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I think the rest of the world generally relies on pictographs. It's in North America that people are somehow too dense to understand pictures, so things are actually spelled out. For example: the Cruise control symbol in cars. Many import cars have a speedometer sign with an arrow pointing to a speed (assuming preset speed). American cars say 'Cruise'.
Mine doesn't. :D Even the US version. Then again, it was designed in Germany.

Good to see Canada adopting the universal green running man sign. Even if walking man would make more sense.
 
Getting back to streetcars (I think that's what this thread was about), anyone know what's going on with the new LRV? Has it done any street-running yet? We've had it for just over a month now...
 
They have to make sure the new LFLRV can handle the curves and switches within the Hillcrest yard before taking it out. With the Spadina right-of-way soon to be back in operation, the line could be a good track to test it out. However, it has to get to the tracks first, so the tracks and switches along the way have to be operating and are in good condition first.
 
Except that it is currently being used. The Spadina line could be used for testing using the LFLRV before it is returned back into regular service.
It goes back into regular service in just over 2 weeks! I'd be surprised if they are ready for much testing by then.
 
All levels of personnel at Hillcrest and crews have to be train to operate and fix this car first before it can leave the yard.

You may see it on St Clair either late this month or in December. Remember, no riders will be using this car during testing and that will happen next year when the other 2 prototype show up and done testing.

It will have to run on every line late at night to make sure it can operate on it without problems. Any issues will have to be address first before production run can start as it may require some re-engineering.

At some point, TTC is going to have to have riders use these cars during testing before the production run goes into full production. There will be issues that need to be address by production time that will require modification first, otherwise, costly fixes and scheduling delays.
 
Everyone recieves training - here at least. They are indoctrinated from day one in school. Year after year after year. When the fire alarm goes off you walk. And in many places, this training continues for a lifetime.

In many work places I've observed that when the fire alarm goes off, even unexpectedly, people walk. What amuses me though, is I've noticed that those that take off quickly and move as if their life depended on it are recent immigrants from places where the likely don't have this kind of training in childhood.

The graphic is non-sensical. Run to an exit? Makes no sense. But that's what 40+ years of brain-washing has done to me.

Admittedly, I forgot about school fire drills. The only reason I would walk out as a child was because it was a drill and that's what the teachers expected. In a real fire, I'd go at any speed appropriate to the circumstances. If it were an inferno engulfing the floor of my building, I would probably run towards the stairs. In the case of a small but unextinguishable fire with many people in the building, I might walk out.

The running person graphic does make sense. Even if you were taught to walk, the running individual conveys urgency. It shows a door and a person moving towards it with urgency. That fits the situation of a person looking to escape in an emergency like a glove. Exit signs in their ubiquity aren't the best example of the advantages of graphics. They still convey the merits, but for less ubiquitous circumstances, graphic signs can be particularly useful in the contemporary cosmopolitan metropolis.
 
Admittedly, I forgot about school fire drills. The only reason I would walk out as a child was because it was a drill and that's what the teachers expected. In a real fire, I'd go at any speed appropriate to the circumstances. If it were an inferno engulfing the floor of my building, I would probably run towards the stairs. In the case of a small but unextinguishable fire with many people in the building, I might walk out.
If it was an inferno, or if a 747 had just hit the building, then yes one would run. This isn't generally how things happen though.

Surely most people are still subjected to fire drills in the workplace? They are required by law after all, aren't they? Sometimes one isn't aware if a fire is real or not (either by design, or because the alarm has gone off in error or something). Under those circumstances, I've always observed people still calmly walking (often assuming it is a drill, when it is in fact not). Last time I was caught in a real fire (turned out to be quite minor, but all we knew was that it was real), people still calmly walked (though faster than usual).

The running person graphic does make sense. Even if you were taught to walk, the running individual conveys urgency. It shows a door and a person moving towards it with urgency.
If anything other than the Exit symbol should be used, because it is used - people have become used to it. But I still think it's a poor choice.

Exit signs in their ubiquity aren't the best example of the advantages of graphics. They still convey the merits, but for less ubiquitous circumstances, graphic signs can be particularly useful in the contemporary cosmopolitan metropolis.
Both are symbols, both are equally functional.
 
If a fire breaks out on a bus or streetcar, the windows could be used as escape routes. If one has time to read the instructions, that is.

Probably using the windows as escape routes would be one of the situations or procedures to be tested for the new vehicles. At least, that escape route would be now be closer to the ground.

Has anyone ever used the windows as an escape route in any transit vehicle? Or did everyone try to use the doors?
 
Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever had one for any of the offices I've worked in.
They are mandatory at least annually in many buildings according to the Ontario Fire Code, including condo and apartment buildings.

Now if your in small office buildings of only 3 stories (including basement) or less, and not a lot of employees you might not see them. Though a lot of large employers have their own health and safety rules, even for smaller locations.

Also any workplace of more than 20 people is required to have a Health and Safety Committee according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which ends up in many workplaces having drills at the behest of the committee, even though not legally required.
 

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