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Responding To Hogger
Author: Holly Gibson
Date: 03-06-2009 - 04:29
Comments by hogger in italics
Responses by Holly Gibson in normal font
So jamming cell phones on the train is a good idea?
Yeah, I think so. You have to remember that a lot of employees are addicted to the damn things – especially the younger ones. The attitude of a lot of people these days is: “They’ll take away my cell phone when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.” Here in California, take a survey sometime of the number of motorists who are blatantly thumbing their nose at the new law that requires hands-free cell phones in their cars.
What about an emergency situation where the radio communication fails. (Or more likely the dispatcher is out on a smoke break.)
How did the world survive before cellphones were invented?
I've been in emergency situations where the person on the other end of the radio went up the chain of command before calling 911. I carry a cell phone at work--turned of--at the ready in case of serious injury or hazmat spill. I'll make the call to 911 myself and will eliminate the middleman. I've seen too much delay and misinformation when using one or more go-betweens.
I agree with some of what you’re saying. Here’s an idea: They could install a cell phone jammer in a locomotive or cab car and, in the case of an emergency, the operating employee could break a seal that prevents its use. This would be similar to the seals that protect speedometers, overspeed prevention mechanisms, whistles, bells, headlights, etc. Once the seal is broken, he would be able to use his cell phone. But, later on, he would have to account to Management his reason for breaking the seal.
Also the rules allow the use of cell phones (to contact the dispatcher for a track warrant for example) when radio communication fails. How would this work with a jammer in place? Stop the train and walk out in a field to clear your warrant?
See above.
Forty five minutes to call 911 after a major hazmat spill in a city that later warranted evacuations in not acceptable. I should have called 911 myself.
See above.
I agree there is (was) way too much idle cell phone use by engineers operationg locomotives but let's not over react.
The time to “overreact” (your words) is now. Did you take note of the testimony of the UP official at the NTSB hearings who stated that, in 2008 alone, there were 643 cellphone violations on that railroad? These involved employees, like Robert Sanchez, who willfully violated rules they knew were on the books and in effect.
Hire good people, train them well, enforce the rules and you'll have a safe railroad.
Easier said than done. Just ask Tommy McDonald and Gregg Konstanzer. With “lonsesome cab”, how do you detect if an employee is talking on his phone or text messaging? There’s something definitely wrong here. Or do you think that 643 violations on the UP railroad ALONE in 2008 is an acceptable number? It’s time for some “outside-the-box” thinking. There are just some rules that employees will willfully defy. Their addiction is that strong. For example: Look at the number of employers that prohibit smoking in the workplace. What do the employees do? They step out on the sidewalk for a few minutes to smoke. What they DON’T do is quit smoking.
Responses by Holly Gibson in normal font
So jamming cell phones on the train is a good idea?
Yeah, I think so. You have to remember that a lot of employees are addicted to the damn things – especially the younger ones. The attitude of a lot of people these days is: “They’ll take away my cell phone when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.” Here in California, take a survey sometime of the number of motorists who are blatantly thumbing their nose at the new law that requires hands-free cell phones in their cars.
What about an emergency situation where the radio communication fails. (Or more likely the dispatcher is out on a smoke break.)
How did the world survive before cellphones were invented?
I've been in emergency situations where the person on the other end of the radio went up the chain of command before calling 911. I carry a cell phone at work--turned of--at the ready in case of serious injury or hazmat spill. I'll make the call to 911 myself and will eliminate the middleman. I've seen too much delay and misinformation when using one or more go-betweens.
I agree with some of what you’re saying. Here’s an idea: They could install a cell phone jammer in a locomotive or cab car and, in the case of an emergency, the operating employee could break a seal that prevents its use. This would be similar to the seals that protect speedometers, overspeed prevention mechanisms, whistles, bells, headlights, etc. Once the seal is broken, he would be able to use his cell phone. But, later on, he would have to account to Management his reason for breaking the seal.
Also the rules allow the use of cell phones (to contact the dispatcher for a track warrant for example) when radio communication fails. How would this work with a jammer in place? Stop the train and walk out in a field to clear your warrant?
See above.
Forty five minutes to call 911 after a major hazmat spill in a city that later warranted evacuations in not acceptable. I should have called 911 myself.
See above.
I agree there is (was) way too much idle cell phone use by engineers operationg locomotives but let's not over react.
The time to “overreact” (your words) is now. Did you take note of the testimony of the UP official at the NTSB hearings who stated that, in 2008 alone, there were 643 cellphone violations on that railroad? These involved employees, like Robert Sanchez, who willfully violated rules they knew were on the books and in effect.
Hire good people, train them well, enforce the rules and you'll have a safe railroad.
Easier said than done. Just ask Tommy McDonald and Gregg Konstanzer. With “lonsesome cab”, how do you detect if an employee is talking on his phone or text messaging? There’s something definitely wrong here. Or do you think that 643 violations on the UP railroad ALONE in 2008 is an acceptable number? It’s time for some “outside-the-box” thinking. There are just some rules that employees will willfully defy. Their addiction is that strong. For example: Look at the number of employers that prohibit smoking in the workplace. What do the employees do? They step out on the sidewalk for a few minutes to smoke. What they DON’T do is quit smoking.
