Why risk your life to be home 5 minutes earlier?

This morning, the NMBS (national society for railways in Belgium) announced its figures for the past year. These concerned people who forfaited their lives either by accident or suicide. The figures were quite high, which is astonishing in these times.

Experts could prove that most of the accidents occur with people who live near the railroads. They often think the train will come later, when crossing the rails. Or they are children, who don't look around because they are listening to their mp3 players.

Also in my home town of Dendermonde lots of people use the track near the (busy) rail to Ghent to reach the parking lot. Indeed, it saves you some minutes of walking, but you can run the risk of getting under a train.

Is that really worth it?

Although we have always lived near the railroad, we have never dared to cross the rails or walk next to them. Our dad was a railway man and he warned us against the dangers or coming too close near the rails.

What do you think?