The media won't say this, and neither apparently will the police, so I will.

[Tiberius]

Sorry if this is insensitive, but I feel these things should be said.

Yet another person has been struck and killed by a train whilst trying to recover something they dropped onto the tracks. In this case, it was a mobile phone.

The police issued this statement:

"This appears to have been a tragic accident and our thoughts remain with the woman's family at this very difficult and sad time for them."

NO. Whilst this is certainly tragic, how on earth is it an accident? This young lady was presented with a choice; to risk her life by stupidly (yes, stupidly) going down onto train tracks to rescue a phone, or to go and contact someone official who could have handled the situation properly. She chose to take a stupid risk, and it cost her her life.

My deepest sympathies go out to anyone affected by this, don't get me wrong. It is a tragedy; it should have never happened, but the reason it should have never happened is that in the 21st century, people should know better than to make stupid decisions such as trying to rescue a relatively worthless (in comparison with the worth of human life that is) phone from a place where large metal objects hurtle along at speeds of up to 150 mph.

Why aren't more people talking about the inherent dangers of doing stupid things like this? Why doesn't the media grow some balls and point out the stupidity, as well as explaining the proper course of action one should take when they drop something onto the tracks? In fact, forget the media, why aren't the police doing this???

</rant>

[thesummerqueen]

Because no one wants to be seen as insensitive, darling.

Which is ridiculous - a safety reminder could easily be added to the end of condolences without mentioning words like "stupidity."

[frankiej]

The word accident implies that no one is to blame. It was obviously her own fault.
It is sad that she died, but I think you are right.

Who cares about seeming insensitive? I don't have time to tip-toe around people's emotions

[thesummerqueen]

Don't move to the US then, frankie. Advocacy groups THRIVE on sensitivity training and lobbying.

[frankiej]

I have made it clear before that I never will

I find it difficult enough as it is hear to cope with political correctness.

I wouldn't mind visiting the US sometime though.

[leo-rcc]

I don't see the problem here. This is obviously natural selection at work. If you need to be told it is stupid to put yourself between the rails when a crossing is active, how do you manage to get dressed on your own?

[thesummerqueen]

Agreed, Leo, but I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to have them say "when you drop your phone, these are the people you can contact" just in case people don't realize they don't have to go after it on their own.

[Tiberius]

Also, the woman had a kid. To be honest, I'd rather have an idiot mother who was alive and well than one who got herself killed trying to rescue her phone...natural selection be damned.

[kılıç_mehmet]

Sorry for the lady.
Well, better to lose a phone than to lose your head, but obviously, some people lack it already even if it's there.

[leo-rcc]

I still don't get what you are saying here. Some people are morons, there we need to put signs everywhere not to do moronic stuff?

That is as silly as the "Don't dry your cat in the microwave" label. No matter how idiotproof you make anything, there will always be dumber idiots.

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