The Accused
The Accused:
There is an ongoing uproar over the dangers of rubber clogs such as the ones pictured above being worn on escalators. Personally, I find these clogs butt-ugly, and they deserve to be stuffed into the very bottom of the ugly-fashion bin, never to see daylight again.
Having said that, I should remain objective and state for the record that I am not drawing a conclusion that the recent accidents on escalators can definitely be attributed to these clogs. In fact, I think it's rather silly to declare the clogs unsafe when there are probably thousands of wearers out there, still having their toes intact. For the 2 incidents reported in the media, I would rather think it's the parents' fault rather than the clogs.
I spied this in today's Straits Times forum:
"Specialist team needed to tackle such mishaps
I REFER to the report, 'Toddler's big toe ripped off in mall escalator accident' (ST, Nov 6).
I request the authorities to explain what has been done since August - when the first such incident happened - to make escalators safer for young children.
What further steps do they intend to take to prevent the occurrence of and to mitigate the damaging effects of such accidents?
This incident caused permanent disability to a young girl - a loss that will dog her throughout her life.
There exists a question of potential liability on the part of the relevant authorities for the injury and disability caused by the escalator. However, that is a separate issue.
In the latest accident last Saturday, I understand that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers found the toddler's toe once the escalator's steel stair panels were removed.
But the officers had to wait for the arrival of another person - the escalator technician, who was not part of any emergency service - before they could get going. He had to unlock the stair panels first.
It took 1-1/2 hours to contact the technician and for him to reach the accident site - time enough to watch a soccer match.
It took nearly three hours to locate the severed toe, minus the bone. By then it was too badly damaged to be re-attached.
Would it have been possible to save the toe if it was found earlier, packed in ice and rushed to the hospital? Would a faster response time have helped?
As Singapore is densely populated and jam-packed with multi-storey buildings where escalators and lifts abound, it would be apt now to think about setting up a properly trained quick-response medical and rescue team that is competent enough to tear apart an escalator or lift system on its own to deal with such accidents.
Chia Ti Lik"
Notwithstanding that Mr Chia is a "learned friend", I find severe flaws in his views. Mr Chia demands for the authorities to "explain what has been done since August - when the first such incident happened - to make escalators safer for young children". He also asks what further steps the authorities intend to take "to prevent the occurrence of and to mitigate the damaging effects of such accidents".
Is he serious?? Is he really expecting the government to convene a special task force called the "Committee for the Protection of Young Children Wearing Rubber Clogs on Escalators"?? Is he not aware that escalators have been invented since the last millenium, and people young and old have been utilising this complex piece of machinery without much harm for decades?
As I had mentioned above, I would think it would be more suitable for parents rather than the authorities to make escalators safer for their kids. Come on, stand up and take responsibility. Yes, your kids were wearing rubber clogs. Yes, the clogs might have been gripped by the edges and yanked a toe off. But who allowed the kid to stand near the edge??
Granted, it is human nature to blame everyone else, but if you do not watch your kids when they are on the escalator, if you do not instruct them properly to hold your hand and stay away from the edges, then I'm sorry, mishaps will happen regardless of any special task force set up by the government.
And yes, while I agree that a quicker response time might have saved the poor kid's toes, it is very easy for such a comment to be made with the benefit of hindsight. Did he not read in the media report that the SCDF personnel had assessed the situation and determined that it would have taken a much longer time to "tear apart" the escalator, as Mr Chia forcefully advocates, than to simply locate the technician to unlock the stair panels?
Let's not over-react. The kids involved have my full sympathy. But given that only 2 out of thousands of rubber-clog-wearers have had their foot unfortunately caught in an escalator, and given that we have lived with escalators safely for decades without any task force, I find more than a reasonable doubt that the fault lies with the clogs or the escalators. The sad and likely truth is, the parents were not watching their kids.
But let's ditch the rubber clogs anyway. They're butt-ugly.
There is an ongoing uproar over the dangers of rubber clogs such as the ones pictured above being worn on escalators. Personally, I find these clogs butt-ugly, and they deserve to be stuffed into the very bottom of the ugly-fashion bin, never to see daylight again.
Having said that, I should remain objective and state for the record that I am not drawing a conclusion that the recent accidents on escalators can definitely be attributed to these clogs. In fact, I think it's rather silly to declare the clogs unsafe when there are probably thousands of wearers out there, still having their toes intact. For the 2 incidents reported in the media, I would rather think it's the parents' fault rather than the clogs.
I spied this in today's Straits Times forum:
"Specialist team needed to tackle such mishaps
I REFER to the report, 'Toddler's big toe ripped off in mall escalator accident' (ST, Nov 6).
I request the authorities to explain what has been done since August - when the first such incident happened - to make escalators safer for young children.
What further steps do they intend to take to prevent the occurrence of and to mitigate the damaging effects of such accidents?
This incident caused permanent disability to a young girl - a loss that will dog her throughout her life.
There exists a question of potential liability on the part of the relevant authorities for the injury and disability caused by the escalator. However, that is a separate issue.
In the latest accident last Saturday, I understand that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers found the toddler's toe once the escalator's steel stair panels were removed.
But the officers had to wait for the arrival of another person - the escalator technician, who was not part of any emergency service - before they could get going. He had to unlock the stair panels first.
It took 1-1/2 hours to contact the technician and for him to reach the accident site - time enough to watch a soccer match.
It took nearly three hours to locate the severed toe, minus the bone. By then it was too badly damaged to be re-attached.
Would it have been possible to save the toe if it was found earlier, packed in ice and rushed to the hospital? Would a faster response time have helped?
As Singapore is densely populated and jam-packed with multi-storey buildings where escalators and lifts abound, it would be apt now to think about setting up a properly trained quick-response medical and rescue team that is competent enough to tear apart an escalator or lift system on its own to deal with such accidents.
Chia Ti Lik"
Notwithstanding that Mr Chia is a "learned friend", I find severe flaws in his views. Mr Chia demands for the authorities to "explain what has been done since August - when the first such incident happened - to make escalators safer for young children". He also asks what further steps the authorities intend to take "to prevent the occurrence of and to mitigate the damaging effects of such accidents".
Is he serious?? Is he really expecting the government to convene a special task force called the "Committee for the Protection of Young Children Wearing Rubber Clogs on Escalators"?? Is he not aware that escalators have been invented since the last millenium, and people young and old have been utilising this complex piece of machinery without much harm for decades?
As I had mentioned above, I would think it would be more suitable for parents rather than the authorities to make escalators safer for their kids. Come on, stand up and take responsibility. Yes, your kids were wearing rubber clogs. Yes, the clogs might have been gripped by the edges and yanked a toe off. But who allowed the kid to stand near the edge??
Granted, it is human nature to blame everyone else, but if you do not watch your kids when they are on the escalator, if you do not instruct them properly to hold your hand and stay away from the edges, then I'm sorry, mishaps will happen regardless of any special task force set up by the government.
And yes, while I agree that a quicker response time might have saved the poor kid's toes, it is very easy for such a comment to be made with the benefit of hindsight. Did he not read in the media report that the SCDF personnel had assessed the situation and determined that it would have taken a much longer time to "tear apart" the escalator, as Mr Chia forcefully advocates, than to simply locate the technician to unlock the stair panels?
Let's not over-react. The kids involved have my full sympathy. But given that only 2 out of thousands of rubber-clog-wearers have had their foot unfortunately caught in an escalator, and given that we have lived with escalators safely for decades without any task force, I find more than a reasonable doubt that the fault lies with the clogs or the escalators. The sad and likely truth is, the parents were not watching their kids.
But let's ditch the rubber clogs anyway. They're butt-ugly.
posted by feelingsleepy | 10:33 am
18 Comments:
totally agree with your post...
that 1, the clogs are ugly and 2, that fingers should be pointed at parents...
I myself was just griping to my colleagues over lunch about this issue. Where were the parents of this poor 2 year old? Why did they not watch over their precious young child whilst on the escalator? And if the rubber clogs are to blame, shoudl they then ban people/kids from wearing rubber shoes? what about tongs/slippers that the rest of the world have been wearing for ages?? and that we grew up wearing? whilst there MIGHT (key word) be some correlation with the rubber material and higher propensity to get caught in the escalator... surely the authorities/garment are not the ones to be blamed/singled out?
really, what CAN THEY DO?!?!? Escalators are dangerous "moving staircases" and have always been since its invention... simply put: children need to be taught how to behave on escalators (much like the pictures at the side which instruct you not to play and to hold the rails) and NOT STICK THEIR TOES IN the sides...
my 2 cents worth... ad
absolutely!
Just on a fashion note....I think the clogs look really cute on kids...! =)
ok i concede they're a tad cute on kids. but they're absolutely hideous on adults.
i so agree with you. you absolutely hit the nail on the head. and by the way, both the hubby and i think the clogs should stay on kids only.
dee! how pleasant to hear from you! and so agreeable too! ;)
I agree with Mr Chia. The authorities need to do something about it.
Mr Chia pointed out a few key points which the authorities need to take action.
Firstly, all SCDF officers have to be trained to remove the escalator's steel stair panels.
But as they are not professional technician, they can only act as backup. A trained escalator technician should be deployed with all Red Rhino Team.
Escalator technician should also be deployed on site at places where there are high volume of human traffic like malls in Orchard and Suntec area so that they can react faster should another accident occurs.
It is all the authorities fault. Nothing to do with parents and common sense.
Well, I suppose if you put it that way, SCDF had better get cracking to make the necessary arrangements.
But to cope with the increased demand for escalator technicians, our polytechnics should then offer a Diploma in Escalator Emergencies. So the Ministry of Education should get their act together too to stop this national crisis.
;)
Parents should bear full responsibilites in ensuring their kid's safety while riding on an escalator & even in lifts. Please don't just point your fingers without first identifying and acknowledging that its your own fault also. You failed to teach/constantly remind your kids about the safety aspects. Stop complaining and whining, take this as a good lesson and warning so that you know how to be a more responsible and caring parent.
*applause*
though i certainly hope your use of "your" and "you" were not referring to me, coz i'm not a parent yet! ;)
how about people just wrap their entire kid up in rubber?
Parents should get permits to bring their kids into shopping malls and other public places.
Head to any supermarket on a weekend and it's a zoo in there. Clueless parents, listen up! The fresh fruit section is not a place for your kids to score slam dunks with tomatoes! Neither is the fish section a place for your kids to play fishmonger!
(Both of which I've witnessed, more than once, at Giant, NTUC, Sheng Siong. And to be fair, sometimes the adults don't act any better either.)
Although perhaps the store owners should bear some responsibility for this too, and not just close an eye whenever they see customers and kids behaving this way and destroying their goods. How about making that Vivo City candy store manager the head of the Committee for Enforcing Parental Responsibility in Public Places?
"How about making that Vivo City candy store manager the head of the Committee for Enforcing Parental Responsibility in Public Places?"
brilliant idea. ;)
on the contrary, I think Straits times shouldn't even publish such a letter on national newspaper. its so darn trivial!
if mr chia's so passionate about saving people's severed toes i think he should start his own "tear escalators and elevators toe savers" business instead of making such ridiculous suggestions. who decides what letters to publish on the newspaper!!???!!!!! or no one really bothers to write in serious letters anymore?
Well, from a marketing point of view, it's more advantageous to publish stupid letters, because they will generate a lot more letters. A well thought-out and reasoned letter/comment usually just receive "I agree!" replies, which doesn't really make for good reading. :)
See, if ST were already publishing intelligent letters, we won't have this blog post nor its comments, yes? :)
i tend to have the view that it isn't the parents fault.
look,
you can tell a kid many times not to stand near the edge of the thing. but kids will be kids, and accidents will happen. its not fair to blame the parents for this mishap.
there are so many times as a kid, where i could have lost my sight, a finger, an arm, a ear,....
not because my parents did not care, but becos at that age i was plain disobedient or naughty, or just being a kid.
fortunately nothing of this sort has happened to me, but that was just plain luck...
the thing is this
the escalator is in a public space,if it is a safety hazard, then the authorithys should do something...
not doing so would be like turning a blind eye to faulty railings.
now suppose a kid fell off a high floor becos he rested on a railing and it gave way under his weight, will also you can say that its the parents fault to allow the kid to go so near the edge?
haveing a team look into the safety of escalaters are not so far fetched. there are organisations in the states that specificaly look into this issue.
on another note, i thought that it was a total disgrace that it took that long to get the escalator panals open. 3 bloody hours... ' i mean... you could probably get on a cab and travel across singapore 5 times in that time...
Sensible, reasoned views will always have a better effect.
While I still take the view that parents should bear the ultimate responsibility, my issue against Mr Chia's letter was largely due to the antagonistic and derogatory tone taken.
If one chooses to take an aggressive position, then he must expect to receive an equally aggressive response.
By no means am I suggesting that the authorities should turn a blind eye to any safety hazard, within reasonable limits. After all, while the government should certainly look after the interests of the people, they cannot be expected to be our personal nannies. THAT is the parents' job.
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