After a Tobu Railway express train struck and killed four track weed-clearing workers, passengers were seen smiling during TV interviews about the incident — prompting posters on 5channel (Japan’s largest anonymous forum) to ask, “Why isn’t this a bigger deal?”
The thread argued over who’s liable for damages, the dangerous reality of track-maintenance and weed-clearing work, and why the story has gotten so little media coverage.
What is even going on here…
I guess society just figures it doesn't matter much since it was "only" weed-clearing workers who died… I mean, passengers were literally smiling in their interviews, saying stuff like "it was rough" or "wow, what a shock."
Re: #4
That's insane.
That's insane.
Re: #4
The smiling really got to me…
The smiling really got to me…
Shows how little a life is worth when it's an older, single laborer. If it had been 4 JK (schoolgirls), this would be huge news.
Railway weed-clearing is insanely dangerous, life-on-the-line work — so why does it pay so little?
Re: #50
If there wasn't some careless guy on the crew, the accident wouldn't have happened at all, no?
If there wasn't some careless guy on the crew, the accident wouldn't have happened at all, no?
Re: #50
Well, it's not like they're producing anything. Just cutting grass.
Well, it's not like they're producing anything. Just cutting grass.
The only silver lining is the families get money out of this. Gotta be at least 300 million yen (~$2M) per person, easy.
Re: #67
They weren't paying passengers, so if anything this'll be handled as a straight-up damages/liability claim.
They weren't paying passengers, so if anything this'll be handled as a straight-up damages/liability claim.
Re: #67
If this ends the way TEPCO did (the utility whose stock cratered after the Fukushima disaster), you already know what to do with Tobu Railway stock, right?
If this ends the way TEPCO did (the utility whose stock cratered after the Fukushima disaster), you already know what to do with Tobu Railway stock, right?
Is the media not criticizing Tobu Railway because they're getting paid off or something?
Re: #72
I don't think it's that… though I have no idea how much they spend on TV ads.
I don't think it's that… though I have no idea how much they spend on TV ads.
Re: #72
They're just still in the "prep work" stage.
They're just still in the "prep work" stage.
Re: #72
These days the media gets bashed for emotional criticism, so they hold back.
These days the media gets bashed for emotional criticism, so they hold back.
So who's paying for the damage to the train itself? The workers' families?
Re: #95
The train photographers ("tori-tetsu" — obsessive railfans who chase trains for photos). Reason: because they're creepy.
The train photographers ("tori-tetsu" — obsessive railfans who chase trains for photos). Reason: because they're creepy.
Re: #95
I'd guess the people who were struck and killed probably weren't at fault at all. Beyond that, we really won't know until it's properly investigated.
(-人-) [hands clasped in prayer]
I'd guess the people who were struck and killed probably weren't at fault at all. Beyond that, we really won't know until it's properly investigated.
(-人-) [hands clasped in prayer]
Re: #98
The fault lies with the workers who died, their lookout colleague, and the company.
The fault lies with the workers who died, their lookout colleague, and the company.
Re: #101
We don't even know the contractual liability between Tobu and the contractor. Until this is properly investigated, outsiders like us have no business prejudging who owes how much in damages.
We don't even know the contractual liability between Tobu and the contractor. Until this is properly investigated, outsiders like us have no business prejudging who owes how much in damages.
Re: #103
Don't strain yourself trying to sound smart with words like "prejudge" lmao
Don't strain yourself trying to sound smart with words like "prejudge" lmao
Re: #103
Don't jump in when you don't know anything. This kind of work belongs to the track-maintenance contractors. The dead workers' company was contracted for track maintenance — weed-clearing is just one part of that job. And safety management during the work is the contractor's responsibility.
Don't jump in when you don't know anything. This kind of work belongs to the track-maintenance contractors. The dead workers' company was contracted for track maintenance — weed-clearing is just one part of that job. And safety management during the work is the contractor's responsibility.
Is it a disregard for human life that they don't just stop running trains while weed-clearing is going on?
Re: #113
You can't do weed-clearing in the middle of the night, and you can't just halt trains during the day either. Even when the Yamanote Line announces service suspensions for construction way ahead of time, tons of idiots still show up on the day and complain to station staff.
You can't do weed-clearing in the middle of the night, and you can't just halt trains during the day either. Even when the Yamanote Line announces service suspensions for construction way ahead of time, tons of idiots still show up on the day and complain to station staff.
Re: #113
Nah, that's not it. At night there's the real track-maintenance work — swapping out rails, replacing gravel ballast, serious stuff. And they have to finish all of that in the 4-5 hours between the last train and the first train. Daytime weed-clearing is more like side pocket-money work.
Nah, that's not it. At night there's the real track-maintenance work — swapping out rails, replacing gravel ballast, serious stuff. And they have to finish all of that in the 4-5 hours between the last train and the first train. Daytime weed-clearing is more like side pocket-money work.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Nandemo Jikkyo G board) thread “Tobu Railway: ‘Our express train ran over and killed 4 weed-clearing workers’ — Why isn’t this a bigger deal?”
