I drive past Reading at least twice a week between 09.30 - 12.00 and on a small bridge above the m4 near J11 by the Green Park tower there’s a lad with a moped and wearing a hi-vis who is always sat there usually head down on his phone so not taking photos anyone seen him ? Just something I always look out for now.
I thought it was a bit concerning first time I noticed him in case he was about to try and jump! But yeah I see him quite often, I was also surprised once this week or last I was passing gone 5pm and he was there as well. I guess he works close by perhaps.
I cycle (I know!! 
) across that bridge a couple of times a week and he’s usually there. I’ve stopped sometimes for a few minutes breather, not as young as I was!, and although he spends a lot of time on his phone he does bounce up and take videos whenever an emergency vehicle goes past. His Hi Vis has got “emergency photographer” on the back so whether its part of the local news network, or possibly a college project, I don’t know. I must have a chat with him one day, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing to worry about.
often wonder what id do if i was coming up over a bridge and saw someone start to climb ready to jump. id like to think id pull up and run to them .Do what exactly tho,lord knows .
Quite recently i read about an off duty copper who drove on past a jumper on the Orwell bridge because theyre trained not to stop when alone . You dont act on your lonesome is the rule apparently
To be fair, in this case, he sits on the crash barrier on the road over the bridge, which is below the level of the safety fence and about 3 ft behind it.
corij:
often wonder what id do if i was coming up over a bridge and saw someone start to climb ready to jump.
I did an article for CM recently talking to the guy who runs the Met’s CVU, Inspector Rik Wenham, about suicide by truck - it was published a week or so back. There’ll be a different version of the same story in T&D soon too, because it’s such an important subject…
…ANYWAY, one thing he did say, and was adamant he wants people to know, was (quote): " “The main thing, really, is that if something doesn’t look or feel right, just phone it in. We’re not going to moan about going and speaking to someone on the side of the road who turns out to just be lost.”
There have actually been situations where people have done “dry runs”, either with smaller vehicles, or just repeatedly visiting a spot to suss out how they could later make an attempt. Obviously in this guy’s case this doesn’t apply, but you do right to wonder and to check.
(Rik tells me he does sometimes read TruckNet, so you never know, he may even appear at some point.)
I’ve seen loads of threads on here over the years & other than me & a few others there seems very little sympathy for people who attempt or jump off bridges , most on here complain it holds them up
Have a look back through old threads , eye opening