New Metro car malfunction made woman fear for life

Washington Times ^ | February 20, 2002 | Jim Keary

[Some hope remaining.]

One of Metro's newest subway cars last month trapped a Cheverly woman in its doors, then dragged her along the subway station platform before she broke free and lost consciousness.

Li J. Yu, 58, was taken to Howard University Hospital, where she was treated for injuries to her head, arms and legs in the Jan. 9 incident, one of nearly three dozen last month involving failures of the new subway cars' doors and propulsion systems.

[Some hope remaining.]

Cheverly woman? Clearly a Dodge woman would have Darted out of the way in time.

Sorry, I had to do it. And yes I know that's not how you spell Chevrolet.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I wonder how Mrs. Yu happened to get stuck in the subway doors. Here in NYC, this is always the result of people insisting on trying to squeeze into a subway car when there is no room for them and refusing to get out of the way when the warning bell sounds that the doors are closing. Maybe they could send some of those "defective" cars up here -- they sound like the perfect cure for this particular form of anti-social behavior.

[Ward Smythe]

I wonder how Mrs. Yu happened to get stuck in the subway doors.

I wondered the same thing. I lived in the DC area for 8 years and was on Metro practically every day. I've been whacked in the head with the doors before when it was crowded. There is an alarm before the doors close and if the doors are blocked they will not close. I'm wondering if she saw them closing and tried to beat the clock.

Still, I supposed they could malfunction like that.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I don't think there's any doubt that the new cars in question are malfunctioning (three dozen people landing in the hospital in one month), but I strongly suspect that all of the "victims" were blocking the doors at the time they got caught, having ignored the warning sound in favor of hoping to cheat their way onto the already overcrowded train. I lack sympathy for these people; they cause delays in the whole system. If there's no room, then wait for the next train. 'Bout time they built subway cars with doors that nab offenders, if you ask me.

[Ward Smythe]

three dozen people landing in the hospital in one month

I missed that, the two year old was in the kitchen begging for cookies... (he's asleep now).

[Revel]

Elevators don't move if the door is not totaly closed. Why should subway trains ?

[GovernmentShrinker]

At least in NYC, we don't seem to have a problem with people trying to force their way onto packed elevators and refusing to get out when they can't get all the way in. It's a subway thing. I'm being facetious, of course, but all our subway cars are plastered with warnings about the dangers of blocking the doors, and people constantly do it anyway -- I can't muster a lot of sympathy for them when the doors finally do what the warnings said they might. The won't-move-unless-doors-fully-closed feature is necessary for the benefit of young children (who often ride subways unaccompanied to school in NYC), the handicapped, and the retarded.

[testforecho]

Well, this explains the delay in getting the cars into service (I live in DC) - they had to install the new Darwin 2002 anti-doofus door system. Now if only they could install some sort of expandable boom (like pinball flippers) to clear the area in front of the doors so that people could get off the train.

[StriperSniper]

I always found it much easier to hop on between the cars when they are that crowded or if the doors closed.
I know, very dangerous, but a lot less than jetty fishing at night.