The morning call., 1892-05-11
STREET RAILROADS AND PASsEN-
GERS.

It is not easy to determine exactly where
the responsibility of street railroad COM
pany for the safety Of passengers ends
and where that of the passenger begins. 1t
may certainly be said that the passenger is
not responsible for collisions between cars.
1t may also be said that when company
has complied with the law requiring the
posting Of rules to prevent accidents, the
individual is responsible for accidents arts
ing from disregard Of the rules. For eX-
ample when a company directs passenger
not to get off on the side next to another
track, and the passenger disregards the
direction he has only himself to blame.
The company cannot be expected TO en-
ploy a keeper for each passenger or for
each two or three passengers. There are
passengers with quick eyes, cool nerves and
a general habit Of looking out for them
selves who jump eff on the side of a car next
TO another track, and almost in the front of
a passing train and escape injury. There
is always space between passing trains to
stand, if one stands still. But il a passen-
ger loses his head he will probably be run
over In respect to the law requiring ali
streetcars to stop before crossings in the
thickly populated parts Of the city, sumo
discretion is allowable. There Gre times
when such sloppages would be waste Of
time which passengers would complain OF.
The average passenger wants as few stop
pages as possible, and tue highest speed con-
siStent with safety. Most il not all COM
panies caution passengers not to alight
Whilethe cars are in motion. The rule is =
good one, but it does not prevent passengers
from stepping off while the cars are going
at fun speed The conductor is required to
bring the car to a full stop at the request
of passenger, but very often passengers do
not make the request. They just step of
and let the car go on. OAe may do this
with comparative safety, while another viii
get hurt the first time. & correspondent
who has Just had a narrow escape from acct
dent from being too ventuTeSome in this
respect writes that some means should be
adopted to prevent passengers from stepping
off Il car on the side that another car is
likely at any mOL.ent to pass" Possibly
there should. Il IS not easy TO see, however,
how the company is 10 prevent a passenger
from stepping of on either side ami at any
moment. The StTeetcdTs never 90 so fast
that stepping of may not be accomplished
without danger if a man IS alert a woman
incurs greater risk on account Of her less
manageable attire. Our cores Ondent haY-
ing narrowly escaped injury complained at
the Office, and was told that "it was a pas.
senger's business to look out for himself"
To an extent this reply is true. If a passen-
ger violates the rules it is his business to
look cut for himself. We may also add that
it is the passengers business TO know what
the rules are. Our correspondent continues:
1 hold that a railroad company Is eriminally
responsible for any accident occurring IN any
case 10 which due prudence has not been OBJ
served and all possible precautions taken. Con-
sequsntly. the stopping or material lessening Of
speed at all crossings is absolutely required for
the public safety.
proper wheeLguard and track-clearer IS also
demanded.