Last Monday, I came across an interesting statistic: in
2012, there were 111 ‘gap-related injuries’ on the tube (London subway). At least, this is what
a poster in a tube carriage said. Now you know, why you are constantly being reminded
to mind the gap.
The tube carries 1.2 billion passengers per year. Statistically,
you are more likely to win in a lottery than to have a gap-related injury (the odds of the latter are just under one in ten million). But
who knows, maybe this only shows that the announcements and warnings work. Discontinue them, and the number of people getting hurt because of the gap might
sky-rocket.
Incidentally, the tube also records 100-150 ‘person under a
train’ incidents per year. In plain English, these are suicides (attempted or
successful). Yet, there is no warning reminding you not to jump under the
train.
