The London Underground has had rashes of suicides on the tracks. Deep tube stations have “anti-suicide pits” or “suicide pits” or “dead man’s trenches” beneath the track that enables responders to help prevent death when a passenger falls or jumps in front of a train. London Underground has a “Therapy Unit” to deal with drivers’ post-traumatic stress, resulting from someone jumping under their train.

Now there is an advertising campaign designed to thwart suicides. Whether the approach works or not, only time will tell. But the idea that the Mayor of London, Conservative Boris Johnson, a character by any measure, is suggesting potential suicide victims should do the deed at home rather than tie up the subway is possibly tasteless. No?

Read more: Mayor to Londoners: Don’t Jump