not quite the best part of waking up...

not many people talk about this aspect of the emerald city anymore.

abcnews.go.com...

Suicide is almost never covered by the media. I'm frankly surprised to see this story published.

The theory is that if you publicize suicides, you might give other despondent people ideas. I believe (but don't have time to look it up ATM) that this was indicated by some research done in the early 60s.

The problem is, without public attention to suicide rates we are unable to gauge dome very important things in our society.

I suspect that suicide is on the rise because our society is becoming increasingly empty, eaten out at the core by rampant greed-based consumerism. It's impossible for some people to feel happy or meaningful when they've been filled with pop-culture messages that tell you you're only valuable if you are rich, beautiful, or famous.

It's a subject I've been thinking about since there's a definite (yet unpublicized) increase in "Train Jumpers" locally (people have been throwing themselves in front of Vancouver's Skytrains with increasing frequency).

It's truly a sad thing when we can look around and see so many people who have been robbed of the joy of living, simply because they don't conform to the standards of existing as consumeristic "Happiness Engines".

Many suggest building a fence to thwart would-be jumpers, but any such project would need to comply with federal and state preservation laws.

Instead, hoping to reduce then [sic] number of jumpers, the city will place call boxes and signs along the bridge by next month at a cost of $35,000. The phones will have two buttons, offering direct connections to 911 and to a suicide prevention line.

A larger number of signs along the length of the bridge will display the full number for the 24-hour crisis line.

abcnews.go.com...

I have to admit that this is a pretty lame measure.

If the companies in that building up and moved and the word got around as to why, then there would be more pressure on city hall to find real solutions to this problem, like putting up barriers to make such jumps next to impossible.

If someone is that desparate to end themselves they will find a way. I know it's a cold statement but I have little regard for suicides. Life is what you make of it. Not what people tell you it is. You have the choice to make your life as good as it can be or as bad as it can be.

I personaly agree with the phone and sign idea. Gives these people one last chance to make the right choice for themselves. I have been so depresed and despondent I couldent get out of bed for two weeks at one point. I never once thought of commiting suicide.

Annother cold statement is with 6 billion people on this planet a few of them who take themselves out of the equasion helps the rest of us out. I am actualy all in favor for some sort of a suicide center. If all else fails and your going to do it anyway then there should be a place that these people could go to get it over with quickly and painlessly. Harvest the good organs, blood, tissues etc and you are also helping out people that want to live.

Yea it's a sad fact of life, some people can't cope with it they feel empty allone and useless and so they decide to end their pain. For the rest of us we are just left to clean up their mess.

suicide is the most selfish thing one can do. Sure you end your pain but what about the pain of the people that did actualy care about you or the innocent people that you traumatize because you splated below their office window? Don't they deserve consideration? IMO if your going to end it all do it privatly in your own home or better yet take a gun into a dumpster and end it that way. Least the cleanup will be easier.

Most people that attempt suicide do so as a cry for help. These people don't actualy want to die they just want to show everyone how bad it is for them. These people deserve help and should be able to get it without embarassment. As for those that are bound and determined to end it all they will and there isnt a thing anyone can do to stop them.

I think if you had read the article, you would have understood that the issue at hand is not so much that some people choose to end their lives, but rather the danger to others presented by those who fling themselves off that bridge.

The irony is that landmark preservation laws prevent barriers from being erected to prevent misguided souls from becoming lethal missiles and the utter futility of putting phones and phone numbers on a bridge as a deterrent, as though anyone who goes that far to kill himself is going to call a suicide hotline.

A woman who jumped to her death this month landed only one foot away from a pick-up truck. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported earlier this year that one jumper actually fell on an SUV while the driver was inside. The body struck the passenger side, and the driver was not hurt.

abcnews.go.com...

[edit on 2006/12/16 by GradyPhilpott]

Oh absolutly, I did read the whole article, It may just be a matter of time before these suicides injure or kill someone else jumping off that bridge onto someones car or onto someones boat.

I also understand national historical regester places. It is very difficult to chainge the asthetic value of a historical place. Even when this type of thing occours. They could if it posed a threat to public safety but individuals that choose this spot to kill themselves is not going to qualify as a public safety hazard.

Installing measures on the bridge itself to prevent suicide, is nothing more than placing a band-aid over a gun shot wound. The city should spend it's dollars on a system of preventing suicide altogether. Not just trying to prevent it on the bridge itself.

The fence, ...Please. A fence is the last thing that is going to stand between an individual and suicide. It would honestly be a waste of time, effort, & money. It may reduce the suicides on the bridge, but it would do nothing to deter suicide itself.

I think we under estimate the ability to talk to children on a face to face level. Guest speakers in school, proper use of the media, etc., the possibilities are endless.

Human contact is the key. When they understand their life is of value, and the loss of it would carry a severe impact, it may assist in the process of saving lives.

Originally posted by chissler
The fence, ...Please. A fence is the last thing that is going to stand between an individual and suicide. It would honestly be a waste of time, effort, & money. It may reduce the suicides on the bridge, but it would do nothing to deter suicide itself.

I hate to keep saying this, but the issue is not suicide prevention. That's an important issue, but the real issue in the article is to diminish the likelihood that individuals will jump off that bridge onto the parking lot or into the marina below and the dangers that presents.

The people who must work below are saying in essence, "Give us a break! We're tired of the carnage."

My previously mentioned solution regarding the building, I think, would be a good one to get the city on the ball. Vacate that building and make the world aware of the issue. With the lost revenues from that real estate, someone will wake up and do something.