Suicide Net

Never heard of those! I suppose they give the opportunity for second thoughts, which isn't a bad thing at all. And your picture gives a good idea of the drop - I didn't think of Basel having areas that high!

Basel, no. Bern, yes ;-)

Oops - blame that on too quick a reading, or not thinking while typing, or - you name it.

A good image, though it's sad that nets such as these are needed.

A classic Sarah P. photo, especially in the adroit use of what is more or less negative space. I hope some day I will learn how to do this from your photos.

The Prince Edward Viaduct in Toronto, which is 40 metres above the Don River Valley, used to be second only to the Golden Gate Bridge in number of suicides among North American structures. So a barrier was installed in 2003. Unfortunately, although people no longer commit suicide by jumping off the viaduct, they go to other bridges and jump off them. Bern and San Francisco could have learned from that, but then Toronto could have learned from other cities.

But maybe San Francisco and Bern have fewer bridges, and can install nets on all of them. Toronto is shot through with ravines and there are high bridges everywhere. Off the top of my head I can think of three within half a mile of me.

On the whole, though, it seems to me the means and opportunity will always be there, it's eliminating the motive that needs to be dealt with. But good luck to Bern and SF.

I tend to agree with you, yet there are some iconic places that are not just popular with those planning suicides but may actually inspire some to jump in a moment of despair. Among the handful lucky (or unlucky) enough to have survived a jump from the Golden Gate bridge, some reported that they immediately regretted it, which must have made for a couple of very unpleasant seconds on the long way down.
In Bern, the most popular place to jump from was from the edge of the terrace of the Münster cathedral. The sheer drop also inspired a number of inebriated individuals to attempt balancing acts that led to their demise.
Bern is a wealthy town and could well afford the installation of nets there and underneath the bridge in the photograph to avoid some of these deaths.
Naturally, Switzerland has numberless mountains, bridges and cliffs one could jump from. Most of them just don’t have the cache to attract those contemplating a quick if messy end.

To be sure, Bern (and San Francisco) also put out signs with phone numbers for people needing counseling ... added a PIP with such a sign at the aforementioned Münsterterrasse. The gentleman standing there though does not seem to be contemplating anything despairing, I think he is just enjoying the view.