[Closed] Disturbing story in local paper

People have always done it. It's just more recently they've had ready means to film the results.

Is it wrong that I was expecting video footage??

The report does not say they goaded him though it does say they filmed it

whats so unusual -- he was on the roof of a bridal shop

[i]The report does not say they goaded him though it does say they filmed it[/i]

That was in the paper but not on the website.

What a strange and sad story.

I recently had a remarkably similar 'scenario' during a mental healthcare-related training course at work. (No not like that, the course wasn't [i]that[/i] bad. I mean that one of the trainers was pretending to want to jump off something and another was rather enthusiastically goading them on.) The lead trainer advised us that it was quite right for us to remove the 'goader' under common law (and we did, ahem...) as it seemed highly likely that he was going to actively contribute to the 'jumper's death. Though quite how you would do that as a police officer with a number of individuals in the high street I am not so sure.

3 times i've been involved in a 'jumper' situation:

once outside a rock club, the guy was ready to jump off the multistory carpark next to it... managed to talk him away from the edge and keep him from jumping til the police arrived. no goading from the drunken 'alternative types' at all, just concern, calling the police and a couple of drunken people trying to break into the multi-storey the hard way to come up and help.

the other two times were as a student nurse, once on placement with the local CMHT - another multi-storey, didnt jump, talked em down. and second time was on placement with acute ward, police got to them before me and another 2 members of staff did.

the second multi-storey incident was in a town centre and unsurprisingly the local kids... and i hate to use the term, but best the best way to describe them in a way that STW will instantly understand... chav kids, were very keen on her jumping, lots of goading and shouting at her to get on with it 🙁

Didn't something similar happen in derby city a few years back? Some poor sole was stood at the top of the car park and a few local 'youths' were seen to be goading the poor guy.

Shame we live in a society were a minority feel that this behaviour is accetable.

As disturbing as the event itself were some of the readers' comments.

If I found myself in Portsmouth at 11am drunk, I'd jump too.

Joking aside, is this time to start a "desensitised kids" debate?

[i] chav kids, were very keen on her jumping, lots of goading and shouting at her to get on with it[/i]

Sounds very much like the Portsmouth scenario.

nothing re-sensitises a kid like watching somebody actually die in front of them, more so in a violent manner.

is this time to start a "desensitised kids" debate?

are they any worse than we were..?
I was a kid in the 70s and 80s and we were just as ferocious as the modern chav.. grown-ups just weren't quite so easily intimidated back then is the only difference..

when did the cult of the tearaway kid start..? 1950s..? 60s..?

TV..?

grown-ups just weren't quite so easily intimidated back then is the only difference..

i dont think grown-ups are as grown-up anymore.... most 32-35year olds i know live a typically younger life than i do!

A disturbing story, unfortunately not an isolated incident according to Phil's experiences. (Well done you btw)
A very good friend of mine's mother committed suicide when we were 14, I've seen the devastation it can cause close up. Also, I struggle with a 'personality disorder' and understand what it is to feel desperate and helpless.
Personally I'd try to act like Phil, I wouldn't assume to tell anyone that their life is worth living, but would try to talk to them.
As for scrotes seeing it as entertainment (pp included?), I can't imagine being so devoid of compassion and empathy. I pity them.

I think the goalposts have shifted somewhat as well, with a culture of avoiding conflict for fear of retribution from the law..

Could you imagine clipping a cheeky little git 'round the ear these days..?

I remember one where the people doing the goading were arrested. Not sure what the follow up was though.

are they any worse than we were..?
I was a kid in the 70s and 80s and we were just as ferocious as the modern chav.. grown-ups just weren't quite so easily intimidated back then is the only difference..
when did the cult of the tearaway kid start..? 1950s..? 60s..?
TV..?

Agreed. Kids have always been like this, it's not new.

It only seems worse now because its up to us to control them.

Personally I'd try to act like Phil, I wouldn't assume to tell anyone that their life is worth living, but would try to talk to them.

trick is to empathise not sympathise, always state you 'could never pretend to understand what they're going through but can only imagine how hard life must be at the moment for them' to be in the situation their in considering what they're considering. even something as simple as 'i know what you're going through',said with the best intentions, can be enough to make that person angry and move them closer to tipping point. call 999 before you start speaking to them not once you're next to them. dont get too close, maintain a little distance and dont say anything that makes it seem like you dont believe they're suffering i.e 'its not that bad' type stuff.

i found 'please, i'm not going to stop you or try and tackle you away from the edge, but please please talk to me for a little bit' even though it could be argued that choosing a public place to do it is a cry for help and they might want to be stopped, reminding them you're not going to rugby tackle them goes a long way to letting them feel like they're in control and that control isn't going to be taken away from them by you.

if there are kids shouting, talk loudly and clearly over the kids to try and distract. hell even make up a story about how someone you love didn't realise how many people loved them and they were close to jumping once, they didnt jump and afterwards realised how many people still wanted them around.

most importantly, dont try and drag somebody back from an edge, they might take you over with them, and if they manage to get over as you grab them you'll feel responsible as if you pushed them.

Could you imagine clipping a cheeky little git 'round the ear these days..?

How many clips round the ear from strangers did you really ever receive as a kid though?

I was a wee toerag sometimes and I don't recall ever being given a thick ear. (born 1975, so child of the 80s)

note r.e my advice above... i'm writing that as a member of the general public, not as a nurse so please dont take that as official advice. It's purely based on my experiences and hopefully some common sense. i hope that doesn't sound patronising, but as i've found in situations like that it can be a challenge to apply the same level of common sense as you would in any other situation... fight of flight definitely kicks in, there's an adrenaline rush and thoughts can become clouded. if you think you can get up to try talking to the person call 999 before you get up there and give the phone to an adult ideally nearby who can take over describing the scene to the 999 operator who will organise police, ambulance or whatever they feel is needed so you can get up there.

How many clips round the ear from strangers did you really ever receive as a kid though?

three effing good ones that I can remember without the need for reminiscing with my mates, so in reality a good few more than that I expect.. 😳

Phil - taken as intended, and agree with what you've said. My experiences (from both sides) would just make it impossible not to attempt a dialogue.

Was I just well behaved or middle class?

I'd never have goaded anyone to jump, I can't imagine any iof the folk I went to school with would have either.

I'd never have goaded anyone to jump,

me neither, I remember seeing it on films and being a bit shocked, and I remember well, meeting kids who were that hard..

EDIT: seriously thinking about it a bit more.. maybe I would have at certain times in my life.. I was pretty wild from a young age, consequence and actions were two unrelated things mostly

when i was a (naughty) kid, did try herding sheep over a cliff, didn't work --

[i]I'd never have goaded anyone to jump,[/i]

Me neither, but I guess I knew kids that would have. Not "hard" just scum.

Not "hard" just scum.

I think I probably meant hardened rather than 'hard', desensitised perhaps..?

thanks for calling me scum though.. 😕

[i]thanks for calling me scum though..[/i]

these kids:
[i]and I remember well, meeting kids who were that hard..[/i]

But if you want it to be you 😉

I'd call that behaviour scummy.

aye well then, maybe that's what I was.. I find it hard to write a kid off as scum though..

stands to reason I s'pose

I find it hard to write a kid off as scum though..

dunno where I'm going with this tbh

dunno where I'm going with this tbh

I've bitten off more than I can chew here if I'm honest.. interesting point though

I've bitten off more than I can chew here if I'm honest..

greedy barstard.....

people are always capable of change, thats what makes us different to other animals ..... so scum should only be found in a bath.....

[img] [/img]

[i]I find it hard to write a kid off as scum though..
so you're not unwilling to write adults off as scum?[/i]

Dunno what you're on about. I'd quite happily call anyone who deserves it scum.