Freeway Drama
Featured, News — By ken on August 17, 2010 at 3:49 pmToday was a case in point where the conventional media did not respond promptly to happenings in the city of Perth, Western Australia, when a lady attempted to jump from a bridge onto the busy Mitchell Freeway this afternoon.
The Mitchell Freeway passes through Perth, running north to south
The police responded quickly and blocked traffic on the freeway in both directions.
This caused an incredible bottleneck as vehicles were unable to move. Drivers were hopping out of their cars for a better vantage point and people began tweeting the events as they unfolded.
Access on the web to all Perth traffic cameras was turned off making it impossible for the public to check on the traffic conditions.
Eventually a few radio stations reported on the matter, with the ABC being the most informative.
http://twitter.com/perth_traffic
Reported at 14.14 hrs WST that Perth, Western Australia’s Mitchell Frewway Fwy north and south bound directions at Hay St – CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC DUE TO AN INCIDENT – expect delays.
The Perth public advised via Twitter that a woman was talked down from the Hay Street Freeway overpass outside parliament house, after threatening to jump onto the roadway near where the Kwinana and Mitchell freeways meet.
Later the south bound lanes were flowing, followed by the north bound at about 14.52 hrs WST.
The drama lasted about 38 mins with police doing a great job, as it was feared she would jump. All roads were closed for the period, but were opened soon after the drama was resolved.
http://standards.mainroads.wa.gov.au/nr/mrwa/internet/realtime/trc/RegionalConditions.asp?7
Entered: 17/08/2010 2:14:38 PM
POLICE HAVE CLOSED OFF MITCHELL FREEWAY NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION, DUE TO AN INCIDENT.
Heavy Congestion in the area, please expect delays.
Find out about road incidents & events on twitter @ www.twitter.com/perth_traffic
Entered: 17/08/2010 2:20:20 PM
MITCHELL FREEWAY – CLOSED NORTHBOUND AT HAY STREET
SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION IS OPEN TO 2 LANE ONLY, VEHICLES ARE TRAVELLING ON THE EMERGENCY LANE
Due to an incident. Heavy Congestion in the area, please expect delays.
Find out about road incidents & events on twitter @ www.twitter.com/perth_traffic
Entered: 17/08/2010 2:35:42 PM
MITCHELL FREEWAY – CLOSED NORTHBOUND AT HAY STREET
SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION HAS BEEN RECLOSED
Due to an incident. Heavy Congestion in the area, please expect delays.
Find out about road incidents & events on twitter @ www.twitter.com/perth_traffic
Entered: 17/08/2010 2:52:52 PM
MITCHELL FREEWAY – REOPENED NORTHBOUND AT HAY STREET
SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION HAS BEEN REOPEND
Traffic now moving in both directions.
Find out about road incidents & events on twitter @ www.twitter.com/perth_traffic
Postscript: This incident did not make the evening news on the commercial television stations.
The West Australian newspaper’s web site reported as follows…
Police have asked for patience from motorists after closing both north and south-bound lanes of the Mitchell Freeway near Hay Street.
Diversions have been put in place while they respond to an emergency.
Main Roads is reporting heavy congestion in the area.
Though suicide is often newsworthy and the media have the right to report it. Clinicians and researchers point out that certain types of news coverage can increase suicidal behaviour in vulnerable populations. Conversely, certain types of coverage may help to prevent imitation of the suicidal behaviour. Nevertheless, there is always the possibility that publicity about suicide might make the idea of suicide seem “normal”. Repeated and continual coverage of suicide tends to induce and promote suicidal preoccupations, particularly among adolescents and young adults.
Therefore one must assume that the lack of detailed reporting of today’s incident was a responsible response by the media to the above mentioned concerns.
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