Woman Pulled by Purse

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MBTA train attendant fired after woman's handbag gets stuck in door

A Red Line subway train attendant was fired and the train operator was suspended for 10 days without pay after an incident last month in which a woman's handbag got stuck in the door of a subway car and she was pulled along the platform at South Station, MBTA officials said.

 

"When I was appointed acting general manager four months ago, I made it very clear that matters of safety will be my top priority for as long as I serve. The behavior of the train crew in this incident was inexcusable, and won't be tolerated," Acting MBTA General Manager William Mitchell said in a statement.

 

The attendant's primary responsibility is to ensure that the doorways are clear of people or objects, Mitchell said. "By taking this swift and decisive disciplinary action, we make it abundantly clear that customer safety is paramount at the MBTA," he said.
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Comment in response (one of many):

Otis wrote:
From the vid (and story) couldn't tell whether passenger was attempting to jump a closing door by thrustin her arm and handbag in in an attempt to keep door open while she pulled in her carry-on luggage. In any case, an attentive operator should have noticed the woman was boarding with a large bag and kept the door open so she could. And that discourtious behavior by the door attendant as well as of course the safety issue (which could possibly be debated) is why I want him/her fired. Don't worry... the too powerful T union will get his/her job back and that of the suspended train operator with all back pay.

12/4/2009 6:28 PM EST
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Somehow, I don't think the fired "conductor" or "attendant" (depending on whether you agree with the story's terminology or some of the the other commenters') will get his or her job back. If this woman had died, there would have been a wrongful-death lawsuit, and possibly even manslaughter charges. I don't think even powerful labor unions can protect their members from those.
 
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I'm not saying that either is right, but I could possibly see what happened in PDX with the door closing. PDX had a 2 (short) car light rail, where the operator can't see back. (Come to think of it, I believe they have outside mirrors.) But BOS has the attendant in the middle of the train - looking out the window both ways - who operates the doors!
 
If she hadn't put her purse into the door to keep it from closing, so that she could then delay everyone else on the train while she boarded the train, then she would have never been in the position she was in.

That said, the conductor still should have been paying attention and not allowed the train to move. I have to wonder who stopped the train, the conductor or a passenger pulling the emergency cord?

Regardless, IMHO the only person here totally blamless, yet still being punished, is the motorman.
 
amtrakwolverine said:
watching this on tv even the passengers on board the train said she should have let go of the purse.
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Thinking purely logically, a person probably would decide it wasn't worth it to hang on to her purse. However, anyone who might have house keys, credit cards, a cell phone, driver's license, and/or money in the bag is probably going to hang on to it for dear life (almost literally, in this case).
 
Strange.... I can't remember if BOS has any type of buzzer when doors are closing but there are certain basics about boarding a subway like if you are carrying luggage do not try to place that luggage in doorway to stop closing doors and save all of 5-10 minutes. I'm not sure why the woman should be treated like the victim here, she caused the problem herself.

As for the doorman, yes he should have been watching the situation, obviously the train should not have been cleared to move if people were standing that close to it even.
 
AlanB said:
TVRM610 said:
obviously the train should not have been cleared to move if people were standing that close to it even.
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The trains would never move if that rule was enforced.
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Perhaps Boston needs to consider starters like they have in Japan! No signal, no leave the station! My first thought was that this could be a new sport, Subway skiing, if the person had roller blades or a skateboard it could become an extreme sport since lots of those daredevils will try anything! :eek:

Alan is correct though, during rush hours in every city the trains would never leave if people were close to the trains!!! :rolleyes:
 
How is the possibility of situations like the one that started this thread addressed on "driverless" systems? Are there video cameras watching the platform so that a remote train operator can hold open or close the doors as needed before the train leaves, or does the train stay on the platform for a designated amount of time, then go (or try to go) afterward?
 
Does anyone know how they prevent trains from leaving while people are still boarding on the unmanned lines of the Paris Metro? I believe some stations have have platform doors and walls to keep people from stepping onto the tracks when no train is in the station, but how do they keep people from being stuck with their arms, legs, or other valuables partway into the train?
 
Green Maned Lion said:
Probably mechanisms like that which elevators, garage doors, and one-touch-express up/down automobile windows have.
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I'd have to assume that. I don't think the French are into chopping off heads (or other body parts) . . . anymore. At least not since they got rid of la guillotine.
 

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