The lesson we're taught as children to always look both ways before crossing the street is practical advice for people of all ages, but when high-speed trains are involved, it's better to just wait until they pass.
Such should've been the case in a video posted by Swaroop Sanyal (@swaroopsanyal), a YouTube channel dedicated to railways in India.
In the recording, three women briefly glanced to their left while crossing some train tracks. The train — which hadn't even entered the frame — began to blare its horn, yet the women continued on their way.
The trio safely climbed up to the platform, but the train sped through the station mere seconds afterward, making viewers shudder at the thought of what could've been if things had gone awry.
While the precautionary measures in this particular instance leave a lot to be desired, high-speed rails are an eco-friendly alternative to other modes of transportation that spew tons of planet-warming gases.
For example, the 247-mile bullet train route between Toyko and Osaka in Japan "uses 88% less energy and produces 92% less carbon emissions per seat" compared to airplanes.
Meanwhile, research from the International Union of Railways found that the carbon pollution — including infrastructure construction and operations — from high-speed rail was 14-16 times lower than that of airplanes and cars.
Aside from the environmental advantages, high-speed rails also have several secondary benefits, including reduced traffic congestion, real-estate booms, and improved quality of life.
According to the American Public Transportation Association, it can also create jobs, increase economic activity, reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, and expand options for travel.
At the forefront of this environmentally conscious mode of transportation is China, which has a world-leading 25,000 miles of high-speed railway lines.
It dominates the next highest countries, Spain and Japan, which come in around 1,900 miles.
While train travel should be encouraged, safety measures are still vital, especially considering how fast some of these trains can go. As for the original post, the comment section reacted with bewilderment at the boldness of the women.
"Those ladies should be fined heavily," wrote one user.
"And were they hoping that the train was going to stop?" asked another.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
Cool Picks
