Today while bringing our truck back from the Ford Dealer in Kennesaw, Ga, I nearly witnissed a very tragic incident. At about 1:45 pm I observed a Northbound Freight parked on the siding along CSX’s W&A Main in Downtown Acworth, and decided to drive to a secluded crossing just north of town that offers an interesting view of southbounds to observe the southbound intermodal that was meeting said northbound.
As I pulled up to the crossing, first I heard the southbound whistling for a crossing just north of my location, then secondly I looked to south and noticed a woman standing between the rails about 50 or so yards from the crossing. The woman, who looked to be 40ish, appeared to be homeless, and was staring in the direction of the train. She seemed to have a blank expression. Upon observing ths woman, I immediately stopped once I was over the crossing, and prepared to leave my truck in an effort to keep the woman from being hit by the oncoming train. To my horror, as I opened my door, I saw the train, about 1/4 of a mile away, rocketing around a blind curve towards the crossing. I realized about all I could do was hope that the woman would get off of the tracks by herself. As the train hit the crossing, the woman and I made eye contact. Her expression changed instantly, as she realized I was watching what she was doing. The train was about 20 yards away as she stepped about 5 feet or so to the side of the tracks and the intermodal train, which was blowing it’s horn franticly, flew past making about 45 mph. I was obviously shocked by the entire situation, and as I wastched the train go by, I noticed the woman turn away from the tracks and walk away from my truck and into the woods along the tracks.
I called the police to explain the situation, and after a brief talk I then l
Thank you for establishing eye contact…obviously she wanted to commit suicide in the privacy of her and the train. Your eye contact disturbed her privacy. We will never know the true feelings of those that decide to end it all, especially those that want a train to do the deed.
Good deed, man. [tup] Hopefully St. Peter put that one down in your ‘timebook’.
Yesterday - Monday, 30 Nov. 2009 - the National Public Radio ‘health’ segment had a lengthy report on one result of 4 teenage suicides within 6 months by train in Palo Alto, California - a ‘town watch’ type effort by parents and citizens to prevent more or ‘copycats’. Here’s the link to that report - ‘‘Parents Go On ‘Track Watch’ After Calif. Teen Suicides’’ by Elaine Korry -
Notably, several of the vounteers speak of wanting ‘‘the misuse of the tracks to stop’’. [emphasis added - PDN]
The follow-up story - ‘‘Media Should Tread Carefully In Covering Suicide’’ by Michelle Trudeau discusses the correlation between the reporting of all the details and subsequent ‘clusters’ of suicides, etc. It is at -
Notably, per the following excerpt, the expert claims that installing a barrier along the railroad tracks will prevent the suicides - not just relocate them:
"TRUDEAU: Clayton’s group has also been consulting with the Palo Alto community about the recent suicide cluster there. Telling them about the research on physical barri
It’s been my impression over the years that many contemplating suicide want someone to stop them. The attempt is sort of a last-ditch “cry for help,” if you will.
It’s possible that making it just a little more difficult to do the deed in a secluded area may be sufficient to provide that deterrent. A fence forces them to commit to the decision and crossing over or around the fence may be enough to stop them. At that point it’s clear that they made a decision and it wasn’t just an unfortunate accident.
Obviously, someone who is truly committed to suicide won’t be deterred by a fence or anything else.
OT: An up and coming method for suicide is mixing a toxic brew of chemicals while sitting in a closed car. This poses a real danger to potential rescuers who might also succumb to the fumes. It appears, however, that those who choose this method generally post a warning on the car windows.
By making it more ‘difficult’ to commit suicide (especially “in private”), it gives the person a bit more time to reflect on thier course of action, and thus perhaps reconsider.
Many years ago I was operating an express Metra commuter train heading from Chicago towards Barrington. I was on the center (track 2 of 3, numberd east to west) tracks approaching Des Plains. As I approached the curve into town at 70 mph, a person jumped out from some bushes, stopped between the rails, and turned to face my train. Fortunately for me (and hopefully for him) he was not too familiar with the schedule, for when he jumped from the bushes, he landed on track 3; we zipped by him on track 2. I immediately got on the radio to warn the train that was a few minutes behind me (on track 3) and the eastbound that was appro
Quite right. Frequently the method of the suicide distinguishes it as either a serious suicide attempt or as a suicide ‘gesture’ (which is what you refer to).
“Suicide may have psychological origins such as the difficulty of coping with depression or other mental disorders; it may be motivated by the desire to test the affection of loved ones or to punish their lack of support with the burden of guilt. It may also stem from social and cultural pressures, especially those that tend to increase isolation, such as bereavement or estrangement.
In the United States, suicide is the ninth leading cause of death. About twice as many women attempt suicide as men, but out of roughly 31,000 successful suicides in 1996, about four fifths were by men. A striking characteristic, which has concerned and baffled public health workers, has been the increase in suicides in the age group 10 to 14 years. In the period from 1980 to 1995, suicides in this age group rose from 139 to 330 per 100,000 individuals.” http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/suicide
“… We will never know the true feelings of those that decide to end it all, especially those that want a train to do the deed…”
Suicide by any means, particularly by train or truck, envolving another, unwilling individual (operator) can be permanently scaring to the psyche. No matter when it happens; time does do no more than just dull a still vivid photo of that instance of time, and circumstance in the operator’s minds eye. The picture appears immediately when qued by any circumstantial fluke. You learn tolivewith it.