Anyone have their own Darwin Award nominee for 2001? (Cannot use the UN&WT, that was tooooo stupid, even for this award!)
Grenade Juggler
May 2001, Croatia | A college student dropped the ball when a hand grenade exploded while he was juggling it at a party in Vidovci. The six injured onlookers earn Honorable Mentions for their disregard of common sense, and the juggler wins a Darwin for his lethal stupidity. The Sun, ananova.com
Cable Cut
30 May 2001, Oregon | Ismael drove his truck into a mailbox, bringing down 7500-volt power lines on top of the vehicle. He surveyed the situation, then pulled out a pair of pruning shears and clipped the cable lying across his truck. The current took the path of least resistance, across his heart and out his left foot. Ismael was found lying motionless on the power line with a pair of pruning shears in his hands. The Oregonian
Rubbish!
1 March 2000, New Zealand | Two university students climbed to the top of Baldwin Street, the steepest in the world according to The Guinness Book of World Records. The women attempted to pilot a rubbish bin down the 38-degree incline, but missed a crucial turn and hurtled into a trailer parked legally aside the road. One woman was instantly killed, and her co-pilot suffered serious head injuries--though one wonders how they noticed. New Zealand Herald, Reuters
Killing Time
2001, Scotland | A Glasgow electric train proved the undoing of one enterprising thief, who thought he'd steal the copper from the rails, between trains, when they are not electrified. His plan might have worked... but for one small detail. He had consulted an out-of-date timetable and the train arrived ten minutes early, putting an electrifying end to his ignoble career.
Blown Away
16 July, 2001, United States | An assistant plant manager made a permanent exit after using an acetylene torch to cut a hole in an asphalt emulsion tank. His plan was to determine the amount remaining in the tank, but his chosen method was in complete disregard of safety procedures and warning signs. When the torch reached the level of the emulsion, the resulting explosion blew him 93 feet away. (CCH Employment Safety & Health Guide No. 1573
Think Before You Leap
21 July 2001, Idaho | When the brakes failed while driving down a steep mountain road, Marco bailed out on his eight passengers and threw himself from the Dodge van. Too bad he didn't alert the others to the problem before he hit the pavement. Another passenger was able to bring the vehicle to a stop a short distance away. Marco died of a head wound, but no one else was injured.
THAT SINKING FEELING
16 February 2001, Florida | Karla, 32, drowned after driving her car into a 30-foot canal. She could have saved herself, but she refused to listen to the 911 operator who urged her to escape, protesting,"All the water is going to come in!" If you are unlucky enough to find yourself trapped in a sinking car, it is essential to roll down the windows immediately so you can escape from the vehicle. Once your door is even slightly submerged, the water pressure makes it impossible to open. Karla was a strong swimmer and could have paddled to safety, if only she had rolled down her window. (Miami Herald)