Reber v. Pittsburg & Birmingham Traction Co.
Reber v. Pittsburg & Birmingham Traction Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The only question to be considered is whether the case should have been withdrawn from the jury. In considering this we must assume that the plaintiff has established these facts : Late at night he got on a crowded car of the defendant company to go to his home. There was no room inside, and he stood with a number of other passengers on the rear platform.- His position on the platform was a comparatively safe one, as he stood between the controller and the brake, facing forward, with his back against the railing of the platform. After riding some distance he was requested by the conductor, who desired to use the trolley rope, to change his position. He then attempted to enter the car, but because of its crowded condition was unable to do so, and he took a position which the conductor told him to take at the outer edge of the platform near the step, and stood with his back to the car holding with his right hand to the iron railing behind him. While he was in this position the electric current was turned off, causing the lights to be extinguished, and the car was allowed to run at the rate of fifteen or twenty miles an hour down a grade in which there was a sharp curve. When the car struck the curve the plaintiff’s hold of the railing was broken, and he was thrown off. It was the habitual custom of the company to carry passengers on the platform of its cars, and the plaintiff was there with the consent of the conductor, and was unable to get elsewhere on- the car. The plaintiff was familiar with the locality, and knew of the curve, and was aware of the danger of his position.
The use of electricity as a motive power by passenger railway companies has created new conditions from which new duties
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Christ. Reber v. The Pittsburg & Birmingham Traction Company
- Cited By
- 9 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Negligence — Electric railway — Crowded car — Biding on platform — Measure of care. The use of electricity as a motive power by passenger railway companies has created new conditions from which new duties arise. The greater speed at which cars are moved increases the danger to passengers and to persons on the streets, and of these dangers all persons must take notice. When there is an invitation or permission to passengers to ride on the rear platform it is the duty of the company to observe a higher degree of care in the running of the oars at points where there is danger that they may be thrown off, and there should be a corresponding increase of care and vigilance upon the part of a passenger who voluntarily assumes such a position of danger. In an action by a passenger against a street railway company to recover damages for personal injuries, it appeared that the plaintiff got on a crowded car of the defendant late at night. There was no room inside the car, and he stood with a number of other passengers on the rear platform. At first he stood between the controller and the brake, facing forward, with his back against the railing of the platform, a comparatively safe position. He was subsequently requested by the conductor to change his position, and he attempted to enter the car, but was unable to do so. He then took a position which the conductor told him to take at the outer edge of the platform near the step, where he stood with his back to the car, holding with his right hand to the iron railing behind him. While standing in this position the electric current was turned off, causing the lights to be extinguished, and the car was allowed to run at a rate of fif* teen or twenty miles an hour down a grade in which there was a sharp curve. When the car struck the curve plaintiff’s hold of the railing was broken, and he was thrown off. Plaintiff was familiar with the locality, and knew of the curve. It appeared that it was the custom of the company to carry passengers on the platform of its cars. Held, that the question of the plaintiff’s contributory negligence, and the defendant’s negligence was for the jury.