Delays due to a fatality?

[chuckles1066]

I've been using the railways now for seven weeks and tonight, for the second time in that period, there were severe delays caused by a fatality.

Incidentally, I'm sure both occasions involved Slough but that's another story for another day.

Does this mean someone's jumped in front of a train? On both occasions I haven't been able to find any news report indicating such an event.

Or does "fatality" mean someone onboard has had a heart attack or something?

 

[ANorthernGuard]

fatality usually means someone has been hit by a train, the trouble is usually they can be very messy and it can take a while to clean things up so to speak and usually the traincrew needs replacing etc. So can cause long delays

 

[GB]

As above, fatality usually refers to a person hit and killed by a train either by accident, tresspass, suicide or malicious acts.

 

[pendolino]

Does this mean someone's jumped in front of a train?

It's never assumed initially that the person jumped - only the police can decide whether the deceased committed suicide. Which is why it often takes a while to get things running again - technically it's a crime scene.

 

[FLHH East Anglia]

what happens after Christmas people get their credit-card bills,and decide its easier to commit suicide than face up to the bill's 'apparently'!

 

[N Levers]

I think it was the same person who got hit buy a train a few weeks back

 

[mumrar]

what happens after Christmas people get their credit-card bills,and decide its easier to commit suicide than face up to the bill's 'apparently'!

After working through 13 New Year periods, I wish I could disagree, but the pattern is very evident I'm afraid.

 

[chuckles1066]

Thanks for the clarification all.

Sadly a damning indictment on Broken Britain that such a tragedy doesn't even make the news.

 

[mumrar]

Thanks for the clarification all.

Sadly a damning indictment on Broken Britain that such a tragedy doesn't even make the news.

I don't really agree. Does every death on the road make the news? There's only so much space to print it.

 

[paulravuslante]

Incidentally, I'm sure both occasions involved Slough but that's another story for another day.

Not surprising, as I believe the Great Western has the highest number of fatalities in the UK on the stretch between London and Reading.

 

[scotsman]

Thanks for the clarification all.

Sadly a damning indictment on Broken Britain that such a tragedy doesn't even make the news.

It is a tragedy, since no one who commits suicide is in any kind of sound state of mind. However, it happens so often that the public gets used to it. The staff never will.

Also, I wish someone would tell us what 'Broken Britain' actually was, there's still been no official response from the Prime Minister on it.

 

[deltic1989]

I think it was the same person who got hit buy a train a few weeks back

Hmm interesting theory. You may be right but i can't call to memory anyone i've heard of that's been hit by a train and lived to talk about it. this is only my memory though and its very poor, so i may be wrong here.

 

[Stigy]

Hmm interesting theory. You may be right but i can't call to memory anyone i've heard of that's been hit by a train and lived to talk about it. this is only my memory though and its very poor, so i may be wrong here.

Depends on several factors if someone will survive. If a trains travelling at 90-mph I think we all know the outcome. If however it hits somebody at a much lower speed, the person could bounce off the train, or be run over but only lose a limb.

 

[Nym]

I'm sure Lostock Junction is up there aswell, when I was commuting BON - MIA was every few weeks I was held up by some *removed for good taste* person at LOT...

 

[Flamingo]

Hmm interesting theory. You may be right but i can't call to memory anyone i've heard of that's been hit by a train and lived to talk about it. this is only my memory though and its very poor, so i may be wrong here.

I've heard of a few, they are tidied up quicker, as an ambulance is called, and they have a greater sense of urgency about moving things along when the body still has a pulse!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
As regards tonight's, I'm not sure of any details, just that it caused a certain amount of chaos, along with the flooding at Chipping Sodbury and resultant diversions of South Wales trains.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Sadly a damning indictment on Broken Britain that such a tragedy doesn't even make the news.

Really?
There are (in very round figures) about 2000 deaths in the UK every single day. of which 1 percent are suicides. That would provide hacks with copy for 20 suicide stories every single day (and more in the 'dark' months of January and even moreso, February). Is that what newspaper readers would want to read ?

It is a tragedy, since no one who commits suicide is in any kind of sound state of mind. However, it happens so often that the public gets used to it. The staff never will.

Quite agree.

. . . . . there's still been no official response from the Prime Minister on it.

the 'Prime Minister'? Who's that, then?

 

[jopsuk]

Thanks for the clarification all.

Sadly a damning indictment on Broken Britain that such a tragedy doesn't even make the news.

There's actually guidelines in place for newspapers, especially nationals, to discourage reporting of suicide/suspected suicide, as there is a proven "copycat" effect- anyway, there's about fifteen or so (2008 figure) per day, by various methods- note that there's been a general decline over the last 20 years, so can stop with the tabloid Broken Britain bull (much like murder is significantly down on 20 years ago). We actually have a fairly middling suicide rate overall, and are low on the OECD list

Suicides do get reported where they are unusual. Sad thing is, it is pretty common, but it isn't because the country is "Broken". It's just a thing.

As for the seasonal effect? Um, erm, nope...

 

[YorkshireBear]

There's actually guidelines in place for newspapers, especially nationals, to discourage reporting of suicide/suspected suicide, as there is a proven "copycat" effect- anyway, there's about fifteen or so (2008 figure) per day, by various methods- note that there's been a general decline over the last 20 years, so can stop with the tabloid Broken Britain bull (much like murder is significantly down on 20 years ago). We actually have a fairly middling suicide rate overall, and are low on the OECD list

Suicides do get reported where they are unusual. Sad thing is, it is pretty common, but it isn't because the country is "Broken". It's just a thing.

As for the seasonal effect? Um, erm, nope...

good post there

 

[jopsuk]

People not doing a bit of basic research and just mouthing off, using "intuition" and "in my experience" etc annoys me a bit. You'll note the wikipedia articles linked are all well referenced to primary statistical sources.

 

[CosherB]

Thanks for the clarification all.

Sadly a damning indictment on Broken Britain that such a tragedy doesn't even make the news.

Shouldn't that be 'sadly a damning indictment of Broken Britain in that vulnerable people are drawn into debts they can't service by our media-driven consumer culture, whose message is that anyone can can have anything they want now without considering how it's going to be paid for, and so end up losing their lives when reality comes knocking at their door' ?

That is terribly, terribly, sad. A true indication of a broken society.

 

[The Barlow Boy]

Before the E.U. stuck their meddling noses in, a fatality on the railway used to be dealt with in very short order. I've been on one where the line was opened again at line speed in seventeen minutes. What happens now following one of the infamous directives from our masters in Brussels is that every fatality is treated a a crime scene (despite allegations to the contrary the same happens with road deaths nowadays which is why motorways get closed for hours after the event). That's why a fatality usually causes timetabling chaos for hours after the event.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Before the E.U. stuck their meddling noses in, a fatality on the railway used to be dealt with in very short order. I've been on one where the line was opened again at line speed in seventeen minutes. What happens now following one of the infamous directives from our masters in Brussels is that every fatality is treated a a crime scene (despite allegations to the contrary the same happens with road deaths nowadays which is why motorways get closed for hours after the event). That's why a fatality usually causes timetabling chaos for hours after the event.

That is probably one of the best posts I have ever read on here, no joke, absolutely true, we'll just have to make sure a certain someone on here never reads it!

 

[the sniper]

I wonder why more people were committing suicide before Britain became 'broken' and the media started FORCING people to buy things they can't afford...? :roll:

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Before the E.U. stuck their meddling noses in, a fatality on the railway used to be dealt with in very short order. I've been on one where the line was opened again at line speed in seventeen minutes. What happens now following one of the infamous directives from our masters in Brussels is that every fatality is treated a a crime scene (despite allegations to the contrary the same happens with road deaths nowadays which is why motorways get closed for hours after the event). That's why a fatality usually causes timetabling chaos for hours after the event.

If someone pushed me in front of a train, I'd like to think people would take more than 17 minutes to figure out what had happened, instead of wiping me up and making sure the trains get back on schedule.

I've witnessed a suicide in my station, and it's not nice for anyone involved, let alone the driver

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Not surprising, as I believe the Great Western has the highest number of fatalities in the UK on the stretch between London and Reading.

Well, i dont know, the LM stretch between Stafford and Rugby and Rugeley Trent Valley and Walsall can give that a run for it's money with unfortunate fatalities

 

[scotsman]

Really?
There are (in very round figures) about 2000 deaths in the UK every single day. of which 1 percent are suicides. That would provide hacks with copy for 20 suicide stories every single day (and more in the 'dark' months of January and even moreso, February). Is that what newspaper readers would want to read ?Quite agree.
the 'Prime Minister'? Who's that, then?

Talking about what the hell 'Broken Britain' is supposed to be

 

[90019]

Talking about what the hell 'Broken Britain' is supposed to be

A phrase the media can use to get people outraged about things.

 

[Striker]

Having lived abroad for the last ten years and returning to the UK to visit quite frequently, I can say the UK has most definitely gone downhill severely. It never ceases to amaze me just what a cesspit it has become. As sad as it may be to hear it for people who still live there, burying your heads in the sand is understandable but albeit doing you no service whatsoever. I would imagine it's difficult to detect a growing decline in the general quality of life, increase in crime etc. when you are surrounded by it.

And no, crime has not fallen. The way the figures are reported has changed though. But it's not just about crime. It's about general anti-social behaviour, yoofs (sic), 'elf and safety, the way the media try to create opinion rather than just report it.

Get out while you can I say.

 

[Flamingo]

Before the E.U. stuck their meddling noses in, a fatality on the railway used to be dealt with in very short order. I've been on one where the line was opened again at line speed in seventeen minutes. What happens now following one of the infamous directives from our masters in Brussels is that every fatality is treated a a crime scene (despite allegations to the contrary the same happens with road deaths nowadays which is why motorways get closed for hours after the event). That's why a fatality usually causes timetabling chaos for hours after the event.

Can you refer us to the EU directive that you mention? A web-link will do.

I've tried Googling it, and can't find anything.

(Or is it just another unfounded rant?)

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Can you refer us to the EU directive that you mention? A web-link will do.

I've tried Googling it, and can't find anything.

(Or is it just another unfounded rant?)

I cannot find any trace of an eu directive either.


It takes longer now because the police bve to be sure that it was a suicide, and that they weren't pushed (as happened in London a couple of months ago). Until the police have established that it was suicide, the body cannot be moved and it is a crime scene. This is the right thing to do. Can you imagine the headlines if someone was pushed and they casually removed the body in 14 minutes without investigating and it turned out it was murder? Bet everyone would then complain about those incompetent police officers.