I was sitting on a train on the line to and from Wales from Paddington, London, England. The reason why I'm spelling out the location in detail is that there's a London in Canada. This morning I had a conversation with a lady who said she had moved to Boston and I thought she meant USA, but she was referring to the East of England. So, I'm on a train between London, UK, and Wales.
The emergency exit signs are on both sides of the carriage where I am sitting. The one on my side is in Welsh, a language I do not understand.
The English language sign is obscured by the luggage of the lady beside it; she has a large double bass or double something.
So I move to the next carriage where a couple beside the sign are preventing me from getting close enough to read it. The signs should be bigger.
I have photographed the sign and now, later and off the train I have time to read what it says. Useful advice.
This advice would apply on many trains and vehicles.
1 Stay on the train if safe to do so and wait for instructions from staff. If necessary, move to an adjoining carriage.
2 If you need to get off, look for other trains approaching on the track side and try to get off on the side away from the track.
3 Don't jump off but sit on the floor before 'jumping' down (I presume to reduce the distance between your feet and the ground - and enable you to slide slowly to reduce distance further and reduce impact).
(Assuming you won't get trampled by people behind! Ask your gym teacher to show you how to fall and roll to reduce impact and injury when forced to jump from a height or falling accidentally. If you don't have a gym teacher, research this on line.)
4 My additional advice: If you get on a train early, read the emergency exit notices before people sit beside the signs and obscure instructions. The pictures may show you where and how to break glass to reach emergency handles. Another diagram may show how to open doors manually when the power is turned off. Also which direction to turn the handles. Right or left, clockwise or anticlockwise, up or down or backwards or forwards.
If you speak a second language such as French or Spanish, mentally translate the instructions, then look up online any words you don't know. That way, in an emergency, you will be able to instruction others.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
The emergency exit signs are on both sides of the carriage where I am sitting. The one on my side is in Welsh, a language I do not understand.
So I move to the next carriage where a couple beside the sign are preventing me from getting close enough to read it. The signs should be bigger.
I have photographed the sign and now, later and off the train I have time to read what it says. Useful advice.
This advice would apply on many trains and vehicles.
1 Stay on the train if safe to do so and wait for instructions from staff. If necessary, move to an adjoining carriage.
2 If you need to get off, look for other trains approaching on the track side and try to get off on the side away from the track.
3 Don't jump off but sit on the floor before 'jumping' down (I presume to reduce the distance between your feet and the ground - and enable you to slide slowly to reduce distance further and reduce impact).
(Assuming you won't get trampled by people behind! Ask your gym teacher to show you how to fall and roll to reduce impact and injury when forced to jump from a height or falling accidentally. If you don't have a gym teacher, research this on line.)
4 My additional advice: If you get on a train early, read the emergency exit notices before people sit beside the signs and obscure instructions. The pictures may show you where and how to break glass to reach emergency handles. Another diagram may show how to open doors manually when the power is turned off. Also which direction to turn the handles. Right or left, clockwise or anticlockwise, up or down or backwards or forwards.
If you speak a second language such as French or Spanish, mentally translate the instructions, then look up online any words you don't know. That way, in an emergency, you will be able to instruction others.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
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