SELFISH, inconsiderate, stupid – these are some of the printable words used by insensitive commuters this week to describe a man hit by a train outside East Croydon Station.
Hundreds took to Twitter to blame the man for making them late to work and, in some cases, to swear at him for apparently taking his own life during the Monday morning rush hour.
The volume of uncaring messages, sent in the same week as Suicide Awareness Day, has shocked some and led charity Samaritans to warn of the potentially devastating consequences of internet "trolling".
Perhaps more concerning than those who joked or used words unrepeatable on this page, were the sheer number of people who were blasé or simply annoyed about the prospect of being delayed.
The Advertiser has created a graphic – from a cross section of more than 150 tweets – which shows the most prominent words used following the man's death.
These include 'selfish', 'inconsiderate' and 'delayed', and shows insensitivity was far from confined to trolls.
Virginiapuri tweeted: "Wish people would stop jumping in front of trains in Croydon or at least do it at a better time #cantdealwithdelays."
Another poster, DeeLRTP, wrote: "What selfish inconsiderate ***** killed themselves in east Croydon."
Plomade tweeted: "So I've been sacked from work because some **** decided to make me 2 hours late by committing sewerside [sic] in Croydon."
BethanyOx displayed the same attitude, tweeting: "Thanks to the person who killed themselves at East Croydon, your [sic] making me late & probs going to cost me my job!"
D4RRYL tweeted: "So basically all my trains are going to be delayed because another person has thrown themselves under a train. Happy Monday."
JordanB42 was similarly uncaring, posting: "People who jump in front of trains are the most inconsiderate *********."
JordyGreaves was among the most offensive of tweeters, posting: "Hate selfish people who jump in front of trains. Kill yourself at home."
Naishy89 tweeted: "Apparently someone has been hit by a train at East Croydon. Hit no doubt means a selfish bugger's disrupted everyone's journey."
Another, Oreecle, asked: "Selfish ****. Couldn't they wait until after rush hour?"
And, with a depressing lack of irony, Sabs_mc posted: "STRESS. Forgot my bag and some selfish person got hit at east croydon so my train to Gatwick is delayed #whyme."
Samaritans director Rachel Kirby-Rider said such tweets were a worrying feature of social media.
"People who send such messages are not aware of the consequences for those who have been bereaved," she explained.
"Each death leaves a family without a parent sibling or child.
"Comments such as these are neither sensitive nor helpful."
There were those on twitter disgusted by the response.
Tishyfish wrote: "Someone died at East Croydon & all people are complaining about is they're late for work. Get some perspective on your lives people."
Kingdomhorse tweeted: "Don't get me wrong, it's a travel nightmare when this happens but maybe the crowd at East Croydon could spare a thought for the victim?"
Jillibillysilly posted: "To the people complaining about the poor soul in East Croydon...you are everything that is wrong with society."
