人身の事故…

Today, I was late for work. Even though there is no specific clock in time at the office, but I do try my best to get in before 10am. On most days, I will arrive at the office around 9:45am. Even if I do miss the Tama Express, I would still arrive at work just about 10. However, this morning I only stepped in the office around 10:20. Eesh!

I went through my grooming rituals as I prepared myself for work. Since I will be away for the weekend, I tried to pack my stuff as quick as possible as I only got out of bed at 8:15. I was pressing for time. I knew I will be missing the Tama express, but hope to get on the very next train out of Kyodo.

At the station, the trains were running a little late. I boarded the local train bound for Shinjuku that was supposed to depart at 9:33 at 9:36. Strange. On the train, an announcement was broadcasted that due to "human bodily accident" (in contrast to technical malfunction or rush hour overcrowding) that occurred at the Meiji-Jingu-Mae station at 9:34 on the Chiyoda line. All trains within the Chiyoda line has stopped its services.

Great, now I am so going to be late. I started thinking about other ways to get to work and decided to get off at Shimo-Kitazawa, get on the Ino-Kashira line to Shibuya, and change to the Ginza line there in order to get to Tameike-Sanno. At Shimo-Kitazawa, the crowd was incredible. People were literally packed into the trains by the staff on the platform. It was another encounter with orderly chaos which made me think that Wangsa Maju station rush hour condition back home seemed trivial. I refused to be pushed, shoved, and squeezed into the train and waited for the next one that came 2 minutes later. The situation at Shibuya was just as crazy. However, voices of disgruntled commuters escalated when they announced about 10:16 that the Chiyoda line has resumed its services.

Various thoughts has been running through my head as I made my detour to work. I kept thinking about "jumpers," people who jump in front of a train to commit suicide, whenever I am notified by the LCD screens at the stations about such incidents. Why do they do it during rush hour?

There is nothing good that comes out of committing suicide. Why make a foolish selfish act a nuisance to others? Choose another time or another method. Killing oneself in public is never a good sight and cause many to be traumatized by witnessing the event. The station staff need to get authorities to clean up the mess, and the family of the deceased will have to pay a fine or damages to the train companies. With the sudden disruption in the train schedules, commuters are pressing for time and cram themselves into trains which bring about discomfort in the passangers on the trains. I was having motion sickness and almost puked in the trains this morning.

I have noticed that there is an increase in "human bodily accidents" on the train lines these days. This week, I have noticed flashing LCD screens with such news twice. Accidents that fall under this category are not limited to those who intentionally jump on the tracks. but too real accidents where someone do fall on to the tracks by accidents or while drunk. However, I was told that such accidents escalates during the end of the year. Hmm, maybe people are just too stressed out with the end of the year, lonely for Christmas, etc.
Whatever that is bothering them, seriously, they need help.