or does anyone else find it astonishing that London Underground still says trains are being delayed by "a person under a train"

[quesadilla]

OK so I know its a factually accurate way to describe the situation... but in this world where people are often so sensitive to things that could offend others and officialdom goes to such great lengths to use polite euphemism where possible, that a public suicide, with all the horror, misery and mess that involves, is described so graphically like that, publicly, to millions of people, seems really jarring to me.
It seems a little like having a receptionist at a GPs office shouting across a packed waiting room "are you ready for your abortion?" or something. Not saying its necessarily offensive, but I still find it jaw-dropping...Has anyone else noticed this or am I just being oversensitive?

[OneStepCloser]

I agree with Kiri, everyone knows what person under a train means. Not everyone speaks fluent English and its a saying that people understand. You know no point in waiting, just get off and find alternative transport. I should imagine that most people dont take their frustrations out on LU staff either when that particular announcement is made.

[AmyFarrahFowlerCooper]

Ooh, I hadnt thought of that bad. I can see what you mean, it does sound a bit like they are fobbing people off if they say that!

[Earnshaw]

The only time I've ever been held up by a dead body on the line was more than 20 years ago, en route to Gatwick, and the announcement was of 'an incident on the line'. There was a general (correct) assumption that this incident was a suicide, but several people were still moaning about the inconvenience.

This was long before the majority of passengers had about their persons not only the means to phone and complain on the spot, but the means to look up the correct number. Maybe being less euphemistic means that people will feel awkward about bombarding the rail company with demands for refunds while the 'incident' is still being dealt with.

I completely agree with 'You haven't got cancer' is exactly what you want to see in a letter from the breast clinic.

[Earnshaw]

agree that

[specialsubject]

tell it how it is, London Underground. If someone has jumped it is horrific for all concerned - the person who was so despairing that they did it, their family, the driver and the people who have to clear up. Telling people what has happened means that there may be a little more tolerance of the delay and the staff won't be given such a hard time.

[Jenny70]

As Australians over here we have noticed a big difference in the way things are reported here - in Oz there are regulations on reporting suicide (or mentioning it in any official way) - they are definitely in the "incident on the line" side of the debate. People realistically know why, but youngsters may not. But I do accept people with poor english also don't understand it.

There was an article in a newspaper about a suicide in australia, and the Oz paper said something like " XYZ died and police are not looking for anyone else connected with the incident" and the UK paper added to the quote that this as "this is how Australian newspapers refer to suicide". There is some belief that plain speaking about suicide and especially how it is done does encourage copycats...

I'm not sure which side I sit on, I do think the direct explanation leads to less commuter frustration, but then it's quite offensive when people complain that someone suicided in front of their train and possibly ruined a perfectly normal day for them, ignoring that this person was desperate and their family devesated by their actions.

[Owllady]

gosh someone has been hit by a train at my local station today as well :(

[domesticslattern]

I heard it this morning. Factually correct and covers all different bases as others have mentioned. I think it's sensible.
Whenever I hear it I always think, I am having a bad day because I am delayed but some other people are having a much worse day

[Pigsmummy]

Tall Giraffe nailed it, I am always moved when I hear this, it is shocking, it shouldn't be dampened down. It is factual. If you feel upset when hearing it then you are having what I think is a understandable response.

[mummytime]

I think knowing a bit more about death and suicide is actually off putting with respect to doing it yourself. A bit like the Dorothy Parker poem, but then I have spent a lot of time explaining to my children exactly why trying to overdose on paracetamol was a particularly horrific death.

[Jan49]

I think they used to say things like "due to an incident" and not give any further explanation and people used to get annoyed about it so they switched to giving more details. Supposedly people will be more understanding about a delay when they are told more detail.

I confess I would think "person under the train" meant someone had fallen on the track or climbed down, not necessarily a suicide or death.

[WafflyVersatile]

Apparently it's not that failsafe as a suicide method. People end up mangled but not always dead.

[Bubbles1066]

they say a fatality here. So sad when I hear it. When I was commuting it was all to common unfortunately.

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

YABU for all the reasons mentioned above - and I think it also reminds us to

a) be careful on a busy and crowded tube platform
b) be mindful of others, notice anyone who seems distressed.

[defineme]

I was on a crosscountry train with my 8 yrold ds when a man jumped in front of it(thank god my ds was facing me as the body hit and cracked the windscreen-very brutal). The train leaned to one side and ground to a halt and thenThe poor guard ran up the train shouting'we've just killed someone! Then we could hear him saying into the radio that the driver had run off. When the transport police and paramedics arrived there was much talk of getting the body off the tracks.
I have no issue with this. They all did remarkably well in a horrific situation. I do not expect the sensitivities of my child to be taken into account when a person has died: my child comes way down the list of priorities.

[SocialClimber]

Well, they could say it literally if you'd prefer..."operatives are currently picking limbs and brains up from the front of the train, to a mile down the track which is the distance it usually travels. Please note this will take a while because a body usually gets obliterated when hit at speed. The driver will be requiring counselling shortly after, as will the operatives scraping the person off the track."

I think I prefer "person under a train."

[yamsareyammy]

"Person on the track" sounds better. Could be all sorts then.

[AvonCallingBarksdale]

IMO YABU, but that's also a lot to do with me hating euphemisms for death. When DFiL died, people talked about us having "lost" him, or him having "passed away" No, he died. It's very confusing for children especially. Straight, plain talking tis best.

[60sname]

yamsareyammy Why does it have to be 'all sorts'? Maybe someone's death shouldn't be lumped in with leaves on the line and signal failures at Willesden Junction.

[catsmother]

I have heard "fatality" when it is, and "person under a train" when either it is a fatality - but perhaps the announcer wants to "soften" the true facts - or when someone's been seriously injured.

Either way, it's semantics .... when I hear anything alluding to people under trains I just used to feel very sad, and yes, more sympathetic to the delays - in a similar way to being in a vast tailback, and then you pass burnt out cars and realise your day hasn't been so bad after all.

These days however, when I hear such an announcement I wonder if my son who's a London BTP officer is involved, and exactly what awful things he's seeing and/or having to do ........ the way it's described is the least of my concern.

[MrsOakenshield]

sorry, haven't read whole thread but surely 'person under a train' is an accurate and concise thing to say if, at the time of the announcement, it's not known if it was an accident, suicide or even, I suppose, murder, and if the person concerned is dead, alive, seriously injured or just a few scratches.

It's a way of saying there could be a substantial delay that is not the fault of LU. I think LU staff can get a hell of a lot of abuse when there are delays and perhaps this stops most people (except the utter wankers) having a pop at staff.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

I think it is a good announcement, there is no need to sugar coat the situation; its clear and its factual. Its announcement that is sadly heard all too often but at least then you put your own frustration into perspective and realise that for some people the day is unimaginably awful.

[yamsareyammy]

Because of my post of 12.03pm, 60sname.

[becscertainstar]

I'm a Londoner, so I hear it a lot. Whenever I hear 'person under a train' I take a moment to pray for that person, for the driver, and for any staff involved in the rescue/recovery of that person. Then I pray for two people I knew and cared for who committed suicide in this way. Then I say a prayer of very fervent thanksgiving that I recovered from depression. If I heard 'an incident on the line' I wouldn't say those prayers.

If you don't believe in prayer then I guess it makes no difference - just me talking to my imaginary friend in the sky but those beliefs are important to me and many do believe and would prefer to be prayed for at that moment.

On a more practical note I'm sure that people give the staff less grief if they understand why they're being delayed. It jolts people out of their 'but I'll be late for that meeting' mentality and into 'thank God I'm alive - that poor soul'.

[samandi]

I think it's fine.

I mean, obviously, everything isn't fine ... many people will be delayed on their journeys after all :-(