Tgv delayed by suicide.

Martyn · Post by **Martyn** » Sat 06 Apr 2013 21:02

This happened to me today for the second time in a year (and about 7 TGV trips). Obviously I have been unlucky, and I am sure it seems tasteless, but it may be worth considering if you have something time-critical at your destination. Apparently there are lot of them currently (I guess a copy cat effect): it is easy enough to allow leeway for short delays, but these are a minimum of about 3 hours. But thank God I do not drive the things, or clean up afterwards.

Robert Ferrieux · Post by **Robert Ferrieux** » Sun 07 Apr 2013 03:02

Most inconvenient for you, Martyn......I'm sure you were very cut up about it, but not quite as cut up as the poor guy who killed himself.
As you say, when feeling so desperate that you think about suicide, do consider the passengers who might have an important appointment somewhere.
Helen

Martyn · Post by **Martyn** » Sun 07 Apr 2013 15:45

That is just sententious (and the "cut up" turn of phrase just distasteful). You have no basis to know how much empathy or regret I may or may not have felt. I was making a practical point in a thread about "Travel".

mrob343 · Post by **mrob343** » Sun 07 Apr 2013 19:56

Martyn wrote:This happened to me today for the second time in a year (and about 7 TGV trips). Obviously I have been unlucky, and I am sure it seems tasteless, .

Martyn,

In defence of Helen..and probably a few others looking in on this thread.
IMO. it doesn't seem tasteless. It IS tasteless to post such a remark.
You may beg to differ....

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Mon 08 Apr 2013 00:00

Robert Ferrieux wrote: As you say, when feeling so desperate that you think about suicide, do consider the passengers who might have an important appointment somewhere.

4 years ago SNCF rain a campaign to persuade would be suicides to "find another way" pointing out that death by train was not reliable and many people survived.

They also pointed out that each suicide disrupted the travel of 100,000 people and delayed another 100 trains.

Internet postings of 10,000 people focused on the selfishness of the suicide rather than their despair.

Some years ago a friend of mine committed suicide and I hated him for what he did to his wife and two young children

Debbie and Noel · Post by **Debbie and Noel** » Mon 08 Apr 2013 08:08

Two points.

Can any of us imagine the impact on the train crew and the emergency services who have to deal with the consequences close up? It is the stuff of nightmares.

In France disruptions are routinely caused by theft of copper cables, accidents on level crossings, mechanical defects and sabotage. Add to this endless strikes by the unions and you have a less than 100% reliable service.

Noel

Sue · Post by **Sue** » Mon 08 Apr 2013 08:39

Same as UK then!

Martyn · Post by **Martyn** » Mon 08 Apr 2013 11:36

People differ on matters of taste. I had ample time to ponder the matter, and (like anyone, I guess) I found it deeply sad - the more so because every "successful" attempt (which inevitably will be widely reported) only provokes more people to emulate it.

My post, however, was in a quite different "register". Until recently, I cannot recall significant delays on TGV services except through strikes or foul weather, both of which you can more or less see coming. So I typically left myself say 15 minutes slack in my schedule, or a bit longer for a more important case. My recent experience tells me that this was a misjudgment, and one that cannot be catered for simply be allowing a bit more time again. Such incidents (as also of course, thefts of wire etc) necessarily involve very long delays. For the future, if it matters, I would always allow at least four hours leeway, or travel the previous day.

Perhaps everyone else on the forum has always done this: I am temperamentally the sort of person who cuts things fine.

FORUM