Just one? There have been several flying manhole covers in DC recently, beginning with several in fashionable Georgetown one night. Most of these explosions still lack explanation. This bicyclist is probably the only injury.
One freak accident I saw: I was in Houston with one of my sisters. A vehicle in traffic ahead of us must have hit something, which caused it to become airborn and do a complete barrel roll. Understandably, the shaken driver then pulled off into the first available parking lot. My sister & I were like, “Now how the hell did that happen?”
This happened to me last week.
I was waiting for a yard customer in Torrance, CA, to come home one afternoon–she had to open the automatic garage door so I could get at the yard tools. While I was waiting I really had to go to the toilet. So I drove a few blocks away and used the restroom in a Carl’s Jr.
In this place the toilet bowls are mounted on the wall, just above the floor. I was just about to get off the bowl and flush when I heard a loud crack–the ceramic mounting plate on the wall broke, dropping the bowl and tank! Fortunately I wasn’t hurt. The tank spilled, of course, soaking my T-shirt. My customer had just come home when I got back to the house, and she let me dry my T-shirt in the dryer. (No, neither I nor my clothes was befouled by the water and wastes in the bowl! All the same–Eccchhhh! :o :o :o :eek:
Not my own story, so buyer beware, but the Chief’s infamous toilet story reminds me of one heard at college 30 years back from a reasonably trustworthy acquaintance.
Friend of my friend was frequenting a popular tavern on the Oregon Coast. (Back then, there were actual loggers who lived there before the logging industry hit the bricks) This friend happened to be a logger, who made a visit to the men’s room after imbibing more than somewhat. Discovers the toilet is plugged.
Being a resourceful sort, he goes out to his pickup and gets a quarter stick of dynamite. Puts in cap, lights fuse, tosses into toilet bowl. Then, in an act of foolhardiness that will live in my mind’s eye forever, he closes the lid AND STANDS ON IT to better direct the explosive force where it is needed.
Dynamite goes off, logger is launched, toilet shatters, logger comes down, cutting himself. but not severely. Tavern occupants rush in to find him bleeding, covered in crap and laughing his ass off. A potent image indeed.
