B.C. suicides: 10,000 dead in 20 years

[daftandbarmy]

A  guy  I know in Vancouver was driving home last night, crossed the Lions Gate bridge and halfway across the car in front stops, driver gets out and calmly jumps over the railing. I asked him if he gave the guy a score out of 10. What can I say? Marriage has mellowed me...

At least this explains why I can't find anything about it in the papers.

B.C. suicides: 10,000 dead in 20 years
The Province takes a look at suicide and how we all can help
Kate Webb, The Province
Published: Sunday, June 22, 2008

With its finger on the pulse of British Columbia, The Province is aware there are about 500 suicides in B.C. each year. But due to a long-standing blackout on media coverage that exists to mitigate the risk of copycats, we don't report them. Probing this painful issue proved a delicate task, but with the help of suicide-prevention experts we uncovered some of the statistics, myths and reasons behind suicide in our province, and discovered how readers can become a part of the solution

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/story.html?id=f2ab4578-8267-46fb-84e8-96b40c7ccf9b

 

[Sheerin]

Toronto has a similiar problem and they do their best not make it known.

The TTC has on average 1 jumper a week, at least that's what I heard from paramedics with Toronto EMS. 

Hell we even erected a 4 million dollar eye sore on the Bloor viaduct to prevent people from jumping even though there are two subway stations within a 10 minute walk and another bridge of equal height about 5 minutes west of the viaduct....

 

[danchapps]

Hell we even erected a 4 million dollar eye sore on the Bloor viaduct to prevent people from jumping even though there are two subway stations within a 10 minute walk and another bridge of equal height about 5 minutes west of the viaduct....

The reason for the eyesore, as I read in the papers, was that for some reason the Bloor Viaduct naturally draws people in (of off in this case). Even though there are many other bridges around and within walking distance people were more likely to use the Bloor Viaduct than the other bridges. Some believe that there is a spiritual force of some sort that makes it that way. Myself, I just don't know. I mean if someone is set on jumping they'll find a way. The strings just make it harder is all, to give the person time to think "Do I really want to do this?"

 

[Sheerin]

The reason for the eyesore, as I read in the papers, was that for some reason the Bloor Viaduct naturally draws people in (of off in this case). Even though there are many other bridges around and within walking distance people were more likely to use the Bloor Viaduct than the other bridges. Some believe that there is a spiritual force of some sort that makes it that way. Myself, I just don't know. I mean if someone is set on jumping they'll find a way. The strings just make it harder is all, to give the person time to think "Do I really want to do this?"

Oh I understand the ratione behind the suicide barrier.  I'm just not certain it's that effective. 

I'm not sure if I buy the spiritual force argument.  Rather i'm fairly certain that for most people who did jump it was a spur of the moment decision to jump. 
I'm thinking the majority of people who jump off of it only do so because its a well known location in the city.

Although that being said, I think i'd rather people jump off the viaduct than jump in front if a subway.  At least with the viaduct you stand a very good chance of dying quickly.  Whereas with the subway, most people survive long enough to suffer. 
Then of course there are the people who jump at the wrong end of the station.......... 

 

[MedTechStudent]

In San Francisco, a documentarian set up cameras on the Golden Gate Bridge to capture the high numbers of people who jump off every year.  The documentary is called The Bridge

And it was really creepy watching it...

 

[S.Stewart]

The bridge is one of my favorite documentries its available to watch online actually at www.moviesfoundonline.com its disturbing but it explores the side we don't often see.