Person under a train...
There have been numerous stories relating to the delays caused by people choosing London Underground Trains as their method of committing suicide, and having endured many a journey on the tube I've been subjected to several of these delays myself.

However, a story a friend once told me is always the first thing that comes to mind when I've heard the familiar distorted voice announce that there is a delay to x line as a result of a person under a train...

----- wavy lines -----

Said friend's father was a member of the met police and, as such, would have occasion to deal with incidents on the underground. On one of these occasions he was asked to attend to the aftermath of such a jumper, and what he saw there will live with him for the rest of his life: he arrived at the scene to find a train sat only half in the station. There was something of a commotion at the front of the train and he was swiftly despatched to assist with the operation. He walked with some apprehension to the area and clambered down onto the tracks to be confronted by the sight of a young woman, who, through some hideous ill fortune, was still just about alive and suffering the most dreadful demise imaginable. He was understandably sketchy about the minute details (and I'm infinitely pleased he was), but the one thing he did describe at length was how the woman looked at him, and repeatedly pleaded for his help.

Having served with the police for a number of years, he'd encountered a great deal of unpleasant things that the majority of us never have to witness, but this was by far the worst thing he'd ever seen, and it's one that he'll never forget.

I've never been able to feel any frustration, aggravation or annoyance at the slight delay to my journey this causes. The only thing I can feel is absolute sympathy for those that have to suffer the aftermath. And that's to say nothing of the suffering and torment someone must have gone through in order to find it in themselves to jump in front of a train in the first place.

Apologies if this comes across as righteous or worthy, but I do find it annoying that people are so caught up in their own life that they can't appreciate that their slightly extended journey home is nothing in comparison to the horror that others will be enduring as they deal with the consequences following each announcement that there is a person under a train.
( Moey, Sat 31 May 2008, 12:46, 4 replies)

On a lighter note
One of the platform staff at Mile End survived falling in front of a District Line train with cuts, bruises and a headache. This was about the same time that "Unbreakable" came out in the cinema and we were (as only students can be) sufficiently impressed to buy the bemused looking bloke an "Unbreakable" T-shirt.
(Leonard Hatred briefly did some work on, Sat 31 May 2008, 12:51, closed)

My ex works for first
and they get their fair share of jumpers along the lines. He told me you generally get used to it, but you never get over seeing kids. Granted they're not usually suicides, they're tagging along the lines and don't know there's a train coming, but they're the ones that stay with you.

My brother works on the underground as an engineer and was there when a guy decided he didn't like his girlfriend anymore so held her down as a train went over her. My brother was the only one would go down onto the tracks to sit with her while they waited for the ambulance. Her lower legs had been clean cut off, so he tied tourniquets around her thighs and they talked about dreams of the future and horseriding - apparently she was a keen horse rider. They stayed in touch afterwards, she had a bit more of her legs amputated and has false ones now to get around on.

I asked him why he went down onto the tracks when it should have been the job of the platform staff and he said that if he didn't then no one else would have.
( fuck shit up the best you never had, Sat 31 May 2008, 12:59, closed)

Kids messing about on railway lines?
Darwinism in action.
( idonthaveafunnynickname Drink-Aware? Sure. I'm aware I want another drink., Sat 31 May 2008, 14:34, closed)

you know...
... I think people DO understand that the aftermath of a jump IS horrific, it's just that they haven't seen it, and are thus not qualified to talk about it. It's an unspoken subtext to the complaints about wasted time. I haven't seen it either, but I still feel for the people who have to clean up the mess.
( bnt what, me worry?, Sat 31 May 2008, 15:47, closed)