Topic: Boozy Woman In Subway Train Near-Miss
uk1971's photo
Tue 11/10/09 04:11 AM
Pic and story at:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091110/twl-boozy-woman-in-subway-train-near-mis-3fd0ae9.html



An intoxicated woman who stumbled onto railway tracks has survived an incredible near-miss with an oncoming subway train in Boston, Massachusetts. Skip related content
Related photos / videos Enlarge photo Surveillance video shows the 26-year-old passenger waiting for an Orange Line service in the city's North Station.

As the train approaches the platform, she tries to stub out a cigarette but loses her balance and falls about 3ft onto the rails.

Despite landing on her feet, she stumbles forward before slumping onto her back.

Other passengers start frantically trying to flag down driver Charice Lewis, 27, as a horrific impact appears inevitable.

The fallen woman is barely moving while the train powers towards hers, at about 10.54pm local time.

But Ms Lewis quickly slams on her emergency brakes and stops the vehicle just inches from the passenger.

The fallen woman then stands up and promptly stumbles over again, before bystanders drag her onto the platform.

Ms Lewis said: "The people were waving, but they were waving too much, and they were really, really close to the yellow line, which you are not supposed to be.

"It was telling me, 'Slow your train down. Slow your train down.

"As I was approaching, the lady pops her head up, and I was like, 'Oh my God. Someone is in the pit.' I threw it into emergency, exactly what I am supposed to do, and it stopped just in time not to hurt her.

"After the fact, she came up with a big smile on her face."

Transit police officers who spoke with the lucky survivor said she had been drinking several hours earlier and was noticeably intoxicated.

"The train came right over her body, and it stopped midway up her body. And when you looked back, it seemed like it could have ended very wrong," witness Cynthia White told 7 News Boston's website.

"When she stood up, we were in disbelief that she was able to stand up."

The woman was treated for scrapes on her knees at Massachusetts General Hospital.

shocked