topic Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle? in Community Chat

Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Kachina624 — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 05:41:13 GMT

There was a difficult situation yesterday in our fair city (Albuquerque) and I've been pondering what would be an alternate way to resolve the situation.

A man got up on one of the overpasses over Interstate 40, and threatened to jump. They held up traffic for 16 hours while they tried to talk him down. This major East-West highway has very heavy truck traffic and it inconvenienced truckers to the point of ruining their refrigerated loads and leaving their schedules in shambles. Needless to say, they were backed up for miles and miles with no alternative but to just sit there. Traffic all over the city was affected and was a mess.

It just doesn't seem like one disturbed person should be able to bring a city's whole transportation system down. All the police could do was bring in a negotiator to try to talk him off the overpass....and talk, and talk. For hours, all they could do is talk. It seems as though they need a tranquilizing shot for people like they have for animals.

Any thoughts on a possible solution for this type of situation? A lot of people are really steamed about this.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

chickenbone — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 05:47:28 GMT

Armour piercing ammo. Make em' go to Phoenix.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

kitcat51 — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 05:47:37 GMT

Did they talk him down?

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Moonchilde — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 06:21:50 GMT

Same thing happened a bit north of here a few weeks ago. Really, really screwed up traffic for hours. People were like “jump already then, just let me get outta here.” Not the response you’d hope for, but not surprising with that many hours of standstill.

I don’t know what the answer is, but I get what you’re saying, absolutely. Car chases and jumpers in SoCal happen so often this is really a problem weekly.

Giant nets shot out of a shotgun/mini-cannon? Something laid out below so that if they jump they won’t hit the road? They could let one lane of traffic go through and keep the person away from that lane. I’ve always heard that the reason they totally shut everything down is because they don’t want a body to splat on someone’s car, likely causing major damage and possibly injuring the driver.

It’s not that I have no sympathy at all for the suicidal, but as we know, these days people are doing “suicide by police” stunts almost every day. People who go for the grandest gesture, the way to be the most noticed and most disruptive possible. I honestly don’t have sympathy for the “I’m gonna go with a SPLASH and the world will stop for me” thing, suicidal or not. People into endangering others, and possibly ‘taking someone with you’ is not a ‘poor baby’ scenario AFAIC.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

RoughDraft — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 06:45:01 GMT

Are you really asking people on a shopping forum to make judgements on the value of a human life?

By the way, were they able to talk him down?

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Kitlynn — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 06:45:02 GMT

First of all it is very sad when someone threatens to commit suicide and I don't think it can be taken lightly. However I wonder when people say they are going to do it and make it a public situation I have to question if they are really attention seekers. I think the police should try to direct traffic with one lane moving on both sides in both directions and of course pick the lane that the person is not over. Now it would be slow but at least it would keep things moving. I do understand they would have to be very careful. If they weren't getting all the attention and stopping traffic it might shorten the time it takes to talk them down. I am not being callous but I don't think it is right to put so many people in jeopardy having them stuck on the highway like that.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Kachina624 — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 06:56:01 GMT

This incident occured in the Eastbound lanes. To make matters worse, there was an unrelated fatal accident in the Westbound lanes just a couple of miles away so the entire Interstate was shut down.

Yes, he eventually gave up and was taken away. Probably got sick of talking about it to cops.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

hckynut — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 08:23:46 GMT

@Kachina624

How should authorities handle it? With so many similar types of events, from what others here have said, each City/County/State Law Enforcement, should have plans to end it "X" number of minutes, whatever it takes.

It is a different world now. One in which people will do just about anything, in real life or via a social media video, to draw attention to themselves.

What if someone or several people died on this highway because they could not get to a hospital? Who's life should I be most concerned about? Clue! It isn't the one doing yhe threatening.

To me it is up to Law Enforcement Officials to find the quickest and best solution for the many, not 1 individual. Callous/Uncaring? Nope, just shooting straight as usual for me.

hckynut(john)

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Kachina624 — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 08:46:34 GMT

wrote:

@Kachina624

How should authorities handle it? With so many similar types of events, from what others here have said, each City/County/State Law Enforcement, should have plans to end it "X" number of minutes, whatever it takes.

It is a different world now. One in which people will do just about anything, in real life or via a social media video, to draw attention to themselves.

What if someone or several people died on this highway because they could not get to a hospital? Who's life should I be most concerned about? Clue! It isn't the one doing yhe threatening.

To me it is up to Law Enforcement Officials to find the quickest and best solution for the many, not 1 individual. Callous/Uncaring? Nope, just shooting straight as usual for me.

hckynut(john)

@hckynut Well said, John. Apparently this is a widespread problem, common in other cities too. We have a similar incident about once a month but usually they're resolved faster. I think it's an attention-getting action. If a person truly wanted to die, why would he do it so publicly? It seems to be overly dramatic and probably gives him a rush to know his actions have affected so many people.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

KitTkat — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 09:33:32 GMT

@RoughDraft wrote:
Are you really asking people on a shopping forum to make judgements on the value of a human life?

By the way, were they able to talk him down?

We discuss a lot of things here, life and death being a part of it. One life is priceless, yet, all the lives that were involved are priceless too.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

CrazyDaisy — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 10:43:23 GMT

Traffic delays are a part of life. It could be from weather, accidents, medical emergency, police activity etc. First responders do the best they can to resolve as quickly as possible and allow traffic to resume to normal.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

GSPgirl — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 12:35:31 GMT

wrote:
@RoughDraft wrote:
Are you really asking people on a shopping forum to make judgements on the value of a human life?

By the way, were they able to talk him down?
We discuss a lot of things here, life and death being a part of it. One life is priceless, yet, all the lives that were involved are priceless too.

Exactly. Let’s think of everyone here. If an ambulance tried to get through, then the driver can usually drive on the shoulder of the road to bypass the traffic.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

nunya — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 12:51:22 GMT

Maybe install tall grated metal barriers on the overpasses so people can't jump. I have seen them on bridges,not sure if that would work though.

I do think, that they should at least have an alternate route and a way for drivers to make a u turn. I understand this person needed help, but not everyone can sit there for 16 hrs.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Marp — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 13:33:48 GMT

How should situations like this be handled? Not with armor piercing bullets, nets, tranquilizers or let him jump and especially NOT BY TELLING HIM TO JUMP which, according to the news article, was a primary reason for shutting down the road.

www.abqjournal.com/1128998/eastbound-interstate-40-shut-down.html

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Laura14 — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 13:42:17 GMT

wrote:
Maybe install tall grated metal barriers on the overpasses so people can't jump. I have seen them on bridges,not sure if that would work though.

I do think, that they should at least have an alternate route and a way for drivers to make a u turn. I understand this person needed help, but not everyone can sit there for 16 hrs.

I think @nunya hit it on the head. Don't make it accessible to people who are that desperate if it is such a regular problem in your area.

More importantly, I really hope that person is getting the help they needed. I feel very sorry for them and very grateful the authorities waited them out.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

dex — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 14:06:44 GMT

I think that hockynut said it best.Give a certain amount of time to the situation and then begin the rescue.People backed up for 16 hours had lives and schedules too.Maybe they were on their way to catch a flight,visit a dying loved one,maybe they needed their own life saving meds,or had a child to pick up from school.Sixteen hours without a bathroom,good or water is too long.

i feel sad for anyone who wants to take their own life but if they are truly serious about it they won't be stopped.I have known two people who chose to end their life and no one was aware of their intentions.One man was at the gym the day before telling us all his usual jokes while working out on the weights.He was popular and friendly and none of us saw any changes or clues.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

CrazyDaisy — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 14:19:02 GMT

OK, looked up the incident ..... This happened on Sunday afternoon and the highway was reopened by 1 am. Traffic was backed up for a few hours as drivers were forced off the highway to alternate routes. While some trucks may have been stuck it is no where near the disaster some are assuming.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 14:34:03 GMT

@RoughDraft, I see the OP's question just a topic of conversation....can't we do that...just talk?

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Lipstickdiva — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 15:32:13 GMT

wrote:
OK, looked up the incident ..... This happened on Sunday afternoon and the highway was reopened by 1 am. Traffic was backed up for a few hours as drivers were forced off the highway to alternate routes. While some trucks may have been stuck it is no where near the disaster some are assuming.

Not a disaster? They closed the interstate at noon and it re-opened at 1:00 a.m. That's 13 hours of being totally shut down. That's more than a "few hours" of traffic being backed up.

Semi trucks aren't allowed to drive on any road they choose.

Re: Traffic Situation - How to Handle?

Mj12 — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 15:37:30 GMT

Those calling for the "quickest and best solution" absolutely wouldn't feel that way if it were your loved one on that overpass.