D-Line Disaster In Denver

Before I say another word, I need to remind y'all:

"These are just my thoughts, opinions and experiences. And as I've repeatedly pointed out, I'm not in anyway speaking for RTD, in fact they've asked me to remind you that they neither sponsor nor endorse my blog."

Get it?
Got It?
Good!

Ok, recently we had a young Lady chase down, run in front of and pound on a local Light Rail train here in Denver.
I do not know what RTD's official reporting on the story is, only what I've heard and read in the local news reports.

I'm going to quote a FOX31 article:
"[The Lady] reportedly had been celebrating her 26th birthday in downtown Denver immediately before her death.

She was crushed by an RTD Light Rail train near 24th and Welton Tuesday afternoon. A spokesperson with the organization said train conductors are not permitted to allow passengers on or off the train anywhere other than official trains stops.

Yet FOX31 Denver discovered that RTD’s policy isn’t always practiced."

This is the part that got me riled up.
"Yet FOX31 Denver discovered that RTD’s policy isn’t always practiced."

First, I'm very sad and sorry for the death of this young Lady.
But the news is twisting the truth here to turn this into...

We've all (Drivers & Passengers) seen the signs posted at all of the stations that tell Passengers not to chase the trains or buses out of the gates.
They tell Passengers not to board outside of the gates.
They warn of the dangers of slipping and falling under the vehicles.

I've had passengers run up to the bus in the middle of the street.

And here is where it gets convoluted.

RTD teaches us that we are not to load passengers ANYWHERE it is unsafe.
Whether that is in the middle of a Station but not at a gate or in the middle of traffic with cars flying by within inches of the doors.

BUT...
It is completely UNSAFE to leave a passenger standing in the middle of the road, while you try to move the bus out of traffic with a passenger hanging onto the door.
It's unsafe to leave a passenger standing in traffic whether on the street or in the way of other buses in a station while you're trying to explain to them through a closed door that you are not allowed to let them in.

We are taught a mantra,
"Educate and accommodate."

The safety of our passengers, of our customers is NUMBER ONE.
Get that passenger off the street and out of harm's way, then lovingly and gently remind them that standing in traffic like that was not only deadly to them but it also puts other Drivers and Passenger's safety at risk.

So this Light Rail operator sees a Passenger chasing his train from the station, she jumps in front of the vehicle and he stops, she pounds on the vehicle and he educates her but she continues to chase the train and ends up doing exactly what the signs warn - gets caught under the vehicle.

I don't know the official word on what happened and I'm neither defending the Driver nor the passenger in this case.

Whether he should have stopped and boarded her, whether she was too drunk and missed her desired time slot and decided to chase the train, whether the price of tea in China caused a butterfly in Africa to flap its wings and the wind eventually blew across the globe to blow this young Lady under the train...

Yes, it's still a tragedy and sad.
Yes, I am praying for her family and loved ones.

Yes, it is a policy, a rule that we are not allowed to board a passenger away from a gate but our passenger's safety is our number one priority and for FOX31 to throw out that comment, as if our concern for the safety of our Passengers in some way is responsible for this young Lady's demise is not only uncalled for but completely out of line.
"A spokesperson with the organization said train conductors are not permitted to allow passengers on or off the train anywhere other than official trains stops.

Yet FOX31 Denver discovered that RTD’s policy isn’t always practiced"
Shame on you FOX31
Justin Joseph, take that back.


As Always, "NEVER chase an RTD vehicle, Welcome aboard, find your seats - Let's Roll!"