A Japanese high-speed train driver has handed the steering wheel to an unqualified worker so he can hurry to the toilet. The case could have gone unnoticed, but the train was one minute late, which automatically led to the opening of an investigation into the Asian country famous for its punctuality.
The driver of the "Shinkansen" admitted that he left his seat after feeling abdominal pain, and handed the leadership of the train, which was carrying 160 passengers, to a ticket controller so that he could quickly go to the toilet. The driver was absent for three minutes while the train was traveling at 150 kilometers per hour.
A spokesman for the company told AFP that the "Shinkansen" trains operate with precise centralized control systems, and therefore the human driver must remain in place to deal with any unexpected situations.
Drivers are also required to manually increase or brake the speed as necessary to ensure safety and the arrival of the train on time. However, the driver's absence apparently delayed the train by a minute, leading to his exposure to his superiors.
Drivers who encounter an emergency while driving the train should coordinate with the control center to hand over the task to another qualified driver or stop the train on the tracks or even at the nearest station.
The company's management apologized for the accident in a press conference held yesterday, Thursday, and confirmed that the driver will bear the consequences of his behavior.
The driver defended himself, stressing that he avoided stopping the train in order not to cause a delay.
Source: dw.com