Suicidal Jumper is Pushed off Ledge?

[Titus Juventius Tertius]

It's like a bad scene from Lethal Weapon. But check this article out that just posted to Yahoo's news:

Sat May 23, 4:34 am ET

BEIJING – Chen Fuchao, a man heavily in debt, had been contemplating suicide on a bridge in southern China for hours when a passer-by came up, shook his hand — and pushed him off the ledge.

Chen fell 26 feet (8 meters) onto a partially inflated emergency air cushion laid out by authorities and survived, suffering spine and elbow injuries, the official Xinhua News Agency said Saturday.

The passer-by, 66-year-old Lai Jiansheng, had been fed up with what he called Chen's "selfish activity," Xinhua said. Traffic around the Haizhu bridge in the city of Guangzhou had been backed up for five hours and police had cordoned off the area.

"I pushed him off because jumpers like Chen are very selfish. Their action violates a lot of public interest," Lai was quoted as saying by Xinhua. "They do not really dare to kill themselves. Instead, they just want to raise the relevant government authorities' attention to their appeals."

Xinhua said Lai was "taken away by police" but did not elaborate.

A police officer who answered the telephone Saturday at a station close to the bridge confirmed the incident and said it was under investigation. He refused to give any other details and hung up.

According to Xinhua, Chen wanted to kill himself because he had accrued 2 million yuan ($290,000) in debt from a failed construction project.

On Thursday, he made his way to the Haizhu bridge, where 11 other people have tried to take their lives since April.

Lai volunteered to talk Chen down but was turned away by police, Xinhua said. Lai then broke through the cordon, climbed to where Chen sat, greeted him with a handshake, then pushed.

Photos in the Beijing Morning Post showed Lai, shoeless and in a T-shirt, saluting after Chen fell.

The paper said Lai was released on bail Friday but did not give any details. It said he had been on medication for "a mental illness" for decades and had been on his way to a hospital for his pills.

Chen was recovering in the hospital, Xinhua said

I think the pusher confused the meaning of selfish. I mean honestly if you don't like what the guy is doing, move along and go about your business. But to take matters in your own hands because you're unhappy with how it affects you... isn't that being selfish too?

Anyhow I thought it rather funny that someone could just walk by and do this. The circumstances obviously aren't funny (rather very serious)... but just the fact that he could do that and end the whole scenario was completely out there. It's one of those things you couldn't see happening here and just scratch your head over.

[M. Demetrius]

Doesn't say much for the crowd control police, does it?

The jumper ended up better off in some ways, worse in others. Sad situation all around.

[Magnus]

Am I a dick for finding that funny?

[M. Demetrius]

Is that a rhetorical question, Magnus? :wink: Heh.

BTW, TJ, they could both be selfish in different ways. IMHO, if the jumper wanted to be dead, he would have jumped before they set up the inflatable fall-breaker below. He evidently wanted more than casual attention, or changed his mind after he got up there. The pusher reportedly said he wanted to get by, perhaps to get to the hospital? and wanted to let the traffic jam dissipate.

I have to admit, in a traffic jam over something or other, I've longed to be driving an Abrams tank or large bulldozer, and just mash the bonehead vehicle at the front and shove the wreck in the ditch. I could say it was to make a way for the others to get on their ways, but it's really not that altruistic.

[Titus Juventius Tertius]

How very odd... another of my posts was deleted. :\\ Something happened yesterday where posts disappeared?

[M. Demetrius]

Don't know about anything strange yesterday, but your first post, the one starting this conversation is, indeed, missing. Post thieves on the loose, I guess. Watch for them...they're looking for wire, so they can build a fence somewhere.

[Titus Juventius Tertius]

Weird! I'm missing a few posts. :\\ What I said earlier in this thread was that I guess it's ironic... I don't know if it can be considered funny (referring to Mangus' post).

I do agree they're both selfish, but I can't see how the pusher can say the other guy was selfish though. lol

[john m roberts]

Haven't we all wanted to do that at some time or other?

[Magnus]

What, push someon over a high ledge? Count me in for that! lol

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Director Oliver Stone has a new movie in the works proving that Humpty Dumpty was pushed. :lol:
You can call me sick and twisted as well, but I'm leaning towards the fed up old guy who pushed him. It sounds like the authorities are too. :wink: Do you think they approved release of this story as a lesson to others? If you're going to do it, get it done and don't waste everyone else's time. If you're looking for sympathy, it's in the dictionary somewhere between sh1t and syphilis. If he'd died the story would be tragic. The way it turned out allows me to enjoy the irony without feeling too much like a heartless bastard. Is that selfish? :?
P.S. I've spent a lot of time driving tanks and it is hard to resist the urge to make your own lane.

[Nerva]

Have you not considered the possibility that the 'pusher' may have been a member of the so called rescuer's i.e. I'll walk up, shake his hand and get this situation over with before it gets splashed all over the papers?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I take it the guy landed on the inflateable, and was uninjured?
situation resolved, all ok? Sounds like a swift and successful conclusion to the whole affair!
No problems here officer!

[M. Demetrius]

He landed on the inflatable but he injured his back. Obviously not as much as if he'd hit the pavement. The article says he was hospitalized. Haven't heard any updates.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Could have be a psychiatric hospital.... :?:

[Titus Juventius Tertius]

Said something about a hip fracture and broken arm I thought. So maybe not all ok. But then again, better than the alternative. The question is... did the guy pushing see the inflatable device below or do it anyway?