Cubehead - r. Janczarski died yeserday

[MustangGT]

Hans,

We want to verify the accuracy of this information in order to do a proper eulogy for Richard amongst his friends and peers on the internet. I dont know if you know this, but he actually has quite a few friends across the globe who found him on this very forum, including of course Dead Kangaroo and myself. So if this information you gave us can be verified in some way, then we will have an appropriate rememberance and memorial service for him on the internet.

[MustangGT]

Ok I got ahold of a friend of Richard's on facebook. He confirmed with me that Richard died. Apparently he jumped in front of a train in view of lots of people. This is absolutely horrible news.

We are going to put together a eulogy for him on the internet. We will have details in a while...

[NoDeity]

I remember how dramatic his movements and speach were in his videos. I think that publicly supporting something like Time Cube is a very dramatic course. It makes some sense that, if he chose to die, it, too, would be dramatic.

[MustangGT]

So I talked a bit with one of Richards friends from Melbourne, he said that a bunch of Richards fellow students were meeting at a local pub to honor him. I asked the guy if he could mention to everyone at the pub that Richards friends from the "internet," America, England, etc, are having a drink in his honor as well.

He said he would pass on our condolences. It made me feel a bit better...

[NoDeity]

Thanks for making these efforts, Aaron.

[MustangGT]

A suicide at a train station in Melbourne... read the comments in particular.

http://craiglawton.info/2008/02/13/suic ... e-station/

Suicide at Glenferrie station?

Passengers on Lilydale, Belgrave and Alamein train lines had to find a different way home last night.

Announcements at Flinders St Station described an “accident” at Glenferrie station. The Connex web site described an “incident”. Parliament station advised a “girl” being “struck by a train”.

The two Melbourne newspapers (online versions) have no articles I can find with the words “glenferrie”, “lilydale”, “station” or “passenger”.

So we guess that someone committed suicide at Glenferrie station.

Either it is not reported because the reporting may encourage copy-cats, or it is not reported because suicides on train lines aren’t newsworthy. Maybe both…

Update: Read comments section for further information from people who were closer to the incident.

Update 2: More information at http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p1006685.htm

Update 3: Not entirely comfortable with this. I blogged because there was nothing in mainstream press. I must have been up in the google searches so people have posted some comments here which I think are appropriate and suitable - to my standards anyway. Please let me know if you think any part of this blog distasteful or unsuitable.

Ads by GoogleNew Horizons Academy
Therapeutic Christian Boarding School for Your Struggling Teen
http://www.nhym.orgDepressed Teen?
Look for Signs of Danger. Records Everything, Leaves No Trace
http://www.awarenesstech.comWestport Teen Counseling
Help Your Teen Adjust To Changes In Formative Years, Call Us Today.
http://www.WestportFamilyCounseling.orgDBT Therapy in Seattle
Child, Adolescent and Adult Counseling & Psychotherapy
http://www.janetillman.com



Explore posts in the same categories: random
This entry was posted on February 13, 2008 at 9:12 am and is filed under random. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.

10 Comments on “Suicide at Glenferrie station?”
ben Says:

February 13, 2008 at 10:11 am
Yeah i had the same problem yesterday as thousands of people did. I would assume it to be a suicide too because what esle could happen at Glenferrie stationwhere it is out of the way from traffic accidents etc..

This is a tragic incident but What disappointed me is Connex’s inability to organize/inform people of the best routes for their respective destinations. I was advised to take a Camberwell /Box hill tram from the city. Taking me about 3 hrs to get home including my 20minute drive from the station. On my way to work today the train driver announced passengers for suburbs could have taken Glen Waverly train then get a connecting bus resulting in a quicker less congested tram system. Why were we not told of this last night???

Anna Lawton Says:

February 13, 2008 at 10:45 am
I find it bemusing and insulting that suicides are reported as “incidents”. It makes me mad, as though we as a society are not able to handle the truth of the matter or that is it as Craig said, not newsworthy enough. Tell that to the person’s family who would have received the devastating news last night. Tell that to the train driver who now has to live with the fact he was so powerless to stop it.

Dave Says:

February 13, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I was on the train that hit the suicide victim. The driver was amazing under the circumstances. You could tell he was shaken as he made a number of announcements regarding what had happened and about getting us off the train and back to Glenferrie station.

The emergency crews were also great, keeping passengers informed as to what was going to happen.

Connex staff were shocking. At Glenferrie station they didn’t give any direction for passengers who were not familiar with the area. We each had to queue up at the window to ask what was happening.

How hard could it be to have a member of staff directing people as they came off the platform?

I rang Connex Customer Service to find out how to progress my journey. They had a recorded message telling customers to take Tram 109 to Box Hill. In hindsight I realise this was information for people still in the city - not for those stuck at Glenferrie.

The Customer Service member of staff told me to go to Camberwell station. I asked how to do that as I wasn’t familiar with the Glenferrie area. The Connex guy asked me if I had a Melways!! I responded saying that I don’t normally carry a Melways with me on my way to and from work on the train!

So I got home 3 hours later….but at least I got home.

Craig: Thanks very much for on-the-spot details, Dave

Claire Says:

February 13, 2008 at 5:03 pm
who was the suicide victim?
girl/boy?
student?

Craig - I heard parliament staff announce it was a girl, but if anyone has further information (no names etc.) let us know.

Phil Says:

February 13, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Swinburne announced the following message via email:

Subject: Incident Glenferrie Railway Station

This email is authorised by Toni Kilsby Director Student Operations

Dear students,

Late yesterday afternoon a person died at Glenferrie station. It is
likely that some students from Swinburne witnessed this and may be distressed. I would like to remind all students that free, confidential counselling and support is available through Swinburne’s Student Services on XXXXXXXX. Swinburne’s Chaplaincy Service is also available to students and can be contacted on XXXXXXXXX.

Update: I had the numbers originally but want to avoid any mischief. If you need the numbers I can provide.

Belinda Says:

February 13, 2008 at 8:18 pm
There were no announcements at Melbourne central, just a whole lot of people and “Train not taking passengers” I took a Dandenong train to Richmond, where it was impossible to get on a Glen Waverley train to Burnley as it was so packed. Same for both 70 and 75 tram routes, so I ended up walking the 4km home from Richmond. At least there were announcements at Richmond, but it was a terribly badly managed situation.

I have written to Connex asking why there weren’t trains running to Burnley if that’s where the buses were running from. - no point in a bus if you can’t get there.

I’m annoyed that suicides generally aren’t reported, it’s nice to know why you’ve had to walk home. (as sad as the situation is). Like you I searched everywhere yesterday for something about it and there was nothing.

I wonder how long it took for them to start running trains again? It might have been about 6:15 when I left Richmond.

574M Says:

February 14, 2008 at 11:10 am
You said this:

>>>>>>>>>
Either it is not reported because the reporting may encourage copy-cats, or it is not reported because suicides on train lines aren’t newsworthy. Maybe both…
>>>>>>>>>

Look up the Code of Practice for the ABC, for The Age, for Fairfax Media, any media reporting organisation. There is a common code of practice not to report suicides. There are two reasons for this, to deny those engaging in self harm the notoriety they seek and thus harm their families further, and to prevent copy-cat activity.

In fact, suicide is now an out-word. The new term to describe this is self-harm.

Craig:
* ABC -> http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/codeprac04.htm (Section 4.6: “4.6 If reported at all, suicides will be reported in moderate terms and will usually avoid details of method.”)
* Fairfax -http://www.theage.com.au/ethicsconduct.html (Section 18: “18. The Age will not publish individual cases of suicide, unless issues of public safety or the wider public interest justify it. Care should be taken when reporting methods of suicide and, wherever possible, public information on where to gain help must accompany such reports.” )
Interestingly, the main search term people used before clicking on a link to my blog contained the word “suicide”. No-one it seems used “self-harm”. This is according to my blogstats.

M att Says:

February 14, 2008 at 11:21 am
Anna Lawton; they are reported as “incidents” and not suicides because they want to discourage copycats. They don’t want a rush of people doing the same thing. 1 is 1 too many as it is.

As for the Family and Train driver.. do you really think it would be a positive thing for them to have such a tragedy replayed in the news and in the papers? Unlikely.

Bianca Says:

February 14, 2008 at 1:24 pm
I arrived soon after the incident. I got there as the cops went up onto the platform I think. I asked one woman and she was totally cruel and sarcastic about it, “You can take a lucky guess.”.

This is so confusing. No one knows anything for sure. No one at the station would tell us. But you could see something under the end of the train. It was horrible.

I called my friend to find out how to get home, but ended up catching two trams and a train. Both totally PACKED beyond belief, with another friend from the TAFE.

I don’t believe that suicides should be reported in the news, but i do think that it’s only fair that some form of news be published stating that there was an incident, or accident, at Glenferrie station, at this time, on this day, and that’s why the trains were held up.
Otherwise rumours just keep spreading.

The buses to replace the trains were going to take an HOUR just to get to Glenferrie.
That is so not good organisation.

There should definately be something in the news, or at least an email for swinburne students about it. I mean there was over a hundred people on the platform when I got there.

Rumours were originally that it was a dog, then a student who’d committed suicide, then right before my friend and I got on the tram we heard it was a ten year old boy playing on the tracks. which is virtually impossible. Anyone that knows Glenferrie station will understand.

Platform 2 of Glenferrie station is now totally creepy for me.
I so don’t wanna catch a train through there again.

Craig: editted out some comments about Connex

Jen Says:

February 14, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I am a Deaf person. I just had a job interview and was feeling great. I arrived at Richmond station and got off to change trains to go on the Alamein line. While I stood there, I watched the TVs which announced which stations were next. One for Belgrave was announced, but changed to Glen Waverly. I waited half an hour before giving up and deciding to catch a tram. When I got out, the street was packed with people, and there was a tram full of people and it wasn’t moving. I went up to the station-master to ask what was going on. They told me to catch a train. When I told them there were no trains (this was all in writing, by the way), they said to catch a tram, when I explained the trams weren’t moving at the time they said ‘You just have to wait.’

I was really upset with how they handled the situation and the fact that they weren’t helpful in the least. I ended up walking 7.5km home. At no time was it explained that trains were cancelled, or what was going on. Neither did they say anything about replacement buses or trams.

[MustangGT]

And here is this:

http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11338745-0-asc-s15.htm

timmay
Beginner


Joined: Feb 13, 2008
Posts: 1


contact
Profile
PM




Quote


post
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:48 pm
I can confirm that I received the same e-mail from the Director of Student Operations.

I was on the way to class @ 5:00pm. I saw 3 X MFB Trucks (inc. 1 heavy rescue), 2 x MICA and 2 X Police Cars. I could see everyone was being cleared from Platforms 1 & 2, however there wasn't anything over the PA.

As I was walking up the path on the Swinburne Side I saw a whole bunch of MICA and Police looking under all the Carriages. The immediate impression I got was they weren't doing a rescue, but a recovery.

I must say, I feel for everyone who was witness to that. Especially the Train Driver (he was being questioned by a few Police when I walked past)

[MustangGT]

I added a comment to that blog post I linked earlier. here it is:

EDIT: for clarification purposes, I posted this comment on this blog:

http://craiglawton.info/2008/02/13/suic ... ie-station

Hello,

I think I know the individual who committed suicide. I have been looking everywhere for more information on his passing, and it looks like I found it here on this blog finally. I saw in the comments a request for more info, so I hope you don't mind if I share a bit with you.

He was a young male student at Swinburne. He had some apparent mental issues, but he was harmless, creative, intelligent, and had great passion and energy for his interests. He was a believer and follower (likely the only one) of a crackpot theory called "Timecube," that is until recently, when the founder of Timecube denounced and rejected him over some trivial matter.

Long story short, the founder of Timecube was this young man's mentor and role model. The rejection apparently was too much for him, and as a result he quit following Timecube. He seemed to have dipped into Christianity for a couple weeks (BIG mistake if you ask me) and then disappeared from the Internet altogether around February 9th.

Then on the 14th of February I heard through the grapevine that he had taken his own life, but no other details. This didn't seem like something he would do, and at first I didn't believe it. I thought he had faked his own death. After much searching and calling I finally found some details... a friend of his from Melbourne told me that he stepped in front of a train. With that information I eventually found this blog post that I am now commenting on.

I am devastated that this happened. I live in the United States and only knew him through the Internet, but I know enough to say for certain that this young man was bright, motivated, and full of life. He had passion for his interests. Although he was depressed over the falling out with the Timecube founder, he hadn't expressed anything that indicated a wish to die; that's why I didn't believe it when I first heard it... it just didn't sound like something he would do. But unless two Swinburne students stepped in front of two trains on the same day, this must be him.

He had a large body of work that he had published online, which I am now trying to preserve and archive as a remembrance or memorial of sorts. Although he had trouble fitting in among his peers, he is nevertheless known worldwide. He will be missed by many people across the globe, from Europe to America and of course Australia.

I hope this helps you understand a bit more about why this happened. I am still trying to make sense of it all myself. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

[NoDeity]

That's fine, i'll be absent from the forum for some time though.

Why are you going to be absent? What, do you have some pressing issue more important that THIS ONE?

Although I understand the desire to in some way mark the passing of someone who mattered, it seems to me that the desires of the living to pursue the interests that make their lives worth living for them outweigh the desires of the living to honour the memories of the dead. Anything we might think we are doing for him, we are actually doing for ourselves. Life is for the living.

That may seem cold but I've experienced enough deaths of people I cared about to eventually understand that my life is more important than their deaths. So, if TheDemiprist has something better to do, he should do it.

[RoyceChristian]

As much as I disliked the guy, if I was able to get to the computer in the last few days, I would have offered to help you out mustang. I know people in Melbourne that I could have asked to get me some info, and still can if you know whether or not there is going to be a mention in the coming days.

My condolences to those friends of Cubehead.

[Dan Mac]

an hero

[MustangGT]

Ya no kidding Dan. But he wasn't a Michell Henderson, really. Richard wasn't some sensitive biatch. He had a fire inside.

If he was some Mitchell Henderson, he would have acted like a little whiney girl all the time and we wouldn't have had any respect for him in the first place, and wouldn't have mourned his passing. Richard was like us in many ways, at least for the passion and intensity of his beliefs, and his courage to put his message out there and be unapologetic about it.

I think Richard Janczarski is a pretty cool guy. Eh believes in timecube and doesn't afraid of anything.

[Dan Mac]

It would take some serious balls to step in front of a speeding train ala 'hostel'
Crazy shit.

All we have when we go is our legacy through memory, and in that sense ol' cubehead did better than most.

I think his story is quite unique and interesting. I'd like to know what it was that made richard into cubehead in the first place. Hollywood worthy?

[MustangGT]

Good point, Dan. Now THAT would be something worth making a docu-drama about. Some intelligent, intense, yet totally insane kid who finds the most batshit nutjob mathematical theory in the world, then meets the guy who invented the theory, they have a falling out, he gets disillusioned, and then becomes an hero with a train, deliberately doing the act in front of a whole mess of his fellow college students.

Shit.

[David]

He was truly an hero to us all. Let us remember him as an hero. I was a good friend of his, however, I wish to remain anonymous. He was full of life and never exhibited any suicidal tendencies in my company, nor did he ever speak of ever committing such actions. He enjoyed playing music, he played violin as smooth as a candle. Jack, his fa-