Stupid people tricks (or the Darwin factor)

[WANTYNU]

OK so I figured I'd start a thread to share the jobs that leave us scratching our heads trying to figure out what our patient was thinking.

I’ll start,

I don’t know if it’s the season, full moon, or coincidence, but I’ve had more people do incredibly dumb (and fatal) things lately, that just has you wondering what were they thinking (beside just plan out trying to kill themselves).

Case one, listening to local police band, there is a call for an EDP jumping in front of cars, and at the last second jumping out of the way, (luckily no innocent people were harmed in this stunt). The road a two lane highway that runs down the north east side of Manhattan, has a speed limit of 55, but most travel around 70.

I guess he mistimed his last jump, or didn’t jump out the way fast enough, he was struck by two cars, and run over by the third (a full sized ford explorer, air bags deployed), When I got to him, all I saw was a bare ass sticking up in the rear wheel well, between the front and rear tires (why do their pants always seem to come off?). Head under the driveshaft, legs out towards the road.

ESU is on their way to free the “Pinned” patient, I get out thinking the guys dead for sure, ready to give a TOD, when he turns over as if he’s working on the car, folks are still saying wait for ESU, I say why (after all he’s no longer “Trapped”), Longboard under and a quick pull, and viola fresh idiot on a board.

We get him trauma naked, and I am amazed to find nothing besides a bruised butt, and a small lac on the head, a little road rash here and there, but otherwise the kid (28 y/o) seemed untouched, moving all extremities, and to some extent following commands. I am not kidding, no tread marks, no gross deformities, no broken bones, no crepitius, no discoloration, nothing.

O2, Two large bores, fluid, and away we go…

8 minutes to the trauma room with a team on standby, kid is still following simple commands (keep you arms on your chest, etc),

But in the end, all is for not, as the kid dies a day later, from massive internal injuries.

No “moral” to this story, we did all we could and moved fast, but a stupid act on his part, cut short his time on this planet.

Anyone else care to share?

Best to all, Happy holidays,

Be Safe,

WANTYNU

[unknown]

He was thinking he was From Arkansas and Far Far from home, lost, forlorn, and bored. I say this due to the mass about of calls I take out of Arkansas that are much like this, I kid you not! Almost on a daily basis somebody some where in Arkansas is doing something STUPID! NO offense for all ya'll that are from Arkansas but if any of you who work Arkansas EMS (as I have for 3+years now) Ya'll know what I am talking about!

[Lone Star]

Ive noticed that with an increase in popularity with places like youtube and break.com, there is a 'market' for stupidity caught on video. I know break.com will pay $400.00 if your video gets on the 'front page'....

I'm pretty sure that youtube has a similar policy.

I noticed this trend starting with the always popular "America's Funniest Home Videos". We all want our '15 minutes of fame'....but I think there are those among us that will do ANYTHING to insure they get theirs, and they're really not concerned WHY they get their 15 minutes..... just as long as they get it!

[mobey]

Back in Sask we had a "Team" of stupid kids that were good for buisness. The dumbest must have been a 22 y/o in a shopping cart being pulled by a truck. They got around 70km/hr and the front wheels came off (big surprise). He wasn't seriously injured that time, although he broke his back a while later while riding in the back of a truck that was cruising ditches. Now he has vertabrae fused and multiple pins and such holding him together....Thank god for tax payers to get him through life now that his back is screwed!!

[Lone Star]

Back in Sask we had a "Team" of stupid kids that were good for buisness. The dumbest must have been a 22 y/o in a shopping cart being pulled by a truck. They got around 70km/hr and the front wheels came off (big surprise). He wasn't seriously injured that time, although he broke his back a while later while riding in the back of a truck that was cruising ditches. Now he has vertabrae fused and multiple pins and such holding him together....Thank god for tax payers to get him through life now that his back is screwed!!

I really hate to say this...but I for one am glad this isn't a local 'American problem'!

[Richard B the EMT]

WANTYNU, is the roadway you are referring to the FDR Drive? The speed limit there is not 55 MPH, as there are no roadways within NYC with that high a limit, just 50, and the FDR is actually only 45 MPH.

You are correct, however, that the average speed actually driven there is 70.

[tskstorm]

WANTYNU, is the roadway you are referring to the FDR Drive? The speed limit there is not 55 MPH, as there are no roadways within NYC with that high a limit, just 50, and the FDR is actually only 45 MPH.

You are correct, however, that the average speed actually driven there is 70.

North east, possible Harlem river drive? Fairly certain HRD is 50 still not 55

[Richard B the EMT]

As part of my EMT refresher, we took the EVOC lecture. The Lieutenant specifically said no FDNY EMS vehicle is to be driven over 50 MPH, and then rattled off some of our well known highways and parkways within the actual 5 boroughs of NYC, asking us what the posted speed was. All mentioned, with the notable exception of the FDR Drive, were 50, and the FDR was 45. Therefore, I am steadfast in my statement that the FDR is only 45 miles per hour posted speed.

[tskstorm]

"Owing to its high traffic volumes and antiquated design, the FDR Drive has a maximum 40 MPH speed limit."

http://www.nycroads.com/roads/fdr/

or you can also check here http://www.nycroads.com/history/speed_NYC/

[EMS Solutions]

How did you see his bruised butt if you already had him on the board? Was it before he rolled over as you were walking up? Did you unstrap him and roll him, and at what point did you get him "trauma naked" ? Before you slipped the board under him or while you were looking at his bruised butt?

Maybe his massive internal injuries were visually hidden. Did you check his vitals, besides telling him to keep his hands on his chest? BP. Pulse, RR, pupils etc.

8 mins to trauma and they couldnt find and fix massive internal injuries that lasted a day until he died.

Between that and the big speed limit discrepancy - I may have to call "Shananigins" on this "Case one" :evil: