Jman888 Moderator October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 how did they find this so-call 81 year old expert as a witness?? want to fight a multi-million dollar case, at least do more homework than using a photo from internet and a computer program...... [shakehead] MRT platform buffer distance 'insufficient' By Joy Fang SINGAPORE - The distance between the edge of MRT train platforms and the yellow line which commuters are required to stand behind is insufficient, said a safety expert in the High Court. Dr Natarajan Krishnamurthy, 81, suggested this as a factor which could have caused a Thai teen to fall onto the tracks at Ang Mo Kio MRT station on April 3 last year. In the incident, Nitcharee Peneakchanasak, 16, fell onto the tracks and into the path of an oncoming train, resulting in the loss of both her legs. Dr Krishnamurthy, a consultant in safety, structures and computer applications, took the stand yesterday on the second day of a 15-day trial to determine who was at fault. He is a retired university professor with 57 years of experience teaching in Singapore and abroad. The consultant had been engaged by lawyer Cosmas Gomez, who is representing Nitcharee. In his testimony, Dr Krishnamurthy noted that the distance of the yellow line from the platform edge in Singapore is 60cm. The figure is based on what he derived from a parliamentary response delivered in 2004. He said that this is below the distances utilised by 48 out of 60 randomly chosen metro stations in other cities around the world. He went on to show the court photographs of stations in cities such as Beijing, Delhi, Berlin, New York and London. He had obtained these photos from the Internet and made his calculations using a computer programme. The defence team, led by lawyer K. Anparasan who is representing SMRT and the Land Transport Authority, clarified that the buffer distance here has always been 74.5cm, which includes the 11cm width of the yellow line. This is far more than the standards used in the United States and United Kingdom, which are set at 60cm and 66cm respectively, Mr Anparasan added. The defence lawyer also called into question the accuracy of the photographs used in Dr Krishnamurthy's analysis. He said that they were not taken by the consultant himself, and could have been distorted for promotional purposes. The lawyer also pointed out that the measurements relied a lot on the professor's own estimation of a person's height - used in calculations - which is subjective. Dr Krishnamurthy said that he had allowed for a 10 per cent margin of error in his calculations, and stands by the accuracy of his figures. Mr Anparasan also said the professor's expertise centred mostly on civil engineering. "It appears that nowhere in your credentials or CV have you either written a book or given a course in terms of passenger safety with regard to metro lines," he said. But the consultant said he became very involved in human injury and risk management in his career, which gave him confidence in his expertise. He will take the stand again today. My Paper understands that Nitcharee, who took the stand on Monday, left for Bangkok with her family yesterday. [email protected] ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiario 5th Gear October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 read in the papers that smrt lawyers wanted to show the cctv evidence in court to prove that the platform was not crowded when she felled into the tracks, but she refused. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman888 Moderator October 31, 2012 Author Share October 31, 2012 read in the papers that smrt lawyers wanted to show the cctv evidence in court to prove that the platform was not crowded when she felled into the tracks, but she refused. i thought they dun have the recording? she change her statement anyway Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watwheels Supersonic October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 Anyone can call themselves an expert. It's just a matter of how thick the skin of the individual and whether can see him blush or not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurty Supercharged October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 i pity the gal for losting her legs at such early age but asking for such compensation, i don't feel it's right.. why can't SMRT work out something like this, provide her a lifespan of prosthetic (if i got the name correctly) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleknown Clutched October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 The defendants "were fully aware of the numerous people who had accidentally fallen onto the tracks over the years and they ought to have taken reasonable care to prevent such accidents from happening", Mr Gomez argued in his opening statement. The defence's case is that Nitcharee fell onto the tracks on her own accord, and that the distance between the edge of the platform to the end of the yellow safety line was sufficient for safety purposes, among other things. During the two hours on the witness stand yesterday, Nitcharee appeared generally composed and spoke calmly through an interpreter. The only moment when she appeared visibly nervous was when Mr Anparasan sought to show the courtroom CCTV footage of her taking the escalator up the MRT station. Nitcharee objected to viewing the video, which led Judicial Commissioner Vinodh Coomaraswamy to ask Mr Anparasan to switch off the projector. Mr Anparasan also pointed to a medical report from Tan Tock Seng Hospital - which stated that she had apparently felt giddy and accidentally fell onto the tracks - and various newspaper reports which said that she fell after feeling faint and dizzy. Nitcharee, however, testified that the media reports were inaccurate and that she has no history of fainting. http://www.singaporelawwatch.sg/slw/index....;utm_medium=web I really wonder - push or fainted, is the gap really enough for safety purposes? If so, why put up the barriers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neost 6th Gear October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 I felt sorry for the girl that such unfortunate accident happened to her. But, on what basis to sue? Like that does it means that if cross road kanna knock by car can sue LTA because LTA suppose to fence up all roads? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman888 Moderator October 31, 2012 Author Share October 31, 2012 The defendants "were fully aware of the numerous people who had accidentally fallen onto the tracks over the years and they ought to have taken reasonable care to prevent such accidents from happening", Mr Gomez argued in his opening statement. other than the intended suicide case, how many such accident? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleknown Clutched October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 other than the intended suicide case, how many such accident? Dont know. But i always got funny urge to jump onto the track. Another funny thing, after ma chi, I got funny urge to beat red light. Any bro feel same way? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vid Hypersonic October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 Dont know. But i always got funny urge to jump onto the track. Another funny thing, after ma chi, I got funny urge to beat red light. Any bro feel same way? Serious ah? Hope we dont' see you in the papers. The pomelo helmet you are using now is not going to protect you Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman888 Moderator October 31, 2012 Author Share October 31, 2012 Serious ah? Hope we dont' see you in the papers. The pomelo helmet you are using now is not going to protect you that helmet actually keep him cool, that why he is still around [laugh] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamikaze89 2nd Gear October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 how much compensation was the thai girl family asking for? remember reading that it was a few millions sgd. not like 200-300k which I feel is reasonable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahtong 1st Gear October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 Seriously if they want to fight case, don't get this type of comedian expert. Sekali next they reveal this expert was found using Facebook Or maybe they will quote STOMP for evidence of SMRT's previous negligence Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maz0608 3rd Gear October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 Whatever little pity I have for the thai girl is gone the moment she make such an exorbitant claim for an accident that will ensure she will live in the lap of luxury in her little kampong for the rest of her life! :angry: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subutai 3rd Gear October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 Sorry but I thought there were also a lot of donations channelled to her after her unfortunate mishap? The parents and herself are using the donation to sue SMRT to get more? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleknown Clutched October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 Serious ah? Hope we dont' see you in the papers. The pomelo helmet you are using now is not going to protect you Not in suicidal way. Just a funny urge. Dont ask me how i feel when i see your avatar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamikaze89 2nd Gear October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 and not forgetting the parents may have bought insurance for her also. the girl father is an insurance or property agent in Bangkok, can't remember which, it was reported in the news. also common sense what, first time to Singapore without parents should at the most basic have travel insurance to cover. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branteo Clutched October 31, 2012 Share October 31, 2012 read in the papers that smrt lawyers wanted to show the cctv evidence in court to prove that the platform was not crowded when she felled into the tracks, but she refused. Now that she's out of town, ... play the clip / recording lah! Why speculate, when one can review how the incident occurred through irrefutable video footage? ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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