Jumping into MRT tracks, has it become a trend?

[cacky]

Hi dear Singaporeans,

Thought that this would be more suitable to be in here, since it's related only to Singapore. Of late, been hearing a lot of cases of people jumping into the MRT tracks ... I mean, why so? I've not been back in Singapore for a while and recently, I went back and took the train, to my horror, they actually have signs to indicate that if we were to cross the yellow line, we'd be fined.

Or worse, fined even more for jumping into the tracks. My thoughts are ... if the person has an intention to jump (and end up dying), would the fine really stop him? And why has it been happening so frequently these days?

Is everyone who jumps hoping to get that big amount of money which the widow got for her husband who died while jumping into the tracks? If so, could this phenomenon be attributed to the media who's been playing up so much of the news of the widow? *sigh* For whatever reason it is, think SMRT better think of something soon before their stations become haunted and no one will dare take the trains anymore.

Do feel free to share your thoughts on this and update me if you have the stories behind the people who have jumped. I can't seem to read such news anywhere, the media seems to play down the stories of such cases.

[spax]

Yeah, I've also been disturbed by the incidents of people jumping down on the tracks. I think that the high profile incident in Chinese Garden MRT resulted in more cases of people jumping down the tracks. The media is partly at fault by making it big, and this made the victims think that jumping down the track would help to solve their families' financial problems.

The latest track jumping incident occurred at Yishun MRT. Check this out here (http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/viewPost816.aspx). Though this incident is not highly publicized in the news, the STOMPers made it a big hoo-hah in the STOMP community.

Those who jump onto the MRT tracks are simply selfish. Not only do they not think about the consequences of their families, they also disrupt the normal operations of the MRT system.

There are lots of arguments whether we should install the platform gates at all the elevated MRT stations. It may prevent these incidents to a certain extent, but I believe that they will still climb the gates and commit suicide. Moreover, it will cost much for SMRT to install these platform gates.


But then, life has to go on. We can't possibly make this big whenever people jump onto the tracks.

[piglet]

Spax: if SMRT is to install whatever gates, hmmm..i can imaging us, yes, the public incurring all the costs..sigh~ ><"

Cacky: really? there's a sign that indicate, 'fine for crossing the yellow line'? i nv notice that..however, that's a weird thing to do..fine for crossing the yellow line? LOL..i guess all the recent incidents are scaring us all..*we are not call a fine country for nothing* :laughing:

the most innocent party is actually train driver..i believed he would had a shadow in his heart forever! his train has just knocked someone! sort of a killer though we know its not his fault at all..but i belived, this is a bad memory for them. :(

[cacky]

Yeah piglet, you are right. In this whole tragedy, no one ever really spared a thought for the train driver. Think SMRT should do about something for the driver, maybe send him to a psychiatrist or somethin'.

Honestly, I still think the media has the biggest part to blame. The spate of events blown up for the man who got half a million for his family through jumping into the tracks has in a way 'encouraged' such a trend!

[Wendy]

Well.. this cases are also being discussed in other forums..

Yes.. these incidents have caused a lot of inconveniences to many many people.. not only the passengers.. but also the mrt drivers, the smrt staffs, who has to make special arrangements for the affected passengers.. especially for the latest incident at yishun mrt.. as it is during the peak hours in the morning.. people getting late for work, traffic jams.. etc etc...

Putting these matters aside, what about their families? To them, it might just be a split second of pain.. but to their families? They are left behind with an eternity of sadness and pain... It is really sad to see so many cases of suicides happening.. people might question.. why is it so? who is at fault? the standard of living? the media? or what... haiz..

[gnipuhs]

Well, perhaps they think that jumping into the MRT tracks can just let them end their life? Cos perhaps, they might be afraid to try out other sucide methods? =X

I think the people might think that their families would get financial help? But on the first article, people might probably feel pitiful for them. But it get sort of annoying, it's like jumping into the MRT is another way to end their life? And like what spax said, it disturpt the normal operations. The Yishun one had caused alot of inconvience I think.

I didn't thought about the driver's feelings until I read you guys comment. I guess he's probably the poor-est victim of the accident.

[liwei_jay]

the announcement.. early in the morning to announce that there's yet another accident on the mrt track to Marina Bay..
that was the way i found out that there had been an accident..
Can u imagine 7am in the morn.. there has been as such msg playing over and over the PA system..
ppl ard starts wonderin what kinda accidents is tat??
train derailed? fire? or another suicide?

After searching ard for news regarding tat during lunch w/o any success..
i gave up knwing.. until there was the email of the photoes taken by the stomp-ers reach my mail box.. on the next day.....
Then i knew.. there was anotehr attempt of suicide..

My point of view,
This is really a hard to avoid fact that jumping into mrt track is the easiest and surest way of suicide..
no matter how much u fined and what gates u install.. the result would still be the same.. ppl would still attempt to commit suicide..
this is the way of life.. ppl who cannot face the problems and thinking that this would be the easiest solution.. But it never come across their mind tat their next of kin would suffer.. with whatever problems, explainations and worst heartbroken of being left behind by their loved and trusted ones to fend the world alone...

i do sympathise the train driver..
having to ensure that passengers wouldn't rush into trains and got caught while it's beeping warnings is bad enough..
but witnessing someone jumped onto the train and seeing his her expression when the train hits the person is worst..
imagine that u can't serve your train any other direction and to stop it at such high speed would still be a fruitless attempt..

[cacky]

What???!!! Yet another suicide case on the tracks? I don't understand what these people are thinking any more ...

[7nameless7]

hm.. do you guys think its something like the angry spirits want more people
to join them? possess them? anyways.. even if gates are built, people will try to climb over them.. i think we as passer-bys should help these victims up when they do jump down, because most of the time passer-bys only look, but are afraid to help them.. so yeah.. we should be more helpful.. about the media, they just trying to find ways and means to crap some stories for money... so if really we have to pick something to blame, i'll blame money for everything...

[liwei_jay]

sorry to confuse u cacky.. >.<
i was actually juz telling how i felt abt the accident..
and how i did come abt knwing it..
It's basically the one u guys are talking abt..
the latest which was in Yishun.. >.<

[caho]

i think ppl chose to jump in the tracks instead of other ways of suicide cuz the family gets insurance? and if it gets known they might even get donations from the public.. i dont know.

[sinyee]

i think ppl chose to jump in the tracks instead of other ways of suicide cuz the family gets insurance? and if it gets known they might even get donations from the public.. i dont know.

I think its pretty foolish to think that way. Donations from the public? It will die down once more and more cases occur. The public won't be that sympathetic i think.

[skueshy_noodle]

mrt tracks are FREAKY! when i was young i had phobia of them... ya and recently there hace been quite a few cases of ppl jumping in and commiting suicide.. pretty scary! i think really nothing much can be done to stop all these happenings.. hmmmms

[chewy]

singaporeans should learn to help out ppl in need...but notwhen sthing really bad happen...like in this case the poor man ran out of cash and decide to jump to death on the mrt track...i do feel sorry for him but shouldnt singaporeans dun just donate money, I think that if he has support and guidance from his friends then, such thing wouldnt have happen...and ppl mite have the wrong msg that jumping to death on the mrt tracks will help to clear of debts and money problem...

[cacky]

I really don't think it's wrong of Singaporeans to show acts of charity. Everyone has their own right to consider what is charity to them. My stand still stays: The media plays a very strong role in influencing the minds of its readers and viewers.

The way headlines spill over their front pages, even if I do not read the article, I will get a certain impression. For someone who is heavily in debt, upon reading the articles, they will get the impression that this is the way out. If media, had played down the story, it really wudn't have had such an effect on people.

[¦-Metal-Gear-¦]

another accident. this time is Eunos Station. :depresse:

Source: http://news.asiaone.com/a1news/20070123_story6_1.html

[cacky]

What the hell is going on????? Why are people doing such things to themselves?

[liwei_jay]

Aye..
I was shocked to when i heard that there's another accident again..
only that this time.. the fella is alrite??
maybe they should interview him on why he did it..
:shifty:

[cacky]

Yeah, I read that he was okay ... and I believe he's gonna be fined for doing so.

[liwei_jay]

phew.. great..
we will have one less stop to worried abt when we take mrt stats..
i get this jeebies when i passes by the stat which prev reported wit ppl jumping.. >.<"
maybe it's juz self-paranoid..
still i'm glad tat the fella's fine..
mayb they should really interview him..
to knw what makes him think this is the bez way to commit suicide.. :rolleyes:

[Wendy]

Well.. the news says that he 'accidentally fell onto the tracks'.. hmm.. i wonder if its really accidental..

However, luckily he was knocked to the side of the tracks.. somewhere near to the railings, i think.. that's why he survived.. but that was still very horrifying..

[¦-Metal-Gear-¦]

MRT services halted briefly after woman's leg trapped in gap
Posted: 27 January 2007 1002 hrs

SINGAPORE: MRT train services between Queenstown and Jurong East were disrupted briefly on Saturday morning after a woman's leg was trapped in the gap between a train and the passengers' platform.

The incident at the Clementi MRT station happened at 8.27am.

Officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force freed the woman's leg manually before sending the unconscious woman to the National University Hospital for treatment.

The Chinese woman, said to be about 50 years old, is believed to have fractured her left leg.

A spokesperson for the SMRT said train services resumed shortly after the incident, at 8.51am.

The SMRT has advised passengers not to rush or board trains when the doors are closing. - CNA/ir

-----
poor lady, hope she's alright.

[cacky]

Why are the MRTs having such freaky accidents or deaths of late? Could it be a supernatural power out there causing it to be so???

[liwei_jay]

it's kinda scary..
abt the latest case.. where the lady leg got stuck at the gap..
>.<"
*shudders*.. juz a few stops away from me..

i think they should announce that the passengers should "Mind the Gap" between the platform and the train..
i do remember HK's announcing it when passengers abt to alight train..
does our mrt does tat??

i still felt that the ppl in SG are juz rushing too much..
SMRT should draw lines like those in TW..
where ppl would queue nicely to board train..
rather than juz rush there when the train is here.. :dry:

cacky,
supernaturals?? nahz.. just some bad lucks??
or mere coincidence??
i still felt that it's human own doing.. >.<"

[Wendy]

For the clementi's incident.. I've just read the updates in the newspaper.. they interviewed the injured lady and she says that she had just alighted the train, and for some reasons, her left foot got caught in between the gap, before she knows it, the train started moving away from the platform.. and she fell down and her head was knocked against the floor on the platform, and she fainted.. not knowing what happens after that..

The thing is, how come the train driver doesn't know that someone's foot was stucked.. i thought there are cameras to check whether it is safe to start moving the train..

[liwei_jay]

yep, Wendy..
i'm still confused over the lady's story..
how come the lady's foot there they could still move??
dun they have CCR to ensure that they dun have anyone trapped in between the door when it's closing..
surely they would have spotted her right??
:hmm:
it's makes me shudder to think that the gap that i'm crossing everyday is so BIG that a leg could get stuck there..

[feng]

personally,i do pity those that jump off the track, but i think that they have to be considerate if they want to do that, firstly its is disruptive to the public as services will be stopped, and moreover, it may leave a scary image in some peoples' minds as it is quite scary to see someone jump off the track and being splattered by an upcoming train.

[cacky]

it's makes me shudder to think that the gap that i'm crossing everyday is so BIG that a leg could get stuck there..

If you think that the Singapore's gap is big ... wait till you try the Hong Kong or Shanghai's subway. They are much wider. I guess sometimes, it's really up to the train driver to be careful, especially in this case.

[liwei_jay]

lolx..
oops.. cacky.. i actually said it in a more sacarstic remark.. :rolleyes:
it is really a not so big gap..
that is why i dun understand how could one get his/her leg stuck there.. -.-ll
maybe her legs are tiny..

I did saw how big is HK's subway's gap..
and i do agree it is much bigger..
But at least they warn the ppl while they're alighting..

[¦-Metal-Gear-¦]

Apr 4, 2007

The eastbound MRT service from Aljunied to Eunos stations was disrupted at 10.21am today when a man was hit by a train at Paya Lebar Station.

To maintain service on the unaffected stretches of the East-West line, all eastbound trains were turned around at Aljunied Station, said SMRT in a statement. Eastbound train service resumed at 11.02am. Train services on the westbound and North-South Line were not affected.

A bus bridging service was deployed to ferry passengers between Aljunied and Eunos stations. Passengers were informed of the service disruption and free bus services through announcements, notices and the rail travel information system at affected stations, SMRT said.

SMRT said passengers who were unable to complete their journeys due to the disruption can claim a full fare refund from the Passenger Service centre in any SMRT station within the next three working days.

Police investigations are in progress, SMRT said.

----------

oh no, agian.
=(

[cacky]

Again ..................... *sigh* I hope this was an accident and not a suicide case.

[Wendy]

Haiz... I wondered how many lives are claimed during the past few years..
Its really sad and scary to see these reports on the news..

[liwei_jay]

Not again??!!
my gosh.. is ppl making it a muz to have a case of such once awhile??
i thought MRT is having CCR to monitor and so on??
where has all these precautions went??
o.O

sorry... wasn't ard in SG..
anyone has any idea wat happened to tat man??

[Wendy]

Liwei, I have no idea.. but I think he passed away...
And, there's another accident today.. I just heard it on radio.. a man had fallen onto the tracks.. but he should be alright.. cos an eye witness says he saw that the man was lying on the platform with an injured head..

[icetears-]

HAI I don't think they're accidents. I mean, the mrt has been around for so long, how come only recently there were so many cases of people "accidentally falling" down onto the tracks?

:wink2: Poor SMRT. What happened to the really safe Singapore?
:oops:

[liwei_jay]

well..
it's obviously ppl are paying no heed to their own life..
:-x
how could one really accidently fall into the track as in recently for so often.. >.<
it's really scary..
to see how many cases has been happening for the last few yrs..
i wonder if it's really the newspaper to be blame..
:shifty: