Man threatened to jump from bridge on to motorway (From News Shopper)

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Man threatened to jump from bridge on to motorway

7:45am Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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A MAN threatening to jump from a bridge over the M20 at Swanley caused traffic delays yesterday evening.

Kent Police were called to the incident at Junction 1 of the M20 at about 6pm yesterday (September 2) and removed the man from the bridge.

Police say they have spent time talking to the man and ensuring that he is given appropriate welfare.

The coast-bound carriageway reopened shortly afterwards and the London-bound carriageway reopened about 9pm last night.

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Excalibur, Bromley says...
8:16am Wed 3 Sep 08

Police say they have spent time talking to the man and ensuring that he is given appropriate welfare.

Time to stop messing about with these losers. Stick a net underneath them and then hose them off. No messing, minimal traffic delays and then maybe these people will get the message. The police can then stop playing at being society's social workers and get on with solving the Labour-induced crime (tidal) wave.

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Linda, says...
9:28am Wed 3 Sep 08

What an ignorant selfish person you are. I only hope you suffer from clinical depression one day so you can understand how terrifying and unbearable it is, and what this poor man is going through

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Excalibur, Bromley says...
9:43am Wed 3 Sep 08

Linda wrote:
What an ignorant selfish person you are. I only hope you suffer from clinical depression one day so you can understand how terrifying and unbearable it is, and what this poor man is going through

Hey ho, that's life! How boring it'd be if we were all the same. My opinion stands, despite your pleasant wishes for my welfare.

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Andy, Orpington says...
10:21am Wed 3 Sep 08

Ok, don't have a problem with the incident per se, but I drove onto the A20 via Crittals Corner at 6.30pm, got 1/4 mile coastbound and stopped. At 8.15 we were formally allowed to turn round and go back to Crittals.
Why did it take nearly 2 hours before the trapped motorists were sorted out?

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Mark, Dartford says...
11:22am Wed 3 Sep 08

I think, being in a prominent position, he wanted to be rescued.Otherwise, why not go to a quiet area?Why a bridge?

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Lee, Cray says...
11:25am Wed 3 Sep 08

Well Andy, I guess nobody had told the bloke who wanted to end his life that Andy from Orpington is a bit miffed about being stuck in his car.

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sarah, erith says...
12:04pm Wed 3 Sep 08

excalbur is what as known as a troll he makes outrageous comments so people pay him attention.

people like him make me sick lets hope its not your mother who has depression and does it.

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Mark, says...
12:14pm Wed 3 Sep 08

Mark is right if this guy actually wanted to do it he would have got to a quite place and had no thoughts about doing it, he just wanted attention!!

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Harvey, Bromley says...
12:19pm Wed 3 Sep 08

Excalibur does have a point. Why do the police always spend hours and hours dealing with these incidents when there are surely quicker ways of dealing with them that would be just as safe?

The police always over-react. It's like when there is a 'siege' when someone holes themself up in a house or on a roof with a weapon and threatens to harm themself if demands are not met. There is always massive presence from the emergency services, a massive area gets condoned off and hundreds if not thousands of people's lives are disrupted, all for one person's actions.

Andy has a point too. All those motorists trying to get home last night who won't get that wasted couple of hours of their lives back again.

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Me, here says...
12:23pm Wed 3 Sep 08

I am inclined to agree with excalibur - If the man is depressed he should seek medical help why involve the public in trying to get attention.If he really wanted to top him self he should have taken a load of pills and gone to sleep.Imagine if every person who felt depressed or fed up threatened to jump off of a brige - all the bridges in the Uk would be choc a block on a daily basis.Having recently lost my dad to a terminal ilness and seeing him fighting for life because he so did not want to die i really don't have any sympathy for people who want to end it all.There are so many poor soles who have illnesses and pain every day of their lives and would give anything for some extra time but there is no cure.At least depressed people can get medication.Life is precious and we should be thankful for every day.

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sara, orpington says...
12:50pm Wed 3 Sep 08

Unfortunately some people who suffer depression find it hard to talk to, and this is what happens, i feel for him, and hope now he gets the help he needs, in my eyes someone who needs help is more important than someone sitting in a car moaning, sorry if some of you disagree.

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Ellie, Hawley says...
1:21pm Wed 3 Sep 08

There is absolutely no excuse for depression. If you put out misery and self-pity then misery and self-pity is what you feel. Like attracts like. I have studied and suffered from clinical depresion and now realise that the power to beat it is entirely in our own hands. It is all about positive thinking, belief in our own strength and the ability to realise that we go through bad times as a lesson. Our purpose here is to experience things and gain strength from it, not to wallow in our own self-pity and inconvenience everyone else into the bargain. I know. I have been there and could choose to go back there at any time but I choose not to.

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Susie, says...
1:41pm Wed 3 Sep 08

So sara what your saying is some people can't talk about this but now his made it public by an extreme case of attention seeking he will have to talk to someone! So why couldn't he have just missed out all the trouble he cause for thousands of people trying to get home cause they had been at work all day and just done that in the first place!!

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Joe, Bromley says...
2:42pm Wed 3 Sep 08

Excalibur wrote:

Police say they have spent time talking to the man and ensuring that he is given appropriate welfare.
Time to stop messing about with these losers. Stick a net underneath them and then hose them off. No messing, minimal traffic delays and then maybe these people will get the message. The police can then stop playing at being society's social workers and get on with solving the Labour-induced crime (tidal) wave.

You horrible, horrible person. I sincerely hope you never end up depressed or anything, but really you need to understand that these illnesses are as, or more serious as physical illnesses, and your self obsessed ignorant attitude is just dire and needs to change

You poor person you.

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Suzie, Bexley says...
4:10pm Wed 3 Sep 08

I reported it last night on my way home as I didn't feel comfortable not doing so. I couldn't have it on my conscience that someone who felt the need to end it all didn't have a chance to alter his perception whether it caused a traffic jam or not!

Have some compassion people!

I am glad the newsshopper covered it otherwise I would never have known that he had been persuaded not to jump.

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plumface, my little world says...
5:12pm Wed 3 Sep 08

Me thinks that Ellie has been listening to too many American self help cd's!
Lets hope you never become a counsellor with your WRONG and STUPID views.

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Suzie, Bexley says...
5:38pm Wed 3 Sep 08

I echo what plumface says.

Depression is not just feeling down it is a chemical imbalance in the brain. You can't just get over it without help.

Count yourself lucky Ellie that you got the help you needed and must have had a very minor case of depression.

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me myself and i, says...
7:20pm Wed 3 Sep 08

Ellie wrote:
There is absolutely no excuse for depression. If you put out misery and self-pity then misery and self-pity is what you feel. Like attracts like. I have studied and suffered from clinical depresion and now realise that the power to beat it is entirely in our own hands. It is all about positive thinking, belief in our own strength and the ability to realise that we go through bad times as a lesson. Our purpose here is to experience things and gain strength from it, not to wallow in our own self-pity and inconvenience everyone else into the bargain. I know. I have been there and could choose to go back there at any time but I choose not to.

So according to you clinical depression can be avoided just by having happy thoughts ???? jesus christ your shrink must be worried !!!! your gonna put him out of a job...a lot of people in a coffin and all the drug companies that produce anti depressants out of buisness.....but then again as your talking total **** they proberly aint that worried at all !
Plus where exactly does it say he is clinically depressed eh ??? it doesnt, the poor bloke could be suffering from any form of mental illness that involves self harming and attempted suicide..so why dont you all shut your foul stupid pathetic gobs and be aware of the facts instead of just judging people, mental illness affects 3 out of ten people at some point of their life....i hope you maggots are one of the 3 and dont get the help and die...its all filth like you deserve, your all inhumane !

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jj, bromley says...
10:09pm Wed 3 Sep 08

I agree, this man was being selfish - Before you all start, I suffered quite badly from depression when I was younger and often contemplated suicide but my thoughts were always to the people I would effect!! If he's crying out for help and cant talk there is always the smartitans!!!

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Fish, says...
5:32pm Thu 4 Sep 08

I know a few people who have suffered from clinical depression and understand this is a chemical imbalance and is not easily cureable. The issue with this case is that sufferers usually wallow and suffer quietly as they do not want to do anything. This also means they stop loving people and do not wish to draw attention to themselvesa and feel numb. This guy has ovbiously had something bad happen and needed the attention to bring him self up. It is selfish and to be honest.....push him into a net.....or the floor.

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Tony, Snodland says...
7:50pm Tue 9 Sep 08

Hi all,I work with the brother of this guy,he is in a very bad way,he got himself in such a state that he has lost his mind and his identey,now he is in prison for wasting police time thats just what he needed to make him better!!!
What is it all that about!

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lucie, SWANLEY says...
10:52am Mon 15 Sep 08

READIN EVERYONES COMMENTS I FINK ITS PRETTY HEARTLESS. I KNW OF THE BOY IT HAPPEN 2 NOT THAT I SPEAK 2 HIM BUT GENRALLY E HAS ES HEAD SCREWED ON. THE BOY IS OBIOVSLY GOIN THROUGH A HARD TIME AND IS NW FACIN COURT AND PROBALAY A CRIMINAL RECORD WHICH I FEEL IS OUTRAGOUS HE NEEDS HELP NOT 2 B ARESSTED. EVEN THO ON THAT DAY SWANLEY AND PARTS OF SIDCUP WERE BLOCKED, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT POOR BOY WAS NOT THINKING STRAIGHT E OBIOUSLY HAS A LOT ON ES MIND AND EVERYONE SHUD JUS BCK OF HIM ESPEAILLY THE POLICE THEY SHUD HAVE PUT HIM IN A HOSPITAL WHERE E CAN GET THE RITE HELP NOT A CELL!!!!!!

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Sweet QB, Sidcup says...
9:39pm Tue 23 Sep 08

I've suffered from clinical depression but never once threatened to throw myself off a bridge or similar. Maybe just an attetion seeker...who knows???

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