When Jonathan & I went to see the Golden Gate Bridge, I remember being surprised at the low railings. This article in the Post (I hope it's accessible to everyone, I have an account so I can never tell) talks about the current argument over whether or not to install a barrier in addition to an important discussion of suicide. It's basically saying that a main argument against a barrier (aside from aesthetics) is that a suicidal person will find a way to do it regardless so the barrier really isn't saving any lives. Except that there's research that says otherwise, that given an easy way out, people are more likely to take it, and if prevented, they may not kill themselves at all.

This is one of the opening quotes from a man who jumped & lived to tell about it: "And my hands were the last thing to leave, and once they left, I thought: 'This is the worst decision I've ever made in my life.' "

So give someone a smile and show a little love, you never know what even these small actions might do for someone. The article says that 98% of Golden Gate jumpers were successful in killing themselvs, and 94% of those who were stopped by passersby or patrols were determined to still be living or have died of natural causes.