# Man causes three car pileup after fainting from holding breath **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 26, 2014, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312 "2014-05-26T21:01:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/21 "2014-05-28T13:37:18Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > It’s not biologically possible to pass out from holding one’s breath. Carbon dioxide concentration on your brain stem will force you to breathe well before your brain shuts off. This dude was doing something stupid, I’m sure, but he didn’t pass out. That, and the 10-second thing. Bottom line: I don’t believe the story. As stupid as it sounds, it’s a cover-up for something more stupid (or less legal). While it might be theoretically possible for someone to pass out from holding their breath, I sure haven’t ever been able to do it, but even if I could, it would take at least 3 minutes, sitting passively. I suspect that something else was going on, and this is a smokescreen. Either that, or the guy has a serious medical condition and shouldn’t be driving at all (and then probably isn’t guilty of any crimes, if he wasn’t aware of it.) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/22 "2014-05-28T13:51:47Z")
> [@67java89](#): > > I misread the thread title as car pileup after farting > [@Senegoid](#): > > That’s why he was holding his breath. Maybe he farted a couple minutes ago, and didn’t think to open a window. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/23 "2014-05-28T14:14:41Z")
> [@67java89](#): > > I misread the thread title as car pileup after farting:smack: \*We took it all for granted But how were we to know That he’d be letting go Now he cuts like a wife And it feels so right\* ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/24 "2014-05-29T19:44:49Z")
I don’t believe his story either. He was likely screwing with his cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/25 "2014-05-29T20:29:26Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I don’t believe his story either. He was likely screwing with his cell phone. Yeah, and that’s illegal (in my state). Now we need a law requiring all drivers to breathe continuously while driving. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/26 "2014-05-29T21:08:56Z")
3 cars is a “crash,” not a “pileup.” ---
**Author:** ![Notloc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c2a13f/32.png) [@Notloc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notloc)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/27 "2014-07-07T21:24:31Z")
> [@Silvorange](#): > > That is crazy. I hold my breath across bridges (you’re supposed to get a wish if you make it), but not if I’m the one driving! The article says that it should only take ten seconds to get through that tunnel, though. A healthy person should be able to hold their breath for that long without fainting. You actually believe that? How old are you? ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/28 "2014-07-07T21:44:27Z")
> [@Notloc](#): > > You actually believe that? How old are you? Yes. I get a wish every time I cross a bridge. I am 5000 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/29 "2014-07-07T21:46:41Z")
> [@Silvorange](#): > > Yes. I get a wish every time I cross a bridge. I am 5000 years old. I love you! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/30 "2014-07-07T21:50:30Z")
> [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](#): > > I love you! 😃 This makes my day. It’s not every day I am told I am loved by a fluffy picklesniffer. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312/31 "2014-07-08T00:40:48Z")
> [@Silvorange](#): > > Yes. I get a wish every time I cross a bridge. I am 5000 years old. \< snort \> Can you get a wish granted for me too? That damned pony has yet to arrive. And the story in the OP? Yep, it’s a cover. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-causes-three-car-pileup-after-fainting-from-holding-breath/689312.md?page=1)