East Japan Railway Co (JR East) said it will discipline a driver for using his smartphone while driving a train on the JR Narita Line.
According to JR, a passenger took a photo and video of the 37-year-old driver who can be seen looking down at his smartphone and a company tablet device on the morning of July 25 as the train traveled between Abiko and Ajiki stations in Chiba Prefecture, Fuji TV reported.
The passenger posted the photo and video online.
On Thursday, JR East issued an apology through a statement to the media, apologizing for the driver’s behavior and said it will take disciplinary action against him.
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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3RENSHO
"Smartphone"?
No, STUPIDphone!
Halwick
I just can't understand the need to be constantly "connected and interfacing" with their smartphone while walking, riding bicycles, driving cars, operating machinery, cooking, working, etc. Is it just to show "impressive multi-tasking" capability? These smartphones are encouraging bad habits of excess preoccupation, distraction and degradation of situational awareness.
That train driver is lucky there wasn't an accident while he was preoccupied with his smartphone.
Disillusioned
If you get caught driving a car while using a phone it's a ¥50,000 fine and three demerit points. How much is the fine for driving a train?
Kabukilover
This driver should be fired.
jiji Xx
@Dissillusioned....
"IF..."
in my experience, the police aren't noticing, or even on the lookout for, drivers who do. I'm sure all of us see this many times, every day... in fact, it's the norm... so I deduce that the police are no deterrent....
starpunk
Yesterday (in America) I saw a young girl singing, dancing, mugging for her 'selfie' (smartphone in one hand) while driving her Buick with her left hand on the wheel. Supposedly it's illegal in the US ('distracted driving') but the law ain't cracking down on this crap at all! It's ridiculous, it's dangerous and it's STUPID.
And on the 'critic' side, that song she was 'singing' was probably some idiotic manufactured pop song anyway. STUPID.