jdreyer wrote on Aug 20, 2012, 18:00:

Beamer wrote on Aug 20, 2012, 17:33:
But then you have things like this. Or, as mentioned, the train conductor that has to go home at night and think about the guy who jumped in front of him. People have occasionally chosen suicide-by-cop, and think about the counseling the cop needs after that.

Just because they're in a bad place doesn't excuse them from putting other people in a similar place needlessly.

I'm not excusing it. I'm making the point that it's unreasonable to expect suicidal people to behave rationally. I'm sure there are those who do consider it and choose a way that has minimal impact. Then there are those who are wholly consumed with ending their lives as to be unable to think of anything else. And there are even those who intentionally commit suicide in a public and spectacular way BECAUSE of the impact it will have and the news it will generate.