Riedquat Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, mrtickle said: They also prevent suicides, and save lives. People have been murdered by being pushed onto tracks as a train arrives as well. I'm sure those victims would have been delighted to be "over-protected" - what a stupid comment . I think they are a good safety feature. Never call a safety feature "over-protection": IMHO that applies to everything, from car safety belts upwards. Upthread someone asked "I wonder what brought this "children can no longer take risks" mentality? What changed?" Well, that post demonstrates what's changed. Anything can be justified if it saves a life, no matter how absurd. It's a very sad world we live in when there are plenty of people who think we should have protection in ordinary day-to-day situations. I'd much, much rather take the (very small to anyone not an idiot) chance than live in such a world. The idea that you can't call something over-protection if it can be labelled a safety feature is stomach-turning. Edited November 25, 2018 by Riedquat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtickle Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 Nice way of twisting my words Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odakyu-sen Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 7 hours ago, Riedquat said: Sounds incredibly nanny state to me. Ten or so years ago there were hardly any stations with platform barriers. If you have seen a crowded underground station as the salarymen (some drunk) go home, then you will realize the risks of someone lurching onto the tracks. Japan is not as nannystate (in some areas) as some Western countries. There is social control and the expectation of conformity with social norms, but the pressure is from the grassroots up. In a nannystate, it is from the top down. Big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riedquat Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 40 minutes ago, mrtickle said: Nice way of twisting my words I wasn't aiming to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riedquat Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 20 minutes ago, Odakyu-sen said: Ten or so years ago there were hardly any stations with platform barriers. If you have seen a crowded underground station as the salarymen (some drunk) go home, then you will realize the risks of someone lurching onto the tracks. Have they got a lot more crowded in that ten years? Something's gone wrong if people have started falling on to the tracks regularly enough for it to be that much of a concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odakyu-sen Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 3 hours ago, Riedquat said: Have they got a lot more crowded in that ten years? Something's gone wrong if people have started falling on to the tracks regularly enough for it to be that much of a concern. The crowding hasn't changed, but the cost and reliability of the guard-gate systems has improved to the point where their installation is not so much of a barrier (pardon the pun) as it used to be. Plus, once one underground railway line gets safety gates, then all the other companies want to install them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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