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The French Fries Experience
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Darwin Awards
2008 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
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Runs in the Family

2008 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Darwin says, "Thanks for the submission! Nice addition to the Slush Pile, but not quite rare enough for the archive."
During the November Elk season of 2006, several days of non-stop rainfall in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State washed out most of the mountain highways and forest roads. The central support for a bridge crossing the Cowlitz River was undercut, causing the middle of the bridge to sink 8 feet and both ends to rise several feet above the road surface. Because the bridge was the only road access to a popular hunter's camp between the Muddy and Clear forks of the Cowlitz River, several hunting groups had to abandon their vehicles, trailers, and motor homes and walk across the bridge to safety. One man in his early 20's decided to try driving his SUV across the Muddy Fork. Since both the Muddy and Clear forks are deeper than the height of a SUV during periods of low flows, this proved to be a bad idea during a flood. The SUV was immediately swept away and the man's body recovered from the river several days later. I visited the site a week later after the flood water receded, walking across the bridge to take a day hike. The Forest Service had placed a chain across the bridge to prevent anyone from attempting to drive across. After a short walk on a level road, I saw numerous crosses and flowers placed where the unfortunate individual met his demise. When I returned from my hike, I found the dead man's family at the bridge where they were attempting to cut the chain. Unable to grasp the concept of walking a few blocks, they were very upset with the Forest Service preventing their attempt to drive across the damaged bridge to leave more flowers and memorabilia at the site of their relative's ill-advised attempt to cross a river several times deeper than the height of his SUV.

Obviously, the dead man's lack of judgment was a hereditary condition.

Submitted on 03/01/2008

Submitted by: Rob Nielsen
Reference: None

Copyright © 2008 DarwinAwards.com

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Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
It sounds like that entire family could be in the running for a DA. Unbelievable that they'd try to cut that chain so they could drive across such an unsafe bridge. Thanks, Rob!


James said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
Entitlement at the expense of safety seems to be a growing problem in this country. Had they succeeded in cutting the chain, and had they driven across, and had something ELSE happened, you'd better believe whoever survived (along with their slimy ambulance-chasing lawyers) would somehow find a way to place 100% of the blame on the Forest Service (if not for the chain, for a weakened bridge, &c &c). ANYWAY...great PA, Rob! Thanks for sending it in!


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