Originally posted by oxford mushroom:
A low barrier will not work as long as there are kiasu Singaporeans who will rush to get in first to find a seat. As for those who would want to commit suicide, they will do it anyway.
I'll tell you what works...a stiff fine will work. Install an electric eye system where the yellow line is. If anyone crosses that line before a train has pulled up into the station, a photograph is immediately taken and the offender is fined $20 on the spot. The fine will soon pay for the costs of installation.
Low barrier? A barrier of chest height can deter most cases outside of suicide. And in any case the barrier is the last line defence, a safety net for those who might accidently end up on the track.
Fines are fine, but at the end of the day they are only there to deter, but they can't physically stop an accident from happening. As it remains with no last ditch barrier... it is a matter of time before some one, suicide or not, ends up on the track.
SMRT is adopting the classic civil sector approach to this issue:
Tai chi the issue to somebody else if you can,
If you can't tai chi, avoid the issue
If you can't avoid, cover up the issue
If you can't cover up, delay, beats doing something about it.
Given the short attention span of the Singaporean... this method has proven to be highly effective.