Re: Fatality at Sydenham Station (Vic)

["Reuben Farrelly" <reuben@mira.AA.net>]

James Koretsky <james.koretsky@microtouch.co.uk> wrote in message
37091140.0@news.i-way.co.uk">news:37091140.0@news.i-way.co.uk...
> I don't want to offend anyone here, as I don't know who uses the news
> groups,  so I will keep it brief.
>
> Having grown up in Melbourne, but currently working in the UK, I can't
> belive in the article below on how quick the boy's Parents were to put the
> blame on the Railways, because there were no gates at the crossing. Just
> because there are no gates present, doesn't mean you don't look to see if
a
> train is coming.  Does that mean if I step out on the road  with out
looking
> and get hit  and killed by a car, it is the roads corporations fault,
> because they should have had a Padestrian Crossing there? I don't think
so.

Agreed here too.  I'd also note that you can see for hundreds of meters in
*both* directions either side of the level crossing...it's certainly not
hidden or well concealed.  I presume that the driver also blasted the horn
prior to crossing...

I have much sympathy for the parents of the boy as it can't have been easy
to lose someone in such an easily preventable accident.  I don't think one
persons carelessness necessarily demands someone else (ie Victrack or
whoever)  "upgrading" something which certainly didn't appear to have been
caused by negligence on their part, or taking responsibility for someone
else's carelessness.

I put the second article underneath the first earlier as I wondered if there
was any coincidence that the station was trashed not long after the
accident.  Did anyone get a glimpse of it tonight?

Reuben