By Doug Bonjour and Richard Adragna
Nassau News Staff Writers
As passengers stand on the platforms at Long Island Rail stations and eagerly await the arrival of trains, an obstacle stands between them and the trains they wait to board.
At Long Island Railroad stations, the focus of several passengers as well as representatives of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been on gaps that passengers must step over when boarding a train. These gaps can range from seven to 15 inches wide.
“I see it as a problem. There’s always someone not paying attention. Something needs to be done to fix this problem,” said Jenneille Sandy, a Hempstead resident.
Attention towards this problem has increased since Aug. 5, when Natalie Smead, 18, of Minnesota, was killed after she fell through an 11-inch gap at the Woodside station. Smead was able to crawl out from under the train, but was struck by a passing train on the opposite track.
Like Smead, other travelers unfamiliar with the LIRR platforms are unaware of the large gap, heightening the possibility of accidents.
“I’m from Boston, and there we don’t have this problem,” said Sara Hunnewell, who was traveling from the Mineola station to return home after visiting friends in Long Island.
Passengers also see more problems occurring because of the assumption that safety has been taken care of by transit officials.
“It’s a problem. I don’t think people are going to assume that there’s a safety problem because it’s a public place,” Hunnewell said.
In an attempt to raise awareness of the gaps, some stations have installed loudspeakers with announced warnings and have signs and pamphlets notifying passengers to watch their step when boarding a train. Four LIRR stations, including Mineola, Ronkonkoma, Hicksville, and Freeport, now have conductors waiting at one entrance of the train, alerting passengers to watch the gap.
According to a Newsday, these four stations had among the highest number of accidents from Jan. 1, 2004 to July 31, 2006. There were 13 accidents at Ronkonkoma, eight at Mineola, six at Hicksville, and four at Freeport.
Despite the increased safety precautions, some passengers do not believe the presence of a conductor is helpful in preventing accidents.
“No, they don’t help -- not only when standing at one car,” Judi Chrysanthis of Mineola said. “There’s got to be more factors that need to be addressed.”
While travelers do not see the safety precaution, it is difficult to know what the conductors think. Conductors are not allowed to comment about the gaps.
Passengers cite people being either careless or distracted as reasons accidents occur.
“When you’re talking on your cell phone, people aren’t paying attention to gaps,” said Ryan McDonald, a Kings Park resident who frequently travels on the LIRR.
“It’s a result of people just not paying attention. I don’t see why people would step in the gap,” said Nicolette Wagner of Brooklyn.
Although some people think the recent safety precautions notifying the passengers of the gaps are helpful, others desire greater improvements to the platforms, citing construction as the greatest need.
“There must be some way to get an extension, especially for people with disabilities,” said Laurie Landry, another Bostonian who was traveling back home with Hunnewell.
“They need to fill the gaps at Shea Stadium and Syosset,” McDonald added.
According to LIRR records, gaps at Syosset station have been the result of at least 36 accidents since 1989.
