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Post by Allan on Oct 31, 2016 20:30:17 GMT
This perhaps slightly tongue in cheek post was made yesterday by naughtyfox in the 'BAR Lightship impounded by CRT yesterday' thread. It may be of interest to learn that HSE have issued an improvement notice regarding the railings at CaRT's only suicide hotspot - www.thefloater.org/floater-november-2016.html Sadly between me submitting the short article and publication another death occurred which is now included.
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Post by Allan on Oct 31, 2016 21:40:42 GMT
That looks like an interesting little newspaper! I had a scary moment on the aqueduct - just after I took a photo from the side, to show the edge and the drop, I thought: She could have just pushed me!! (it is sad about suicides, especially trivial things like falling out with a boy/girlfriend. i'd say to anyone contemplating jumping off the Ponty-whatsit, don't do it - as you have nothing to lose now, there's no harm in devoting your life to get a narrowboat and taking yourself over it in that boat some day.) The Floater's editor is Peter Underwood, a retired journalist and continuous cruiser. The latest death is very sad and everything points to suicide. However, my view is that the incident to which the HSE improvement notice relates was not. What is also sad is that, following a review of safety at Pontcysyllte, CaRT remain mute as people continue to die.
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Post by Bad-Bitch on Oct 31, 2016 21:52:21 GMT
the 18 year old who died when the railing dislodged was on the wrong side of the railings (outside) not towpath side.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Oct 31, 2016 22:35:52 GMT
This perhaps slightly tongue in cheek post was made yesterday by naughtyfox in the 'BAR Lightship impounded by CRT yesterday' thread. It may be of interest to learn that HSE have issued an improvement notice regarding the railings at CaRT's only suicide hotspot - www.thefloater.org/floater-november-2016.html Sadly between me submitting the short article and publication another death occurred which is now included. What can CRT do? To make it physically impossible for a suicidal person to jump from the aqueduct would mean disfiguring it beyond recognition, and then the suicidal person would just kill themselves in some alternative way.
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Post by Allan on Oct 31, 2016 22:56:51 GMT
the 18 year old who died when th via the post morteme railing dislodged was on the wrong side of the railings (outside) not towpath side.I think the HSE improvement notice was issued in full knowledge of that ...
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Post by canaldweller on Oct 31, 2016 23:14:13 GMT
That looks like an interesting little newspaper! I had a scary moment on the aqueduct - just after I took a photo from the side, to show the edge and the drop, I thought: She could have just pushed me!! (it is sad about suicides, especially trivial things like falling out with a boy/girlfriend. i'd say to anyone contemplating jumping off the Ponty-whatsit, don't do it - as you have nothing to lose now, there's no harm in devoting your life to get a narrowboat and taking yourself over it in that boat some day.) Grrr!
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Post by Allan on Nov 1, 2016 9:14:22 GMT
canaldweller, are you going to Grrr! at Allan too? "What is also sad is that, following a review of safety at Pontycysyllte..." View AttachmentNo because I have quietly corrected my spelling ...
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Post by canaldweller on Nov 1, 2016 11:50:53 GMT
canaldweller, are you going to Grrr! at Allan too? "What is also sad is that, following a review of safety at Pontycysyllte..." The little tyke was too quick for me. I will also give a Grrr! if someone refers to "heartbreak hill".
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Post by canaldweller on Nov 1, 2016 12:14:17 GMT
This perhaps slightly tongue in cheek post was made yesterday by naughtyfox in the 'BAR Lightship impounded by CRT yesterday' thread. It may be of interest to learn that HSE have issued an improvement notice regarding the railings at CaRT's only suicide hotspot - www.thefloater.org/floater-november-2016.html Sadly between me submitting the short article and publication another death occurred which is now included. That does appear to be a lot of deaths in one year, I must say. This perhaps slightly tongue in cheek post was made yesterday by naughtyfox in the 'BAR Lightship impounded by CRT yesterday' thread. It may be of interest to learn that HSE have issued an improvement notice regarding the railings at CaRT's only suicide hotspot - www.thefloater.org/floater-november-2016.html Sadly between me submitting the short article and publication another death occurred which is now included. What can CRT do? To make it physically impossible for a suicidal person to jump from the aqueduct would mean disfiguring it beyond recognition, and then the suicidal person would just kill themselves in some alternative way. Exactly. Aside from putting barbed wire along the top of the railings, to stop people climbing over, or closing the aquaduct altogether what can anyone do?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2016 15:35:53 GMT
That looks like an interesting little newspaper! I had a scary moment on the aqueduct - just after I took a photo from the side, to show the edge and the drop, I thought: She could have just pushed me!! (it is sad about suicides, especially trivial things like falling out with a boy/girlfriend. i'd say to anyone contemplating jumping off the Ponty-whatsit, don't do it - as you have nothing to lose now, there's no harm in devoting your life to get a narrowboat and taking yourself over it in that boat some day.) My mother killed herself last year (71 and no physical health problems) She claimed that her choice to sell the house and live on a narrow boat for 10 years contributed to her major depression. And yes she did go over Pointy silty aqueduct (so did I in my boat) So don't assume that getting a narrow boat is a quick way out of depression - it might just as easily work the other way! All true by the way I suspect it was her leaving the cut that fucked her up but she was in denial but that's another story .
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Post by tonyqj on Nov 1, 2016 15:46:36 GMT
That's a sad story MM. You have my sympathies.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2016 16:41:45 GMT
Just reread it and realised I may have implied she jumped from the aqueduct. She didn't !! - but we both boated over it in year 1999.
Apologies for dragging this off topic rather !
Its a nice bit of engineering. Hopefully they won't spoil it with the elfin safety nods .
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2016 18:31:00 GMT
As I remember it there was a sensible guard rail on the towpath side. The other side was a narrow side to the iron trough maybe about 4 inches wide.
I don't have a fear of heights or a tendency to jump so I quite happily held onto the handrail on the roof of my boat and leant over the offside of the aqueduct just to get a bit of a view of the brickwork holding it all up. I also had a wander down to the river for another view. Truly amazing structure that is !
It would be sad if they put railings on the offside !
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2016 19:03:19 GMT
I can't see any photos on my phone. Anyway I hate blogs !
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2016 19:25:49 GMT
The HSE notice was to require CRT to maintain the current fence - nothing more.
High places will always attract people who are thinking of suicide, nothing will stop the determined but if a few minor modifications can be made to help those avoid an impulse moment or an accident then I support them.
I come from an industry that is 'blighted' by suicides, you can't stop them but you can at least try to help people who are suicidal. A few years ago I played a small part in getting railings put up on a listed building that was a 'suicide hotspot', no one objected to the railings or the cost.
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