# Dumb ways to die - Train safety ad.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [November 21, 2012, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696 "2012-11-21T07:21:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2012, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/21 "2012-11-21T20:08:22Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#):
>
> I think the Brits covered this much more explicitly decades ago in their Public Service Announcement [The Finishing Line (condensed version)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITa5oNj_BkU) or [the full version in all its glory.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QzrG9h_Y4Y)
Wow, that is seriously fucked up.
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### Author:  [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/22 "2012-11-21T21:46:54Z")
Okay, but which is your favorite character in the cartoon? I liked the guy with the fountain of blood. My husband pointed out that one of the piranhas jumped off his guy.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/23 "2012-11-21T21:56:28Z")
I like the guy who sold his kidneys. Those are some serious incisions he’s sporting.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/24 "2012-11-21T22:23:40Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#):
>
> I liked the guy with the fountain of blood.
Which one; the poke-a-grizzly-bear guy or the dress-up-like-a-moose guy?
I’m torn, actually. The take-off-your-space-helmet guy, when he comes back for the chorus, is holding his eyes in his hands. That’s hardcore. But there’s also teach-yourself-how-to-fly guy; he’s rocking out with the music while holding his head off of his body. I wanna party with this dude.
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/25 "2012-11-21T22:38:16Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#):
>
> Okay, but which is your favorite character in the cartoon? I liked the guy with the fountain of blood. My husband pointed out that one of the piranhas jumped off his guy.
I liked toaster guy. He’s a happy skeleton.
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### Author:  [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/26 "2012-11-21T22:48:12Z")
I’m torn between Kidney guy (I really like his dance moves) or glue guy because that part cracked me up.
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### Author:  [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/27 "2012-11-21T23:03:51Z")
Silly as it is the idea behind this campaign is sound, get something out there that goes viral and this then gives the mouthpieces a reason to be on every talk back radio show and spots on TV talking about train safety.
Well played sir.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/28 "2012-11-22T00:38:50Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#):
>
> Okay, but which is your favorite character in the cartoon?
The guy who pushes the unknown button reminds me of **Marley**.
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### Author:  [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/29 "2012-11-22T00:38:55Z")
I myself decry these new, hipster public safety ads, in which the finesse and refinement of the production values undermines a life-or-death message with artsy distractions.
We need a return to the repose of the traditional PSA, with [compelling, straightforward, no-nonsense presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=993sEQJfDUA&feature=related).
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/30 "2012-11-22T01:02:32Z")
Go to the Metro website [Dumb ways to die](http://dumbwaystodie.com/). You can play with some of the characters.
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### Author:  [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/31 "2012-11-22T01:28:47Z")
> [@guizot](#):
>
> I myself decry these new, hipster public safety ads, in which the finesse and refinement of the production values undermines a life-or-death message with artsy distractions.
>
> We need a return to the repose of the traditional PSA, with [compelling, straightforward, no-nonsense presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=993sEQJfDUA&feature=related).
Apparently in 1941 Colombia, there were always ten guys hanging around to instantly carry off bodies hit by cars.
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### Author:  [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/32 "2012-11-22T01:36:52Z")
> [@Pyper](#):
>
> Apparently in 1941 Colombia, there were always ten guys hanging around to instantly carry off bodies hit by cars.
Yes, but I don’t think it was ever clear where the bodies were taken.
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### Author:  [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/33 "2012-11-23T03:04:15Z")
They harvest the kidneys quickly.
And DWTD has almost 18 million hits. That’s not viral. That’s pandemic!
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### Author:  [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/34 "2012-11-23T03:09:59Z")
> [@runner pat](#):
>
> The guy who pushes the unknown button reminds me of **Marley**.
That guy was actually played by Marely.
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### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/35 "2012-11-23T04:57:37Z")
> [@runner pat](#):
>
> Go to the Metro website [Dumb ways to die](http://dumbwaystodie.com/). You can play with some of the characters.
They have an arrow pointing at a button, and invite us to push it, but they don’t tell us what it does.
Did anyone push it?
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/36 "2012-11-23T05:00:57Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#):
>
> They have an arrow pointing at a button, and invite us to push it, but they don’t tell us what it does.
>
> Did anyone push it?
I pushed it.
Give it a try. I dare ya.
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### Author:  [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2012, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/37 "2012-11-23T05:38:50Z")
This vid was originally linked in another thread that I read about a week ago I think, and the song’s been swirling around in my head since then.
It’s a very cool campaign; but for an Aussie song, why the “poke a stick at a grizzly bear” and “dress up like a moose during hunting season”?
My favourite hooman bean is internet kidney seller. Man, despite his renal insufficiency, can he dance!
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### Author:  [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2012, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/38 "2012-11-23T08:49:17Z")
I think the grizzly and moose (not to mention rattlesnake) prove that they were kind of aiming at the “going viral” thing right from the start.
Which is kind of interesting, because after all their brief is to reduce fatalities _in Melbourne_. But if they figure that the best way to do that is to create something that goes viral all over the world, solely for the purpose of reaching those portions of the internet world that happen to be physically located in Melbourne - well, who am I to diss that strategy?
My older daughter got this song played to her at school (Grade 3), apparently. I just found this out because she was singing along when I clicked the link. Not the Smaller Girl though (Grade 1). Perhaps they figured it was a little graphic for 7 year olds, even with the cartoon characters.
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### Author:  [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2012, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/39 "2012-11-23T08:55:08Z")
Quirky public transport ads are a bit of a thing here, too. I’m personally very fond of [Beware the Rhino](http://www.yarratrams.com.au/media-centre/news/articles/2012/don%27t-be-an-endangered-species/print.aspx)
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-ways-to-die-train-safety-ad/641696/40 "2012-11-23T18:26:43Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#):
>
> They have an arrow pointing at a button, and invite us to push it, but they don’t tell us what it does.
>
> Did anyone push it?
Where is the button?
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