Doors open on wrong side - ever wondered?

[jamesontheroad]

This is an old news clip from France-2 TV dating from 2003. If you haven't seen it, it's quite an eye opener.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a9BhoR02SY

Rough translation:

"After an RER [ Paris suburban ] train breaks down, the passengers evacuate onto the tracks, only to find another train heading towards them on the adjacent track. No victims - a miracle. How did it happen that so many passengers found themselves on a railway line that was still open to traffic? At 18.45 on Saturday, an RER broke down a few hundred metres from the station of Villeneuve-Triage. Inside, the conductor's message was to leave the train, and the doors opened onto the tracks, not the "platform" side. They had to move fast - a small group of passengers found themselves trapped between the two trains, like Virginie, 23 years old..."

"We were very scared, because we had no visibility as the train passed very close to us, because it was travelling at speed towards Paris. I really thought I was going to die."

 

[Rail Freak]

This is an old news clip from France-2 TV dating from 2003. If you haven't seen it, it's quite an eye opener.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a9BhoR02SY

Rough translation:

"After an RER [ Paris suburban ] train breaks down, the passengers evacuate onto the tracks, only to find another train heading towards them on the adjacent track. No victims - a miracle. How did it happen that so many passengers found themselves on a railway line that was still open to traffic? At 18.45 on Saturday, an RER broke down a few hundred metres from the station of Villeneuve-Triage. Inside, the conductor's message was to leave the train, and the doors opened onto the tracks, not the "platform" side. They had to move fast - a small group of passengers found themselves trapped between the two trains, like Virginie, 23 years old..."

"We were very scared, because we had no visibility as the train passed very close to us, because it was travelling at speed towards Paris. I really thought I was going to die."

Were there any intructions from the CREW?

 

[jamesontheroad]

Were there any intructions from the CREW?

Yep, it was the crew (driver or conductor, it isn't clear) who announced over the intercom that passengers should leave the train, and it was he/them who opened all the doors, presumably having misunderstood or not received the control room message that other trains had been stopped.