Train station shortcut across tracks nearly turns deadly

Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Transit officials in Australia shared CCTV footage of a commuter narrowly evading being hit by a train while taking a shortcut across the tracks at a station.

Sydney Trains released a video this week showing the man's nearly-fatal stunt at the Banksia Station in southern Sydney in August of this year.

The video shows the man wait for a train to pass before jumping on the tracks and heading to the other side, putting him directly into the path of another train.

The man is able to pull himself up onto the other platform a split second before the other train would have made contact with his body.

"This is dangerous behavior that has to stop," said Howard Collins, chief executive of Sydney Trains. "It's beyond comprehension what goes through people's minds when they behave like this. It's time to put a stop to this foolishness. These are mindless and thoughtless acts that needlessly put lives at risk. They not only delay our services but can be quite traumatizing for our customers and our staff who witness these acts."