shot-button
Subscription Subscription
Home > News > Opinion News > Article > mid day editorial Could we please obey the rules

mid day editorial: Could we please obey the rules?

Updated on: 30 October,2018 07:15 AM IST  |  Mumbai
mid-day online desk |

That is precisely what commuters fail to do

mid day editorial: Could we please obey the rules?

Mind the gap, is a common, all-pervasive warning at most Railway stations in the West. In Mumbai, there are warnings about not alighting from or boarding a moving train. Both amount to the same thing – mind the gap. That is precisely what commuters fail to do.


A report in this paper detailed how commuters at Vasai station bore witness to a teenager's brush with death. The 18-year-old slipped into the gap between train and platform but survived with minor injuries. This despite five compartments of the train he had alighted from passing by before it stopped.


The boy hailed from Gujarat and was here to meet his sister. He alighted from the running train as it was pulling in at Vasai station, and fell into the gap. His cries alerted other passengers who pulled the chain.


He has had a fortuitous escape. Others have not been so lucky. There is a reason why commuters are asked to mind the gap. There is a very real danger of slipping into it. Commuters fail to assess the speed of the train. They think that the platform is accessible so they may as well jump on to it. The train is faster than you think. Alighting or boarding is not acrobatics.

We see warnings like these at BEST bus exits, too. Today, these red buses are not as crowded as they were earlier. Yet, we do see commuters jogging alongside the bus, as it moves from the bus stop trying to get a grip on the handle and hop into it.

Desist from dangerous and lethal stunts when using public modes of transport. In trains, there may be a rush on platforms, there may be other commuters rushing to board while you are trying to alight from the moving train, doubling the danger to yourself. Nothing is worth your life or limb. Respect warnings and rules, the only beneficiary of that dictum is you.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!


Mid-Day Web Stories

Mid-Day Web Stories

This website uses cookie or similar technologies, to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalised recommendations. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. OK