Barreling down the M1 one morning
I saw the fluorescent markings of a police van parked on a bridge above the carriageway. So, I ease off the pedal, thinking it's a video speed trap. But there are figures in hi-vis jackets around the edge of the bridge, and one over the edge, standing on some part of the superstructure. Except...

As I pass under the bridge, I see clearly the guy over the side isn't standing on anything, he's hanging. By the neck.

I never found out what the story was, presumably some poor soul had hung himself in the night and they'd just discovered him. Quite a memento mori.
(North Utsira South Utsira, Thu 7 Apr 2011, 16:42, 10 replies)

I've only ever seen three dead bodies.
One was Lenin, one was Mao, and the third was a newsreader from the local radio station who'd just thrown himself from the multi-storey.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Thu 7 Apr 2011, 16:51, closed)

Killed himself because he knew he'd never be as fearsome a communist dictator as the other two?

( idonthaveafunnynickname Drink-Aware? Sure. I'm aware I want another drink., Sat 9 Apr 2011, 12:06, closed)

I can only imagine that that was it.

( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Sat 9 Apr 2011, 12:48, closed)

A bloke hanged himself a few years ago near here from a bridge on his wife's route to work,
presumably timing it so that she'd drive underneath his body and recognise him.

They lived miles away so he must have had to plan it carefully.

I didn't see it but it made the local papers.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Thu 7 Apr 2011, 17:28, closed)

i once phoned the police
to report a man hanging from the top floor of a nearby high-rise block.
the police phoned back half an hour later, suppressing giggles, as they told me they'd rescued a pair of jeans that had been hung out of the window to dry.
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Thu 7 Apr 2011, 18:09, closed)

How very public-spirited of you!
Did that get into the papers? If not you're lucky, as they'd have stuck that in round here.

I once jokily rang the local rag about a peacock from a nearby farm perched on top of my neighbour's roof. A reporter and photographer came out and there was half a page on it the next week!
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Thu 7 Apr 2011, 18:29, closed)

hahahaha!
no, i got away with it. although the rules were changed in the high rise to stop people hanging clothes out of their windows!
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Thu 7 Apr 2011, 18:39, closed)

I can relate to this...
Every time I do something public-spirited, it blows up in my face. Once, I persuaded the Missus to pull over when I saw an old fella struggling with his shopping, "Sir, sir, would you like a hand? A lift, perhaps?" "I'd rather walk" he said. He looked at me as though I was a creepy gerontophile..

Next time, we'd gone for a drive into Cumbria; this time we saw another oldster who'd apparently slumped onto the verge. We pulled over and I leapt out, "Is everything okay, sir?" "I'm just collecting grass." this one quipped.

On reflection, I'm not sure he wasn't being sarky. More fool him if he was.
(Chickenwire social lubricator extraordinaire, Thu 7 Apr 2011, 20:29, closed)

just because they're old
it doesn't mean they can't be cunts
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Fri 8 Apr 2011, 19:38, closed)

memento mori?
Is that like a garibaldi?
( Sextant goes to him is emotionally erect, on this day, Thu 14 Apr 2011, 0:58, closed)