Suicide prevention?

Metro seems to have a LOT of suicide cases, almost one a week it seems. This contrasts to my experience in Boston, in which a suicide by train happened maybe once every other month (I dont have actual stats and would appreciate someone posting them if they did).

Besides disrupting service, a suicide can have a profound impact on the driver of the train.

That being said....what can be done to stop this? Is anything being done?

More education so other riders can report suicidal behavior?

Demand that trains enter the stations at a slower speed?

Has metro ever considered platform doors/screens? I know Paris is retrofitting some of their ancient lines with them, and in DC they would be especially appropriate due to the use of air conditioning in stations. I shudder to think of the monetary and environmental costs of running A/C that just escapes down the tunnel.

Thoughts?

Yeah, DC gets its fair share of jumpers, that's for sure.

I'd be a little concerned about platform screen doors, though. I'd be afraid it would ruin the aesthetics of the stations, and besides - the truly determined person will find a way to end it all regardless of what kind of barriers are in place. Then as for slower speeds, I think that's a poor trade-off between getting people home/to work on time, and keeping a few wackadoodles alive that are determined not to be. Besides, even at slow speeds, it's still possible to be struck. These trains can't stop on a dime, after all.

I suggest fully legalizing gun ownership in Washington and WMATA starting up a campaign. "Protect innocent commuters; kill yourself in private."

It'll appease second amendment advocates, assist the suicidal, allow everyone else to arm themselves to defend against something going wrong in public, and save Metro riders from being inconvenienced by selfish fools using the rails for their deathbeds.

(This is at least a half-serious suggestion.)

That kind of reminds me of a comment I made, only half-jokingly, after a suicide at Forest Glen held me up on the Red Line for a very long time (and on my first day riding after the Fort Totten accident, of all days). I basically said that if people want to kill themselves by jumping in front of a train, that's their business, I suppose, but they should at least have the courtesy to wait to kill themselves until after rush hour is over in order to minimize delays.

Really, why does the train even need to stop after taking out a jumper? It's not like there's going to be much left to investigate, or anyone to arrest.

Some large roadway bridges (the Golden Gate comes to mind, as does the new Route 35 bridge over the Raritan River in New Jersey) have signs with suicide hotline phone numbers.

krtaylor wrote:Really, why does the train even need to stop after taking out a jumper? It's not like there's going to be much left to investigate, or anyone to arrest.

Our society has some respect for the dead ... even those who have lost all respect for themselves. I also believe most passengers would rather not treat a person's body as if it were road kill. There is also a slim chance that the attempt has failed and rescue is possible.

It is disruptive to passengers and crews ... I wish people would find a way that didn't affect others but phasers set to vaporise isn't an option.

WashPost on effect on T/O's.....

With Suicides, Train Engineers Long Haunted by Horror, Helplessness
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02404.html

In Train Suicides, a Private Anguish Plays Out in Public
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02427.html