May 2008

This is an email that I sent to SMRT today :

Dear Sir/Madam,

I took a westbound train around 6pm on 30th May 2008 Friday at the
Tanjong Pagar MRT Station. As the train was very crowded, it took some
time to allow the passengers to disembark before I was able to board
the train.

As I was about to board the train, the signal sounded that the train
door was about to close, and before I knew it, the train door started
to close, slamming painfully against my forearm. As I struggle to push
the passengers in front of me so that I can get into the train, the
train door continued to close, almost trapping the haversack that I
was carrying on my back. In the end, I was able to board the train
while the train door slammed shut behind me.

I have a few questions regarding the safety of passengers boarding the train :

1) Weren’t the train doors fitted with a safety mechanism where it
will open again if it detects one of the door hitting against a
passenger? As my bruised and painful forearm can testify, the train
door slammed really hard against my forearm. What if it happened to
some old and frail man or a small and young kid? That would have
caused seriously injury. I also cannot imagine if my haversack was
trapped by the train door behind me. Would I be dragged if the train
moved?

2) Even if the safety mechanism was not fitted, or it was not
functioning properly, shouldn’t the train’s driver at least hold off
closing the train door until he is sure that everyone has boarded?

I am sure the platform’s security cameras at the Tanjong Pagar MRT
Station would have captured the whole incident. With the trains
getting crowded every day, I am sure the safety of the passengers are
of the utmost concern to your company. Please investigate and revert
so that my confidence in the safety of the MRT trains can be restored.