Train Surfer
2018 Honorable Mention
Confirmed True by Darwin
Confirmed True by Darwin
(April 2018, Perth, Australia) Footage posted to Facebook and Instagram shows an athletic male train-surfer waving to the camera before leaping off a moving train as it crosses the Fremantle Bridge. Seemingly ignorant of the effect of momentum on his trajectory, the daredevil nearly smacks a pylon as he slams into the water. Compounding this blatant disregard for personal safety, our Honorable Mention ignores the presence of overhead high-voltage wires that are fully capable of killing a man with a 25,000 volt electric arc.
Why do young men do such stunts? A common speculation is that they are competing to win mates. However, train-surfing is highly illegal and spending a year behind bars would certainly blunt any edge gained in attracting a mate.
Police, keen on nailing the perp, have raised a hue-and-cry by distributing CCTV images of his pale face and distinctive ginger hair. They say the daredevil could be charged with trespass with a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail and a $12,000 fine. Irate WA Premier Mark McGowan said, "We are investigating whether or not the penalties are sufficient."
SIDEBAR: Public Transport Authority spokesperson Claire Krol said the train was travelling at "about 45km/h and the man obviously did not realise he would not drop straight down. He was also very close to 25,000 volt wires that could have electrocuted him."
READER COMMENTS:
"Numb nuts -- literally." -A.Dyer
"He didn't fall straight down...?" -R.Manjari
"Darwinian law says this will sort itself out in due time." -S.Andersson
"He tried and failed. Darwin Denied!"
"He surely deserves a Newton Award. A great video for physics teachers to demonstrate the Laws of Motion."- P.Hornzz
"Almost played his swan song doing a swan dive into the Swan river." L.Heilman
"We breed a special kind of special in Perth." -M.Harker
"Courage against inertia, who will win?" -I.M.M.Trieste
