Ready, Aim, Uh oh...

tyketime · 03-02-2010, 08:42 AM

Wash. man electrocuted by urinating on power line:

MONTESANO, Wash. (AP) - Authorities believe a Washington man was killed by accidentally urinating on a downed power line after a car crash.

Grays Harbor County sheriff's Deputy Dave Pimentel (PIM'-en-tel) said Monday 50-year-old Roy Messenger was not seriously hurt after he collided with a power pole Friday and called a relative to pull his car from a ditch.

However, family members found Messenger electrocuted when they arrived.

Pimentel says Messenger apparently urinated into a roadside ditch but didn't see the live wire. The urine stream likely served as a conductor, allowing the electricity to reach his body.

Pimentel says there will be an autopsy but burn marks indicated the way the electricity traveled through Messenger's body.

Kodos · 03-02-2010, 08:44 AM

What a way to go.

Don't cross the streams, indeed.

Passacaglia · 03-02-2010, 08:59 AM

How do they know he didn't see the wire?

Mizzou B-ball fan · 03-02-2010, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

How do they know he didn't see the wire?

"County Coroner Dr. Pasacaglia has ruled the death a suicide."

Passacaglia · 03-02-2010, 09:37 AM

I guess the sentence should have read:

Pimentel says Messenger urinated into a roadside ditch but apparently didn't see the live wire.

Noop · 03-02-2010, 09:39 AM

How exactly is it suicide when he did not purposely do it?

ISiddiqui · 03-02-2010, 09:49 AM

"Don't Wizz on the Electric Fence"

heybrad · 03-02-2010, 09:59 AM

I'm looking forward to seeing this reenacted on 1000 Ways To Die.

FrogMan · 03-02-2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyketime

The urine stream likely served as a conductor, allowing the electricity to reach his body.

tell you what, if that kind of voltage had gone up to my body through that conduit, I wouldn't want to survive either... ouch.

FM

Honolulu_Blue · 03-02-2010, 10:13 AM

This happened to my dog a few weeks ago. Luckily, for him it wasn't a high power line. I was taking him for his morning walk. We walk through a little downtown area and there are christmas lights wrapped around all the trees. It was pretty early and still dark, so the lights were still on. Being a dog, he walked over to one of the trees, lifted his leg and did his thing. Apparently the plug must have not been in all the way and he let out a yelp and jumped way, tail tucked, ears down.

He was a little shaken by it, as he kept looking back over his shoulder to see just what the hell happened. He seemed to have recovered by the end of the block.

Neon_Chaos · 03-02-2010, 10:24 AM

I saw this situation debunked on Mythbusters, but they did a retest and they considered it "plausible".

He must have had a lot to drink to generate a solid enough stream for the electricity to pass through.

terpkristin · 03-02-2010, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

I saw this situation debunked on Mythbusters, but they did a retest and they considered it "plausible".

He must have had a lot to drink to generate a solid enough stream for the electricity to pass through.

This was exactly my thought. Mythbusters demonstrated that unless you had an unbroken stream, it wouldn't happen, and it's difficult to have enough force for a continuous stream. Yes, it happens. But it's hella rare.

/tk

CU Tiger · 03-02-2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terpkristin

This was exactly my thought. Mythbusters demonstrated that unless you had an unbroken stream, it wouldn't happen, and it's difficult to have enough force for a continuous stream. Yes, it happens. But it's hella rare.

/tk

maybe Im missing something here, or maybe it is an inherent difference between sexes, but I dont think I have ever had a broken stream, and if I did I would be at the doc getting checked for prostate probs ASAP....

Kodos · 03-02-2010, 12:05 PM

I think if you had a slo-mo view, you'd see that it really isn't continuous.

DanGarion · 03-02-2010, 01:36 PM

I would assume it's categorized as a suicide, whether it's accidental or not?

Kodos · 03-02-2010, 01:49 PM

Suicide needs to include the intent to kill oneself.

Shouldn't the title be "Ready, Aim, BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!"

tyketime · 03-02-2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kodos

Shouldn't the title be "Ready, Aim, BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!"

Actually... my original title was going to be "Now That's A Pisser"...

Greyroofoo · 03-02-2010, 03:02 PM

Ugh, talk about having a burning sensation when urinating.

sovereignstar · 03-02-2010, 05:12 PM

way to piss away your life, dude.

terpkristin · 03-02-2010, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kodos

I think if you had a slo-mo view, you'd see that it really isn't continuous.

If you google "mythbusters third rail" you'll see the conclusion they came to. Long and short, it's not really continuous, except close to the source (as Kodos says here). To die from electrocution by peeing on a third rail (like on a metro), you need to get prohibitively close to the rail to ensure the continuity of the stream. They did show it was easier to get close enough to an electric fence. At the end of the day, proximity is the key...

/tk

03-02-2010, 08:44 AM	#2
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	What a way to go. Don't cross the streams, indeed. __________________ Author of The Bill Gates Challenge, as well as other groundbreaking dynasties. Last edited by Kodos : 03-02-2010 at 08:45 AM.

03-02-2010, 09:39 AM	#6
Noop Bonafide Seminole Fan Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Miami	How exactly is it suicide when he did not purposely do it? __________________ Subby's favorite woman hater.

03-02-2010, 09:49 AM	#7
ISiddiqui Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	"Don't Wizz on the Electric Fence" __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

03-02-2010, 10:13 AM	#10
Honolulu_Blue Hockey Boy Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Royal Oak, MI	This happened to my dog a few weeks ago. Luckily, for him it wasn't a high power line. I was taking him for his morning walk. We walk through a little downtown area and there are christmas lights wrapped around all the trees. It was pretty early and still dark, so the lights were still on. Being a dog, he walked over to one of the trees, lifted his leg and did his thing. Apparently the plug must have not been in all the way and he let out a yelp and jumped way, tail tucked, ears down. He was a little shaken by it, as he kept looking back over his shoulder to see just what the hell happened. He seemed to have recovered by the end of the block. __________________ *Steve Yzerman*: 1,755 points in 1,514 regular season games. 185 points in 196 postseason games. A First-Team All-Star, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Selke Trophy winner, Masterton Trophy winner, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Olympic gold medallist, and a three-time Stanley Cup Champion. Longest serving captain of one team in the history of the NHL (19 seasons).

03-02-2010, 10:24 AM	#11
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	I saw this situation debunked on Mythbusters, but they did a retest and they considered it "plausible". He must have had a lot to drink to generate a solid enough stream for the electricity to pass through. __________________ Come and see.

03-02-2010, 08:59 AM	#3
Passacaglia Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Big Ten Country	How do they know he didn't see the wire?

03-02-2010, 09:37 AM	#5
Passacaglia Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Big Ten Country	I guess the sentence should have read: Pimentel says Messenger urinated into a roadside ditch but apparently didn't see the live wire.

03-02-2010, 09:59 AM	#8
heybrad Norm!!! Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Manassas, VA	I'm looking forward to seeing this reenacted on 1000 Ways To Die.

03-02-2010, 12:05 PM	#14
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	I think if you had a slo-mo view, you'd see that it really isn't continuous. __________________ Author of The Bill Gates Challenge, as well as other groundbreaking dynasties.

03-02-2010, 01:36 PM	#15
DanGarion Coordinator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Great Northwest	I would assume it's categorized as a suicide, whether it's accidental or not? __________________ Los Angeles Dodgers Check out the FOFC Groups on Facebook! and Reddit! DON'T REPORT ME BRO!

03-02-2010, 01:49 PM	#16
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	Suicide needs to include the intent to kill oneself. Shouldn't the title be "Ready, Aim, BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!" __________________ Author of The Bill Gates Challenge, as well as other groundbreaking dynasties.

03-02-2010, 03:02 PM	#18
Greyroofoo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Alabama	Ugh, talk about having a burning sensation when urinating.

03-02-2010, 05:12 PM	#19
sovereignstar Pro Starter Join Date: Feb 2004	way to piss away your life, dude.

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