L. Spiro
November 11th, 2008, 07:37
I have not been here long and already it has happened.
Not far from where I was standing (perhaps 15 meters), as my train pulled into the station, someone jumped in front of it.
He hit the right corner of it and was knocked back onto the platform, hitting other people who were waiting.
The train screeched to a halt before arriving where I was standing and people started screaming.
The officials came and moved people out of the area and put up some blue sheets to prevent people from seeing the body.
The officials inspected the front corner of the train for damage. There was no blood or dents but there was a scratch. His family will have to pay for that.
Eventually the train pulled forward into the station and stopped, but we were not allowed to get on. I had to take a different train to work, and I was late.
Normally that is exactly where I stand when I wait for that train because it drops me off at the exit I need to take to easily leave the next station. If I had had the time to get over there it is likely I would have been hit by the body as it flew back onto the platform.
About 1,500 people per year in Japan throw themselves in front of moving vehicles in an attempt at suicide. Most of those moving vehicles are trains. The line I take (Yamanote) averages over one per month.
L. Spiro
Not far from where I was standing (perhaps 15 meters), as my train pulled into the station, someone jumped in front of it.
He hit the right corner of it and was knocked back onto the platform, hitting other people who were waiting.
The train screeched to a halt before arriving where I was standing and people started screaming.
The officials came and moved people out of the area and put up some blue sheets to prevent people from seeing the body.
The officials inspected the front corner of the train for damage. There was no blood or dents but there was a scratch. His family will have to pay for that.
Eventually the train pulled forward into the station and stopped, but we were not allowed to get on. I had to take a different train to work, and I was late.
Normally that is exactly where I stand when I wait for that train because it drops me off at the exit I need to take to easily leave the next station. If I had had the time to get over there it is likely I would have been hit by the body as it flew back onto the platform.
About 1,500 people per year in Japan throw themselves in front of moving vehicles in an attempt at suicide. Most of those moving vehicles are trains. The line I take (Yamanote) averages over one per month.
L. Spiro