http://pix11.com/2015/07/03/woman-hurt-after-falling-into-gap-at-li-train-station/

This gal fell into the gap when getting off a train...

?w=770

I was wondering if this was endemic to lower speed technology, something we had moved beyond in more advanced societies.

Don't think it the technology(which we need to replace), more likely the disgusting standards businesses are allowed to barely meet.

but it would slow things down and perhaps cost more than, say, a human being.

but some local train stations do have a gap. There was an incident not too long ago at Minami Urawa Station (near Tokyo) where a woman fell into a 4-inch gap between the train and the platform, and 40 people tilted the train to help free her.

?c=a6

I'm picturing some poor guy waking up from a commute-stupor to find 40 people trying to flip his train car...

isn't that what they say in old blimey?