Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Acela train suicides:

I'm afraid I should not even write about this topic. There's a concern that publicizing it will give people ideas. We recently had what is probably an Acela suicide near the Hamilton, NJ train station on the Amtrak Main Line. Stepping in front of a high-speed train does the trick quite efficiently. Local officials are worrying about a cluster of these suicides near Hamilton. No motive for choosing that locale has been found.
An Acela-assisted suicide stops the trains for hours. The investigation and, most unfortunately, the cleanup, take time and money. There can be a horrible delay in identifying the victim.
The people who have brought us high-speed trains need to offer a dignified alternative. Something simple, private, and effective. I'm really sorry about this, because, if such an alternative could be offered, hardly anyone would approve.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure that would solve the problem. Something quick, easy, and private is readily available, but people change their minds. I think the people who step out in front of the Acela trains know there is no backing out and there will be no miraculous survival. In other words, by the time they get to a place where they will walk in front of a train going upwards of 125 mph, they are beyond easy, fast, and private. Just a thought?