Reply to: Train driver a hero?

[wendigo100]

Heroism is often illogical. What about that US marine last year who flung himself on to a grenade last year to save his fellows? It would have been more logical is to pick the fattest person in the dugout and flung him.

Beg to disagree, but during the delay while one is struggling and failing to pick up the fattest person, the grenade would go off.

I say fling the smallest person onto it.

[wendigo100]

Sir Richard Branson said he was a hero because of the way he "steered" the train after the derailing - well, trains don't have steering wheels and the drivers have no control over its direction, so it is impossible for him to steer it.

Sadly they've changed the report - he just heroicly "ran the train along the stones" now.

Branson is a Labour Luvvy.

[AtW]

Were they specially made for the British rail system then?

It does not matter what system - one has to assume the worst will happen and plan for that - from what was said it seems that design changes to the train helped reduce casualties big time, that is good thing and should certainly be required by law.

[gingerjedi]

: just like those guys who made the train because number of killed/wounded was really low.

Were they specially made for the British rail system then? given the track record… (did you see what I did there!)

[Jawz]

Now compare that story to

On Friday night Iain Black, 46, was driving a train which derailed at Grayrigg. Iain Black stayed in his heavily reinforced cab, knowing that this would give him the best chance of survival. Mr Black applied the brakes.

Not really on the same scale if hou ask me.

I mean only yesterday morning I avoided causeing a nasty pileup on the M6 when I avoided hitting lots of other cars on the motorway. Am I going to be claimed to be a hero as my driving skill meant I did not cause a pile up?

You ARE a hero, in my eyes you are anyway and don't let anyone tell you any different.

[AtW]

Am I going to be claimed to be a hero as my driving skill meant I did not cause a pile up?

Yes if you were driving a coach with 100 people many of which could have died.

Perhaps the guy could not have done much anyway, but he did not run away - perhaps of fear, and got pretty bad injuries, so maybe that is not hero kind of thing, but sure deserves respect: just like those guys who made the train because number of killed/wounded was really low.

[BoredBloke]

Now compare that story to

On Friday night Iain Black, 46, was driving a train which derailed at Grayrigg. Iain Black stayed in his heavily reinforced cab, knowing that this would give him the best chance of survival. Mr Black applied the brakes.

Not really on the same scale if hou ask me.

I mean only yesterday morning I avoided causeing a nasty pileup on the M6 when I avoided hitting lots of other cars on the motorway. Am I going to be claimed to be a hero as my driving skill meant I did not cause a pile up?

[Paddy]

What is the difference between bravery and stupidity?

Here

[ZZZZ Snoozer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/6399609.stm

Eh... Hero? I don't want to take anything away from the guy but surely he was just doing his job, how long does a train crash take? Did he have time to think sod this I'm outta' here?

It was the union who branded him a hero if I remember correctly, so if you are working away doing what you are supposed to be doing take heart knowing that you are a true hero!

To give him credit, the driver himself has said quite categorically that he is not a hero, so the "hero" stuff is as you say RMT hype.

[Bagpuss]

Ner bloody Heros, Ner, I'd hang the lot of 'em

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...99_gits203.jpg

[John Galt]

What is the difference between bravery and stupidity?

If the gamble pays off you're a hero, if it doesn't you're stupid

[Churchill]

What is the difference between bravery and stupidity?

A medal?

[BrilloPad]

What is the difference between bravery and stupidity?

[BoredBloke]

I asked the very same question. Hero would have been if he had done something heroic. He didn't he stayed where he was and applied the brake. I guess that is pretty much what anybody else would have done.

[Sockpuppet]

That would have been murder....or would it?