Tram accident tonight? (20th April)

[Hypatia 10]

Hello FetishFairy

 

Sorry to hear your children got caught up in that and I hope they were safe. As a regular tram user I have got to know one of two of the drivers and conductors on those trams and they have never been anything but helpful and considerate. However I think I would be very worried if my children had had to be dropped off miles from their destination.

 

This isn't the first tram accident I have heard of in Sheffield. The last one I heard of was on the flyover over the big round about where someone got killed. As far as I could gather from information about that, the guy was drunk and literally staggered out in front of the tram with no notice to the driver of his intention to do so.

 

I have seen kids playing dare in front of trams, running out as close as they can to the tram driver or dangling their legs over the edges of platforms and not getting out of the way of the tram until the last minute.. No doubt a few readers here drive cars and have experienced people suddenly walking out in front of them. Can you imagine what it's like when you are in charge of a public vehicle and responsible for the safety of a large number of passengers?

 

I can see no good reason why anyone would be hit by a tram unless they are doing something stupid. That's the bottom line.

The tram routes have been built with safety in mind and the drivers are very well trained and very careful. It is not exactly difficult to spot tramlines or trams. Even if you are blind you can still hear trams and feel tram lines under your feet.

 

The tram driver involved in this accident will not only lose confidence and possibly suffer psychological trauma, he or she will probably lose their job too. All because someone was negligent about their own safety and has bought that tram driver down with them.

 

In this day and age no doubt the person with the broken leg, who has caused so much trauma to the tram driver, the conductor and passengers on the tram, will claim try and claim compensation. I hope he isn't successful because all that will happen is that cost will be passed on to tram passengers. Why should I or anyone else who uses the tram pay for this person's carelessness and neglect?

 

Regards

 

Hypatia

[LL200 10]

thats all very presumptuous, Hypatia.

[spyro2000 10]

Does anyone know anything about this, I havent seen it in the news.

 

Someone apparently died last night near where I work.

He must have got his foot stuck in the tram track, and im sure you know what happened next.

 

They apparently had to lift the tram off him, must have also been a taumatic experience for the driver involved.

[fox20thc 10]

He didnt die!

 

Its in the star tonight, he got away with relatively minor injuries considering. Was completely under the tram so they had to lift it off him.

[spyro2000 10]

ooh cheers, someone told me he had died, thank goodness for that then. Did it say how he managed to get there in the 1st place?

[fox20thc 10]

Nah...

A MAN had a miraculous escape after being trapped eight feet under a Supertram in Sheffield last night.

A team of 30 firefighters battled to free the man who escaped with a broken leg after being caught underneath the tram in Shirland Lane, Attercliffe.

It is unclear how the accident happened but police are reviewing CCTV. A police spokeswoman said he had had a very lucky escape. "We have no idea what happened as yet. Police are checking CCTV for this person's movements prior to the incident.

"Getting trapped underneath the tram is very serious, if not fatal. He was eight feet underneath it so he has had a lucky escape."

The man, believed to be in his 20s, was treated at the Northern General Hospital.

Emergency services were called to the scene, which was sealed off, at 8.15pm.

Firefighters used specialist equipment to lift the tram off the tracks.

Firefighter Steve Hickey, from Mansfield Road fire station, said: "He was breathing and conscious throughout but he was completely underneath the tram – he couldn't have got much further under it."

Fire crews had to remove the sides of the tram so they could lift it using jacks.

"It does look like he's broken his leg badly but he is incredibly lucky."

 

Sheffield Star- tonight

[tinkabel 11]

Originally posted by Hypatia

The tram driver involved in this accident will not only lose confidence and possibly suffer psychological trauma, he or she will probably lose their job too. All because someone was negligent about their own safety and has bought that tram driver down with them.

 

In this day and age no doubt the person with the broken leg, who has caused so much trauma to the tram driver, the conductor and passengers on the tram, will claim try and claim compensation. I hope he isn't successful because all that will happen is that cost will be passed on to tram passengers. Why should I or anyone else who uses the tram pay for this person's carelessness and neglect?

 

I don't think the driver will be sacked but i think the trauma will make him resign, the person who died at the crossover near ponds forge was laying on the tracks waiting for a tram to come along, think it was suicide. The driver involved there resigned or so i believe, think the conductor did too!

 

Surely because it was the man's fault, he can't make a claim? I just don't understand why people chance it and run out in front of trams thinking they can beat them!

 

Hope he makes a speedy recovery but i like many other will be fuming if he makes a successful claim!

[FairyNormal 10]

In reply to Hypatia, my daughter and her mate were just left to their own devices after leaving the tram. I rang her to find out where she was and she told me she was on a bus into town. She only had her tram fare home left but luckily her mate had a bit of spare cash. They had to walk about round the back of Centertainment trying to find a bus stop as no-one had offered any help or told them where to go. They eventually got into town where they both had to get another bus back home. It's a good job her mate had some spare cash or they would've been well and truely stuck. It was already dark and 2 young girls (15 and 14) having to walk about in an unfamiliar area without the tram people offering any assistance is pretty bad.

 

Thankfully they both got home ok, if somewhat later than planned.

 

Does anyone know if the conductors should refund fares in such circumstances?

[spyro2000 10]

Originally posted by FetishFairy

In reply to Hypatia, my daughter and her mate were just left to their own devices after leaving the tram. I rang her to find out where she was and she told me she was on a bus into town. She only had her tram fare home left but luckily her mate had a bit of spare cash. They had to walk about round the back of Centertainment trying to find a bus stop as no-one had offered any help or told them where to go. They eventually got into town where they both had to get another bus back home. It's a good job her mate had some spare cash or they would've been well and truely stuck. It was already dark and 2 young girls (15 and 14) having to walk about in an unfamiliar area without the tram people offering any assistance is pretty bad.

 

Thankfully they both got home ok, if somewhat later than planned.

 

Does anyone know if the conductors should refund fares in such circumstances?

 

Im not sure, I would presume so, I suppose you just need to go to the office and produce your valid ticket as proof. Its like that in most places, where you can certainly get a refund, but you need to ask.

 

personally imo I wouldnt ask for a refund due to the circumstances, just as a bit of respect, but thats just me.

[Monroe 10]

Perhaps in such circumstances the conductors should endorse the tickets enabling individuals to access alternative public transport without further charge.

 

Maybe this could be put to those concerned as a solution for consideration to aleviate distress to passengers who may find themselves in this situation in the future.

 

Accidents happen and it's good to hear this guy's injuries are not more serious, but the knock on effects could have serious reprecusions - particularly for young, vulnerable and elderly people.

[FairyNormal 10]

Originally posted by spyro2000

personally imo I wouldnt ask for a refund due to the circumstances, just as a bit of respect, but thats just me.

 

The only reason I mentioned about a refund was purely from the point of view of a stranded teenager! If that was there fare home, what would they do?

[foxy027 10]

He were lucky to 'walk' away with just leg injuries.