> As to the effect, I now think it may be real in the sense that it prevents suicide on impulse. People who are suicidal all the time will probably find another

> As to the effect, I now think it may be real in the sense that it prevents suicide on impulse. People who are suicidal all the time will probably find another place or method to do so, but people who just feel miserable and have suicidal impulses may be prevented from jumping. This wouldn't be a new finding. Several years ago, I read that putting railings on bridges dropped the overall suicide rate for similar reasons. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/magazine/06suicide-t.html?pagewanted=1&ref=science http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/magazine/06suicide-t.html?... As both the article and another commenter note, British suicide rates dropped as the most popular method of suicide (sticking your head in the oven) was made more difficult by the reduction of coal-gas ovens. Another interesting addendum is the impulsively suicidal generally choose the most effective methods (jumping off a bridge, shooting oneself, etc) while the most determinedly suicidal choose the least effective methods (overdosing, cutting, etc.) It's perversely the opposite of what you might expect.