Man dies on subway as photographer takes a picture for NY POST, Update: Photographer speaks (P. 4)

[af1 1982]

Question for the New Yorkers/Engineers. How come the subway platforms are a square piece of concrete instead of having platform with an overhang and a crawl space underneath for this type of situation? It seems like this happens too often with people having close calls with the train. Wouldn't that be a good safety measure to have in place to prevent this type of thing from happening?

Without giving it too much thought, here's what I think. If there was an overhang platform design like you described, the train would create a large pocket of air once it passes by. As the train passes, there will be more and more pressure underneath. Since it is indoors, there is no place for that air to escape, thus causing structural damage to the platform

 

[puglife]

at the end of the day, i blame the paper more than the photographer. regardless of whether or not he could have helped or what his intentions were when he took that picture, the fact is that he got the picture. he's just trying to make a living by selling that picture to the post. i googled the average salary for a freelance photographer and it's between $30k to $40k a year so he probably isn't living worry free considering it's not guaranteed money. i feel like an individual in that situation is going to look out for himself first and foremost. i'm not saying i would have done the same thing, but i think the post was in a better position to not release the picture after purchasing it (no matter how stupid it would be business-wise).

 

[crcballer55]

Question for the New Yorkers/Engineers. How come the subway platforms are a square piece of concrete instead of having platform with an overhang and a crawl space underneath for this type of situation? It seems like this happens too often with people having close calls with the train. Wouldn't that be a good safety measure to have in place to prevent this type of thing from happening?

Without giving it too much thought, here's what I think. If there was an overhang platform design like you described, the train would create a large pocket of air once it passes by. As the train passes, there will be more and more pressure underneath. Since it is indoors, there is no place for that air to escape, thus causing structural damage to the platform

You would obviously have grates though to release the pent up pressure. I would think it's similar to the train barreling through the tunnel and pushing the air towards the station. I'm assuming they have release points along the line, correct?

 

[dead stokc]

am I misinformed or can you survive if you lay down in the center of the tracks?
serious

lol @ YOU laying in the middle of the tracks thinking u'll survive

 

[af1 1982]

You would obviously have grates though to release the pent up pressure. I would think it's similar to the train barreling through the tunnel and pushing the air towards the station. I'm assuming they have release points along the line, correct?

Ahh, I seent it.

yeah, most likely will have release points. It definitely has to do something with air flow and pressure

 

[ksteezy]

at the end of the day, i blame the paper more than the photographer. regardless of whether or not he could have helped or what his intentions were when he took that picture, the fact is that he got the picture. he's just trying to make a living by selling that picture to the post. i googled the average salary for a freelance photographer and it's between $30k to $40k a year so he probably isn't living worry free considering it's not guaranteed money. i feel like an individual in that situation is going to look out for himself first and foremost. i'm not saying i would have done the same thing, but i think the post was in a better position to not release the picture after purchasing it (no matter how stupid it would be business-wise).

Doubt being a freelance photographer for the post is his only income, I googled his name and came accross a profile on some glamour/nude photography site, I guess is like a place where models find photographers to shoot them.

 

[akajae]

Any links to articles on the arrest?

 

[lobotomybeats]

Any links to articles on the arrest?

link

 

[holocharizard]

He honestly could have saved himself by thinking logically. Pushing yourself up takes the most time and effort out of all the options he had. I ride the subway everyday and look at my options just in case something like this happens to me. Under the platform is a small space that can fit a person, he may get cut and scraped but he would have survived had he went under. Many people have even survived this way in the past. His other option was to stand in the huge space directly in the middle of both tracks. There is way more then enough space there for a person because logically they don't want the two trains going in opposite directions to touch whatsoever as it would cause many deaths. I'm sorry but it is just as much the mans fault for dying as the guy who pushed him.

 

[jjs07]

According to the victims wife, he was drinking and had got into an argument with her prior to leaving the house. Although I don't believe in what the suspect did, his charge may be dropped to a lesser charge if it turns out that the victim was actually instigating the argument and provoking the suspect. Sad situation all around. This is one of those situations where you just have to be the bigger man and walk away before things get as bad as this.

I'm just catching up on this story now, but from what I was reading, Davis told Han to walk away...but Han kept pursuing him

No one wins here

 

[blade br0wn]

Question for the New Yorkers/Engineers. How come the subway platforms are a square piece of concrete instead of having platform with an overhang and a crawl space underneath for this type of situation? It seems like this happens too often with people having close calls with the train. Wouldn't that be a good safety measure to have in place to prevent this type of thing from happening?

It all has to do with the stop location if I'm not mistaking...

I know here in Baltimore, most of the above-ground subway stops have walkways on the opposite side of the platform that are used for authorized personnel and I'd imagine in emergency cases...

Below-ground stops usually have authorized/emergency walkways and spaces at the very ends of the stops (normally behind where the train enters/exits)...

Now as for an emergency space or ladder to help people climb up out of the track space in the event of an emergency? idk. I'm not sure of what the protocol would be in these emergency situation. And I'm not sure of why there isn't guidelines given to the local commuter in the event that this would happen. We're just told to stay behind the colored line on the edge of the platform.

I do know that there should be emergency phones that connect directly to the booth operators, who can connect to all incoming trains, so I'm assuming that what happens in that event, but the timeframe of an accident of this nature is still a concern...

As for this situation, its just a sad situation all the way around...

None of us were there to actually know what was going on... and it seems like this man's life could have been saved (or at least an HONEST effort could have been made) based on the pictures and the photographer's story. But then again, if all of this happened within a matter of seconds, its no telling how this couldve played out...

But its very distateful that dude went ahead a submitted the picture, which makes this whole ordeal uneasy...

 

[DCAllAfrican]

So some of yall would have liked to see "false effort" from the photo dude? Knowing damn well he probably couldn't/wouldn't save that man's life?

 

[bjamez20]

So some of yall would have liked to see "false effort" from the photo dude? Knowing damn well he probably couldn't/wouldn't save that man's life?

I don't think anyone's saying its this mans responsibility to be a hero in this situation. But it's a total scumbag move to sit their snapping pictures of the mans last moments of life, then cashing out on it.

Talking about how he feels sick and couldn't sleep or look at the photos, yet still was able to sell the pictures to the post

 

[huynher]

He honestly could have saved himself by thinking logically. Pushing yourself up takes the most time and effort out of all the options he had. I ride the subway everyday and look at my options just in case something like this happens to me. Under the platform is a small space that can fit a person, he may get cut and scraped but he would have survived had he went under. Many people have even survived this way in the past. His other option was to stand in the huge space directly in the middle of both tracks. There is way more then enough space there for a person because logically they don't want the two trains going in opposite directions to touch whatsoever as it would cause many deaths. I'm sorry but it is just as much the mans fault for dying as the guy who pushed him.

Wow. Sure he could have done more, but HIS FAULT?

 

[DCAllAfrican]

I am being real, if I had a camera, I would have probably taken the picture as well. Especially if I wasn't in an area to help dude out. Yall folks take pics for every thing else but you are saying you would do it here?

OR

Is it the fact that he sold them?

 

[alp]

i think its the fact that he sold them that bothers people in this thread.

 

[holocharizard]

Wow. Sure he could have done more, but HIS FAULT?

If you are about to die and you have 3 options but choose the wrong one is it not your fault? 

 

[mkc1983]

he could still redeem himself by donating the money he received to the victim's daughters college fund

 

[frostythepoptart]

the picture is disgusting to take but there was nothing he could do.

I could see myself trying to help the man.

and i could see him pulling me over because he's fighting for his life with all his weight and I might not be able to fully support his weight all the way up the tracks.

there were more individuals there other than the photographer though for the record

 

[picasso swerve]

If you are about to die and you have 3 options but choose the wrong one is it not your fault? 

You cannot be serious. How old are you?

Photographer was not at fault at all. Who's "fault" was it goes to either the victim or the guy that pushed him.

 

[snowlax]

I think the photographer shoudlve snapped photos of the perpetrator instead of the victim in that situation.  Granted there were cameras everywhere in the subway but still.  You never know.  Best believe if I had a camera on hand and a crime was happening in front of me, id be using that telephoto to snap pictures of the dude trying to get away rather than the guy about to die.

 

[bjamez20]

i think its the fact that he sold them that bothers people in this thread.

The fact that he's talking about how sick he feels about the whole situation, but still sold them

 

[huynher]

If you are about to die and you have 3 options but choose the wrong one is it not your fault? 

Point taken. But blame should still be placed on dude that pushed him off the platform.

 

[tomdiginson]

I'm just catching up on this story now, but from what I was reading, Davis told Han to walk away...but Han kept pursuing him
No one wins here

True story.

 

[tomdiginson]

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/man-jumps-front-subway-train-survives-article-1.1215481

Also this is in regards to those who said that if you jump in the track bed that you wouldn't survive. This guy did it and he survived although it was just dumb luck.