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.
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Deletemseven9 September 2013 07:47
If we need to be reminded not to jump under the train, which means that we need to be reminded the ways to make life livable again and the ways of not losing the joy of life….
If so “we” should think on the different precaution instead of putting some warning reminding you not to jump under the train.