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Darwin Awards
2008 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

Phoning is the End of the Line

2008 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Tetsuo, a 59-year-old company executive from Nagaokakyo, Kyoto Prefecture, was at the Takatsuki Train Station in Osaka late one night, when he noticed that something was amiss. He discovered that he had lost his mobile phone.

He looked everywhere he could, and then he noticed where he dropped it - on the railway lines. Tetsuo decided it was best for him to jump down on the line and get his phone back.

However, Tetsuo appeared to be unaware that the a rapid service train from Himeji to Maibara was on its way. The driver saw him searching the tracks and applied the emergency brakes according to the local police, but the train still collided into Tetsuo.

He was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries soon after he arrived. Tetsuo's mobile phone was later found on the line.

Submitted on 06/09/2008

Submitted by: Ian Wolf
Reference: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080609p2a00m0na019000c.html - Mainichi Daily News, 06/09/2008

Copyright © 2008 DarwinAwards.com

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>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
This is a tough call. Darwin does not like "neutral" votes, so I am electing to keep this. We've had a few similar incidents in the past where people jump down on the tracks to retrieve a lost item (or to do something stupid like put a penny on the rails), but this is the first time I've heard of someone SEARCHING for an item without first seeing it. One does NOT have time to SEARCH on a rapid transit line. He should have just contacted the station manager who would have probably had a track crew retrieve it. Perhaps borderline too common, but I'll vote yes and see what my fellow mods think!


Chip said:
Definitely Toss: Too Common
I can agree with James' quandry but I will vote on the common side for this. But I do thank you, Ian, for the submission


Bruce said:
Definitely Toss: Too Common
I have to agree with Chip on this. Living in a city with a highly utilized rapid transit system I can say without a doubt that people jumping onto the tracks to retrieve dropped items (and sometimes getting hit as a result) is way too common. Thanks just the same, Ian.


Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
You know, if you're going to be dumb enough to jump enough on the tracks to get something, it'd be obvious to a) locate its precise location and keep it in mind; b) look and listen for any approaching trains. Even expresses don't move faster than the speed of sound! (Usually.) Thanks, Ian!


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6" x 2.25" Silver Emblem like those commonly seen on cars
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the mechanism of natural selection. Minimum order is 2.
  

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