11:13:00 PM
English Portfolio Term II - Sometimes, it's not good to get on track. Especially if it's an MRT track.
In response to the imminent threat of death by MRT collision. There article HERE is just one incident of a person going for the ride of his life. Or rather, death. Most of the older articles are no longer in the CNA archive (they only keep up to 7 days of news on the website).
Before the essay proper begins, let's get warmed up with some images from Wikipedia Commons!
Here's one of the many crime scenes.
And.. the merciless killer with the innocent looking face.
(NOW THE ACTION REALLY BEGINS)
-- cue word count --
When businesses are down, they recover and get back on track. With MRT stations these days, when you get on track, you find it somewhat hard to recover - from whatever major/minor (mostly major) injuries you sustain. An alarmingly increasing number of commuters start off with the intention of going to Bishan, and end up in SGH#.
Interesting how people end up on the tracks instead of the train for such a variety of reasons. Some people are drunkards who can't tell the difference between the platform and a pub. Others are ingenious cold-blooded killers who decide that the best way to eradicate their ex-girlfriends is to give them a loving push onto the wooden tracks, where they walk the planks (literally), and meet their doom.
Yes, death by MRT collision is an increasing fad amongst Singaporeans these days.
As we know, however, we must evaluate the problem before trying to suggest any solutions. Taking a closer look at the situation, these deaths are not isolated accidents. Most of the cases go like this: Boy pushes his girlfriend on the tracks in fury. Man commits suicide by hopping onto the tracks. In fact, the death mentioned in the article is one of few pure accidents resulting in death.
SMRT has improved safety measures, with not-so-young men patrolling the stations (some look as agile as elephants), unsightly cement blocks plopped on the yellow safety lines and so on, and this certainly helps to cut down on accidental deaths.
The problem of intentional killings, however, still lingers. People with the desire to kill can and will indefinitely find a way around these safety measures, literally. If a guy was really out to kill his girlfriend, a few cement blocks won't stop him at all. However, the person, assuming that he is of competent intelligence, would merely push his girlfriend through the gaps between these blocks.
We could completely blockade the stations with cement walls, and force the commuters to bash through Platform 93/4 style, but, as much as that idea sounds fun, what we really need is a foolproof system. One airtight system proposed was to have all stations similar to the underground stations; a fully enclosed air-conditioned station where doors would only open when the train arrived.
This seems like a great idea to me. Not only does this ensure safety, but I can use the air-conditioning as well, especially with Singapore's perpetually hot weather. Probably to cut costs, SMRT has yet to implement that system. Alternatively, SMRT can install cheap metal barriers that act just like the other system, minus the air-conditioning. SMRT could also fine people who venture too near the tracks as a deterrant.
However, I am no real expert on SMRT affairs, and as far as I know, we can come up with all these solutions, but SMRT has got to take action fast, not just spout hot air, and get their track safety back on track, before Singapore's declining population is attributed to its trains.
(499 words exactly)
# SGH: Singapore General Hospital
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