It’s not as if VRE riders are fleeing for their lives –– though it may look like it to the average bystander ––they’re actually running to their cars to be one of the first to pull out of the parking lot, skirting a line of drivers who eventually must wait to exit the lot.
It’s become such an issue at VRE’s Brooke station in Stafford County that a rider talked about it this week during a live web chat with VRE CEO Dale Zehner.
“Why is it that people feel the [need] to be the first out of the parking lot in the afternoon? Twice lately I have almost gotten run over and these people saw me walking. One man just looked at me and sped off, with a smirk on his face. I was within five feet of his car. The Brooke lot is like a race track. It only takes a few minutes for the lot to clear and it is not hard to get out. These people will knock you down to get to their cars and then they will run you over,” stated Debbie.
Zenher said this is a problem at many VRE stations, and that railroad is going to bring it to light next month during an annual safety campaign.
“Actually, we aren’t launching a new campaign but rather bringing light to proper safety protocols for exiting the train and parking facilities during National Safety Month,” said VRE spokesman Mark Roeber.
The commuter railroad will make an announcement on how to exit the trains in a more polite and safe manner.
National Safety Month is hosted by the National Safety Council (who else, right?) is held each June, and this year it will focus on summertime safety, preventing overexertion (the third-leading cause of injuries in the U.S.), and teen driving safety, according to the organization’s website.
