It seems to me that the choice to commit suicide by train is quite deliberate. I would imagine that a lot of people making that decision have felt rather isolated and choose a public method in an attempt to matter, even if it’s in a bad way. I think sort of in the same way that some kids act up to get attention, even if it’s bad attention. If someone is just trying to off themselves, they could at least throw themselves under a train at night to have less affect on people, but whenever I hear these stories, it’s during rush hour. I guess it could also be that the added strain of whatever happened in the day put someone over the edge.
As much as it sucks, as inconsiderate as it is, and as horrible of a thing as it is to do to the drivers and anyone else that notices it, I think the anger at them is a bit misplaced. People killing themselves aren’t exactly in a rational place. It’s easy to imagine a best possible way to commit suicide, leaving a note, not inconveniencing people, having all one’s affairs in order, but we really can’t expect people in that state of mind to think that way. Aren’t most suicide attempts of a rather spontaneous manner? Someone reaches a point of despair, can’t deal with it, and makes a rash decision. In that sense, I’d imagine that’s why guns are a common choice, easily accessible and effective. Trains, especially when just a few blocks away and guns are less accessible in cities, seem like a pretty accesible and effective choice too.
The brother in law of a good friend of mine parked his car in the shoulder of a very busy large highway and calmly stepped in front of an 18 wheeler. During the traffic nightmare which then happened another driver was killed in the back up although not directly involved in the accident. So this guy caused tremendous pain to his family, ripped apart a second family, made the truck driver live with that for the rest of his life and less importantly kept thousands of people stuck in traffic for hours. My friend didn’t understand why I had no compassion for him.
I think this is true. I remember an earlier discussion about preventing people from jumping off the Golden Gate bridge. Many people suggested that it does no good as the people trying to kill themselves would just try again either there or somewhere else. Surprising data suggested that if people are prevented from jumping, they tended not to try to kill themselves again.
So, it was a temporary idea, not something they were fully committed to and thinking rationally about.
Maybe some do it for the public attention, but in Chicago the articles about it conclude that most choose trains because they’re effective. I don’t know what advantage the journalists writing the articles have over you and me, but there you go.
I’d suggest a person lonely and isolated enough to kill themselves wouldn’t give a fuck about interrupting a complete strangers daily commute with their demise.
Make assisted suicide legal everywhere. Set up…I don’t know what to call them, suicide stations, I guess…staffed by professionals who will help you leave a last message, fill out a will, become an organ donor, whatever, then escort you into a room where you lie down on a comfortable bed. They then give you an anesthetic that knocks you out instantly, then stop your heart with lethal injection or hook you up to breathe nitrogen or something like that. They then bundle your carcass off to a funeral home, notify next of kin, etc.
And people still wouldn’t use them but would jump in front of trains or off bridges.
The theoretical pros and cons of such an institution are very interesting idea, worthy of a GD thread by themselves.
Con: makes it easier for people who are just depressed or panicked to choose a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Pro: solves a lot of the problems listed in this thread, including that of the lack of organ donors and the problem of really, really unhappy people who keep on living just to go on living. And while it is a taboo thing to say, I don’t think we should have an obligation to keep on living if we have been unhappy for most of our lives and there isn’t really much improvement possible according to the current state-of-the-art -medical and psycholocical science.
Yeah, I know, death squads. But in this case for people who want to appear in front of one.
Get your affairs in order, leave a well thought out suicide note, a will and a list of passwords and accounts and go sit in a bathtub and open a vein. Supposedly it is painless, and all the blood basically gets washed down the drain. Preferably in your home not a hotel or motel [not a nice surprise for the maid] and hopefully leave a note so someone can discover the body before it putrifies and stinks up the building.
Sometimes I think this is a good idea. Maybe make it so you have to register and then wait 3 months. I do worry about giving people who are impulsive or just having a really bad week an instant “end your pain now” option. I don’t think you’d find people to staff it, but it could be automated. I’m really of two minds about it.
There was a long period of my life when I was profoundly suicidal (as in, I spent a significant amount of time each day trying to think of the best way to kill myself), this is one of the things that kept me from doing it. I knew that jumping in front of a train, bus, or semi-truck would do the job quickly and easily - FOR ME. I *also *knew that if I did that, some driver (not to mention first responders and the cleanup crew) was going to have to live with the knowledge that I’d involved them in my death, almost certainly against their will.
Why not? Religious prohibitions aside, why should my life not be mine to spend or end as I choose? My friends and relatives will be saddened no matter how I die. They may be outraged if I die by choice, but death from disease or accident is no guarantee against that (“Why didn’t he do another round of chemo?” “Why the hell did try to ride his motorcycle in a snowstorm?”).
I’m a bit torn about making it easier for people to commit suicide, but setting up a delayed email to friends/family members solves this logistical issue quite easily. Passwords and instructions on how to settle accounts can also be easily attached, as can instructions for finding any keys/codes for access to the location of your remains.
Tank of nitrogen from a welding suplier, grocery bag, duct tape and a tube. You’ll be dead in minutes and you won’t leave a mess. Absolutely painless too.
A small canister of helium from a party supply store will work just as well.
Pay all of your bills and debts off in advance. Gradually wind down your friendships. Write a will with a lawyer. Program your phone to send a prerecorded message to the police (non-emergency line, of course) 12 hours after your attempt. If you don’t live alone, make a reason to get your family out of the house for at least the day. Seal the garage, start your car, and lay down inside an opened body bag. Have your identification documents gathered into a stack next to you.
Not my idea at all, I’ve read it somewhere, but if you are at this level of consideration for others, surely you’re rational enough to realize that the more considerate option is to keep living. Not to mention that for most people the paying of bills and sunset of relationships should take at least a year.
Don’t do the freeway bridge thing either. The cops shut down traffic in both directions while the idiot stands on the edge of the bridge over the busiest freeway at rush hour, threatening to jump. And then the damn swamp donkeys let the cops talk them out of it after 2 hours freeway nightmares.
I have read from failed attempts that (at least in some cases) the helium from party supply stores is not pure helium - it’s enough to make balloons float, but there is enough oxygen - and not enough volume of overall helium to make killing yourself not a sure thing. The standard recommendation is to use two full size tanks (although I think it is mainly for redundancy purposes).
I too add my vote for - have thought about it a lot - wouldn’t totally be surprised if it eventually happens, but no way I’d want someone else to be traumatized running into me. No matter how bad it’s been - I’ve always considered others feelings (of course one could argue it hasn’t been that bad since I’m still here).