety Digest, this is something I bear in mind every time I press that Door Close button.
Our brains play tricks on us. Neuropsychology research has shown that human vision is only partly made up of what your eyes physically perceive; the rest is an inference that your brain makes based on multiple factors including your expectations and experiences. If your brain expects to see a clear platform like the last 100 platforms you stopped at today, then you just might see a clear platform even if the monitor is actually showing you a much more dangerous picture.
That's why when I do my final safety check before taking power, I always make sure to check each coach on the screen one by one, usually pointing at it as well, while counting off the number of coaches. Pointing helps me ensure that I'm focused on one coach at a time, and counting helps me remember the formation length so I don't stop short at the next station.
To an outside observer, I must look insane muttering to myself under my breath, but that's a small price to pay to be sure I'm not about to drag someone to their death.
"1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8, 8 cars clear, green signal, next stop Clapham"
We’ve published our latest safety digest https://lnkd.in/etfzei_D after a passenger was trapped in doors and dragged at Enfield Town station, 17 July 2024 #TrapAndDrag #EnfieldTown #Enfield
We’ve highlighted these important Safety Messages:
? staff responsible for dispatching trains carrying out an effective final safety check
? those responsible for train specification, and train operating companies, being aware of the natural limitations of human performance and implementing appropriate technological solutions and engineered safeguards to mitigate the risks associated with the dispatch of trains
? train operating companies continuing to raise passenger awareness about the hazards associated with obstructing closing train doors.