A moment of turmoil...

The Metro car is stopped in the tunnel before me. I asked a man standing next to me what happened, he tells me that a girl was hit. There's people milling around all over the place. It appears that the girl/lady, was on the tracks. I have no idea if she walked into the tunnel or (as some people are saying) she fell out of a previous car.

From past experience, sometimes the doors on these trains do open up and although the driver is aware of it, they do not stop the train, but just move continue moving on. If that is the case here, it is very easy for the lady to fall off another train and stay inside the tunnel. She may have been disoriented and standing on the tracks, when a train coming from the other direction entered the tunnel, hitting her.

Most of the people have left the area, people have their own lives to deal with. A group of kids are being told that they will have to get on another bus to reach their destination. A woman near me is frantic, she has to get to 19th Avenue. A man tells her that the 71 will take her there and gives her directions on where to catch that bus. A few people near me still look like they are in shock after hearing of what happened.

I move near some policemen as they are talking. I try not to look suspicious. They mention that she is still breathing and there is a chance that they can keep her alive. I still see no ambulance. There is supposed to be an ambulance whenever a firetruck is dispached. I see two firetrucks and several police cruisers. No ambulance.

Here's the irony of the story, California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) is 50 feet away. This is THE place to go when you have to do physical therapy among other things. There used to be an emergency ward here at this location. It was shut down many years ago. I believe it was a "cost saving" decision, to save money. Now this lady has to wait, to be carted off to the emergency ward at SF General Hospital, several miles away. I wonder if she will still be breathing by the time she arrives there.

How much does one life cost?

I would say priceless, if it were your own.

What's the moral of this story? There's a reason why passengers are told NOT to lean on doors. The doors may open unexpectedly.

The cost of one breath
In large amounts, cost nothing.
If the last? ... priceless

AiYahh!