Going Postal: Stepping over the line with MD-90s

Interesting pictures here. In the top photo, you'll see what looks like a man melting into the pavement. Nope. He's just wearing the customary garb of the construction worker. You'll see he is right up against the semifore. Braver than him is someone to the right, a hardened figure of daily toil: the housewife. In the bottom photo even braver, or less intelligent, however you want to look at it, is the young mother or college student. Touting the ubiquitous stalk of 'negi' onions, and bicycle basket front up against the semifore guard and the wheel under it, she's ready to enjoy her 0.00036 second advantage over the rest of the pack. I'm convinced that if there were no protective semifores at these railway crossings, many folks, many more than you would believe, eager to race to the next line to stand on, would wait at these danger zones with toes right up against the rails, already leaning into their run as their noses would brush against the passing train. Welcome to Japan.