# Woman pushed onto train tracks (RO) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 7, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166 "2008-08-07T14:30:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/41 "2008-08-07T21:26:52Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] …and ask them firmly but politely to put out their cigarettes? [/QUOTE] No. To charge them, at a minimum, with assault or battery (whichever it is in their jurisdiction that includes a violent physical attack on another person). If the law permits it, I hope they can be charged with attempted murder or attempted manslaughter. It’s not exactly a secret that the third rail is a bit on the dangerous side. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/42 "2008-08-07T21:35:11Z")
So…let me get this straight. You’re saying that the third rail is…sort of like the third rail of railway tracks? ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/43 "2008-08-07T21:39:21Z")
[Grievous Bodily Harm](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodily_harm) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/44 "2008-08-07T22:01:11Z")
[QUOTE=rayh] [Grievous Bodily Harm](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodily_harm) [/QUOTE] Would a broken wrist really count as GBH? As **Monty** points out, as it’s a reasonable assumption that people know contact with the third rail is potentially fatal, attempted murder seems more likely to me. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/45 "2008-08-07T22:17:44Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Would a broken wrist really count as GBH? As **Monty** points out, as it’s a reasonable assumption that people know contact with the third rail is potentially fatal, attempted murder seems more likely to me. [/QUOTE] Might be diffcult to prove an attempt to murder. Easier to prove an intent to cause grievous injury, and that is all that is required regardless of the actual injury. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/46 "2008-08-07T23:18:24Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] 'Vigil Aunties… can’t shoot 'em, can’t kick 'em in the pussy. [/QUOTE] Also tried, my leg was frozen up to the knee. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/47 "2008-08-08T02:31:42Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Would a broken wrist really count as GBH? As **Monty** points out, as it’s a reasonable assumption that people know contact with the third rail is potentially fatal, attempted murder seems more likely to me. [/QUOTE] I remember Intercity trains using an overhead cabling system instead of a third rail. When did that change? ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/48 "2008-08-08T05:50:05Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] Well, it took only one jackass to make the original post in this thread. [/QUOTE] And only takes one stale knight to gallop in and save the thread from humour. Sir Monty; maybe the SDSAB can help you discover irony… ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/49 "2008-08-08T06:26:38Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] 'Vigil Aunties… can’t shoot 'em, can’t kick 'em in the pussy. [/QUOTE] You win the thread! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/50 "2008-08-08T07:43:31Z")
[QUOTE=Staggerlee] And only takes one stale knight to gallop in and save the thread from humour. Sir Monty; maybe the SDSAB can help you discover irony… [/QUOTE] Oh, I appreciate Irony. I just don’t believe your OP is such. You got your tail-end handed to you by a few folks and now you’re cowering under a threadbare tent. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/51 "2008-08-08T09:17:58Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] Oh, I appreciate Irony. I just don’t believe your OP is such. You got your tail-end handed to you by a few folks and now you’re cowering under a threadbare tent. [/QUOTE] My mistake - my OP was a serious defence of smokers’ rights being upheld by thuggery. And here I am, ass in hand, quivering in my threadbare tent at the mention of Stetson hats. Piss off, sailor-boy. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/52 "2008-08-08T09:44:33Z")
Quite mature comment from you, jerk. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/53 "2008-08-08T09:48:17Z")
While the OP was funny, far more amusing is the excellent Major Frank Burns impression! ---
**Author:** ![CrowJane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@CrowJane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrowJane)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/54 "2008-08-08T09:52:53Z")
I know, why don’t we all calm down with a nice cigarette and a punch-up? My money’s on the guy with the Cuban cigar and massive hands. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/55 "2008-08-08T11:25:25Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] I remember Intercity trains using an overhead cabling system instead of a third rail. When did that change? [/QUOTE] This isn’t the same trains. The [third rail system](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_electrification_in_Great_Britain#Existing_Systems_-_Conductor_Rail_Type_.28Third_and_Fourth_Rails.29) around south London and south-east England is a legacy of the independent pre-British Rail companies. Incidentally, although it’s essentially a suburban network, the Eurostar trains had to be designed to run on these tracks as well as overhead systems. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/56 "2008-08-08T11:31:10Z")
The irony of this is that it comes only a few days after one of the chiefs of police says that people should be willing to confront people exhibiting anti-social behaviour or breaking the law and not be afraid of doing so. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/57 "2008-08-08T13:02:15Z")
[QUOTE=CrowJane] Cool. Conclusive proof that smoking causes bitterness. [/QUOTE] Yeah but if you add salt before serving it really brings out the sweetness. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/58 "2008-08-08T13:24:55Z")
[QUOTE=Illuminatiprimus] The irony of this is that it comes only a few days after one of the chiefs of police says that people should be willing to confront people exhibiting anti-social behaviour or breaking the law and not be afraid of doing so. [/QUOTE] People willing to be ''have-a-go-heroes" should all wear distinctive lapel badges so that people can analyse the potential back-up, and determine whether it is too risky. Obviously it’s a little silly for one female to confront two anti-social males, but using my identification system, she could have ignored them until the odds were in her favour, then first opportunity, knocked the shit out of them. Always fight the battles you can win. p.s. Whatever happened to the “Guardian Angels” in New York? Are they still going? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/59 "2008-08-08T13:31:51Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] This isn’t the same trains. The [third rail system](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_electrification_in_Great_Britain#Existing_Systems_-_Conductor_Rail_Type_.28Third_and_Fourth_Rails.29) around south London and south-east England is a legacy of the independent pre-British Rail companies. Incidentally, although it’s essentially a suburban network, the Eurostar trains had to be designed to run on these tracks as well as overhead systems. [/QUOTE] Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166/60 "2008-08-08T14:17:19Z")
Could someone please explain where the humor is in the OP? I don’t get it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-pushed-onto-train-tracks-ro/459166.md?page=4)