Australian train surfing

[John Ashworth]

Premier horrified at man captured riding on back of train

Geraldine Mitchell
Herald Sun
May 11, 2009 12:00am

UPDATE 10.48am: A HORRIFIED Premier has slammed the actions of a man captured riding on the back of a train.

John Brumby today said he could not imagine a more stupid, idiotic or dangerous thing to do.

A horrified reader captured the moment a man risked his life hitching a ride on the back of a train on Friday night, as revealed on heraldsun.com.au

Mr Brumby called on anyone considering such a dangerous stunt to think of their loved ones before risking their lives.

“I would just say to that young person, while he may believe he’s infallible and may not care much for his own life if he is injured someone else bears the burden of that,” he said.

“It’s his mother or his father or his sister or his brother or the ambulance officer or the doctor or the SES officer who appears at the scene to clean up the mess.

“It’s hard to imagine somebody that is just so stupid, that just defies logic.

“I just ask anybody who is considering that don’t ask yourself think of all of the people around you who care for you and love you and think of the consequences of your actions.”

A teenager who claims to be the man pictured riding on the back of train says he has pulled the dangerous stunt before.

The 19-year-old, who spoke to radio station Nova 100, said he had been kicked out of home after his mum saw the photo on the front page of the Herald Sun.

The teen, who spoke through a voice distorted because he didn’t want to be identified, said his mum was “spewing” when she saw a picture and told him to get him to pack his bags and “get out”.

The man said he rode on the back of the train for several stops on the Belgrave-Lilydale line before getting off at Surrey Hills station.

He said he had ridden on the back of trains before and nothing would stop him from doing it again.

Connex management, police and the community at large, are outraged such behaviour is becoming more common.

The rail operator gets about nine reports a month, up from three just a year ago.

Connex spokesman John Rees said the pranksters were risking their lives foolishly riding on the back of trains.

"You wouldn't sit on the roof of your car at 70km/h, so why would you do it on a train?" Mr Rees said.

Herald Sun reader Paul Maric, whose friend captured the moment on camera, said he was horrified to see a man hanging on to the windscreen wipers at the back of the train.

"We couldn't believe it, we called out to him to get off and he signalled us to be quiet," he said.

"I just hope someone can identify him and make it known how stupid it is."

Victoria Police also wants to know the man's identity.

Mr Rees said train surfing had grown to the extent there'd been reports of teenagers as young as 14 attempting it.

He said Connex was targeting hot spots such as the Frankston, Lilydale and Pakenham lines.

The Brumby Government said the latest incident was "incredibly stupid, dangerous and irresponsible" and the culprit risked a $222 fine.

Another Herald Sun reader saw a boy of about 12 ride outside of a carriage between Yarraman and Noble Park last week.

The reader, Deon, grabbed the boy at Noble Park station and called police.

[Derek Walker]

One of these days they will be able to have it in the Olympic games! although we will win all the medals in South Africa.
Sorry, but if he ends up dead I dont have too much sympathy. There is something called being responsible, and I wonder how many others will give it a bash now that they have read of his exploits?