# Decapitation by ceiling fan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425 "2006-10-05T19:57:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/21 "2006-10-06T22:49:42Z")
Several years ago, I lived in a house in Texas with two roommates- oh, and we didn’t have AC. We all had ceiling fans in our rooms. Kade had a ceiling fan which was mounted a bit low- it was _just_ over the top of his head… and it had metal blades. Since we didn’t have AC, he kept it running full blast. Well, one morning he got up out of bed and stretched, forgetting about the fan. His arms went straight up into the blades… and all he got was a nasty knock and a few welts. Didn’t even cut the skin. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/22 "2006-10-06T22:58:39Z")
[QUOTE=Hirundo82] I’ve reached up and stopped a ceiling fan (a regular home model) with my bare hand. So I’m going to say no, at least that type can’t decapitate you. [/QUOTE] Ditto. For those wondering – no, you don’t thrust your hand right up into fast-moving blades, even if they are blunt and wooden. You edge up your slack hand _just_ so your fingertips are brushing back against the moving blades. You can slow the blades this way, and at a slow enough speed, you can just reach up a little more and grab a blade. ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/23 "2006-10-07T00:59:38Z")
[QUOTE=Mama Zappa] OK, since you’re probably the SDMB decapitation expert, um, maybe that didn’t come out quite the way I meant it is the scenario described in post 38 of [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=388075) likely to succeed? [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Garygnu] Step One: Shave my head. Step Two: Tie myself to a 220 foot bridge by the ankles with 110 feet of rope. Step Three: Tie 90 feet of 400lbs fishing line around my neck and to the bridge. Step Four: Superglue my hands to my head. Step Five: Jump off the bridge. [/QUOTE] Oh, heck yes, that would work. Your head would pop right off. And I really hope your hands would stay attached to your shaven head, leaving you dangling holding your head as you planned. Only, 'cause I’ve never seen a person do this, I can’t guarantee the SuperGlue would hold. Maybe your palms would pop right off your head. Maybe the skin of your palms would stay on your head, and your flesh would rip right through your hands - kinda doubt it; hands are pretty strong stuff and, because they’re so multiply jointed, there’s a lot of places to dissipate energy. But I’m afraid the Super Glue would give way, and leave you like, well, like a couple of people I have seen, who came in with head in a sack and body in a bag. ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/24 "2006-10-07T01:02:13Z")
[QUOTE=treis] Can we get the story behind this one? [/QUOTE] No. Not adjudicated yet. And, God, would I like to tell you. But my good angel is keeping my bad angel pinned. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/25 "2006-10-07T02:37:15Z")
[QUOTE=gabriela] No. Not adjudicated yet. And, God, would I like to tell you. But my good angel is keeping my bad angel pinned. [/QUOTE] Ok, ok, but when it is adjudicated I’d love to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/26 "2006-10-07T06:25:18Z")
[QUOTE=gabriela] No. Not adjudicated yet. And, God, would I like to tell you. But my good angel is keeping my bad angel pinned. [/QUOTE] Totally out of curiosity: what does ‘adjudicated’ mean? ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/27 "2006-10-07T08:53:48Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] Totally out of curiosity: what does ‘adjudicated’ mean? [/QUOTE] “Winds it’s way through the court system.” Presumably, since she will be called to testify, she cannot discuss the case outside of court. ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/28 "2006-10-07T09:54:53Z")
[QUOTE=Turek] “Winds it’s way through the court system.” Presumably, since she will be called to testify, she cannot discuss the case outside of court. [/QUOTE] Yeah. When it has been judged. And although I didn’t do the autopsy, I was there; and our system has a firm policy against discussing cases in public until the court system has made them public. You do realize your criminal proceedings are open to the public? ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/29 "2006-10-07T19:10:19Z")
When my BIL was installing our bedroom ceiling fan, the blades whaked him in the head a few times. He said it just felt like being hit with a thick piece of cardboard. The thing never has worked right since. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/30 "2006-10-07T19:12:21Z")
[QUOTE=Batsinma Belfry] The thing never has worked right since. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but how’s the fan running? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425/31 "2006-10-07T19:38:10Z")
Beware the 1920’s style death fan. 🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitation-by-ceiling-fan/375425.md?page=1)