Self-termination

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

Fuck you.

except for one time where I'd hit the ground and my vision had gone fuzzy by the time I'd loosened the scarf enough. (Only a few seconds, but it felt quite drawn out at the time.)

That sounds fucking dodgy. Don't do that shit again please!
It's quite often the fall that does people in - a guy I knew was stabbed through the heart (allegedly - they never found the knife) by his girlfriend but was actually killed by the blow to the back of his head when he keeled over.


( )

[lordpasternack]

That sounds fucking dodgy. Don't do that shit again please!

I shan't, I shan't - I think I learnt my lesson well enough. I mean, the scarf wasn't even tied into any sort of knot or anything - just slightly wrapped in on itself. It was just quite a rough kinda scarf.

It's quite often the fall that does people in - a guy I knew was stabbed through the heart (allegedly - they never found the knife) by his girlfriend but was actually killed by the blow to the back of his head when he keeled over.

In fairness, it wasn't a vertical-to-horizontal-in-one-swoop fall - more a stumbling, falling on knees, sort. I was lying down for a few moments as I gathered my faculties after the little antic, though.

[Thinking Aloud]

Didn't spot this earlier - it's probably worth a couple of comments from the industry side...

A train going at 60mph covers 8 inches (the length of one's skull) in 1/1,300th of a second. That's a lot faster than nerve impulses can cover the same distance so you wouldn't even be aware you had been hit. You have to plan placing your head on a rail track quite carefully

It's worth noting that the wheel wouldn't be the first thing to hit you. Most trains have an obstacle guard just ahead of the wheel that is designed to provide some protection to the wheels from obstructions on the rails, and prevent derailment. These are usually chunks of angle-iron, or occasionally snow-ploughs. You're more likely to be partially decapitated by this than under a wheel.

Also a moving train does create quite a pressure wave in front of it. There's a small chance that if you're at the side, with your head on a rail, you'll be blown clear of the rail. This may have unintended results - see below.

it needs to be at night so the driver doesn't see you.

Sadly the driver has the benefit of headlights, and the sudden appearance of an obstacle on the track, be it your head, a breeze block, shopping trolley or car, will be immediately obvious. You'll be seen, and you'll be heard, because at train speeds, hitting anything will make quite a noise.

The chap who jumped in front of my sister did it at night, and she was fully aware of his presence when he did it, believe me.

You can role away from the train in a second or so if you change your mind.

But make sure you roll far enough. Tracks in the UK and US are 4 ft, 8.5 inches apart - the width of a UK train is just under 9 ft - the width of a US train more like 12 feet. A lot of that width is down at track level. If you don't roll far enough (or are blown off the rail by the pressure wave, see above) you're likely to be smashed up quite badly by bits of the train passing over you to the side. You might survive this long enough to really really regret it, in a painful dismemberment sort of way.

If you face away from the oncoming train you don't even need to know the exact 'when' it will happen. Probability of instant death, very high.

A better probability is to do what my sister's jumper did - walk to the middle of the track, and crouch down. You'll be hit full-on by the coupler and will go underneath. Sadly, no matter where you choose the impact, someone will have to clean the bits of you off the train the next day (probably standing underneath, hosing you into a pit, bits of you dropping on their heads), some driver is going to face counselling, and a considerable number of passengers (if it's a public train) are going to be inconvenienced, both at the time and over the following days as the train you chose remains out of service.

[CJ]

Thanks TA. Back to the drawing board

[Mallardz]

The only problem with Train Strikes is the mess. It can leave a smear of person from the front round to one side of the train.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

Death by weasels..........Hmmm.

[Mallardz]

Death by weasels..........Hmmm.

Or loosing all bodily fluids via the eye!

[lordpasternack]

Oops

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Oops

Too late!

[lordpasternack]

Oops

Too late!

Did you see it before I fixed it?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Oops

Too late!

Did you see it before I fixed it?

No, of course not.

[lordpasternack]

Oops

Too late!

Did you see it before I fixed it?

No, of course not.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

[Gallstones]

No rope, no blade, no high cliff, no deep or fast moving water, no poison, no machines, no gun; just winter----with pockets full of bacon.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'd go out by taking a shot at this: 37°52'59.25" N 85°57'55.21" W