# maybe the Darwin Awards are not so bad **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 4, 2004, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942 "2004-11-04T07:19:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/1 "2004-11-04T07:19:58Z")
I think the Darwin Awards are cruel and unfunny but I am beginning to see how they have their place. When I see stuff like [this](http://www.ebaumsworld.com/traindodge.html) it makes me think that maybe the Darwin Awards are not so bad. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/2 "2004-11-04T07:30:36Z")
> [@START](#): > > I think the Darwin Awards are cruel and unfunny but I am beginning to see how they have their place. When I see stuff like [this](http://www.ebaumsworld.com/traindodge.html) it makes me think that maybe the Darwin Awards are not so bad. I think they’re great. I don’t think it’s cruel because it’s people hurting themselves. Earlier today I saw that a man tried to convert lions to Christianity. He climbed the fence at a zoo and was attacked before the staff could respond. As far as I know the man is still able to reproduce so it doesn’t qualify for a Darwin award, but it’s close. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/3 "2004-11-04T14:38:31Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Earlier today I saw that a man tried to convert lions to Christianity. He climbed the fence at a zoo and was attacked before the staff could respond. As far as I know the man is still able to reproduce so it doesn’t qualify for a Darwin award, but it’s close. It would at least deserve an honorary mention. As for the train dodger, what an idiot! ---
**Author:** ![skittles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@skittles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skittles)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/4 "2004-11-04T15:27:03Z")
I can only hear the sound, but see no picture. What is the clip of? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/5 "2004-11-04T15:38:53Z")
A man runs across one train track and stands in the middle of the other with arms outstretched; a train approaches at high speed and he jumps out of the way in the nick of time (I think he actually catches his foot on the front of the train). What would have been funnier (albeit very unfortunate) is if he jumped out of the way of the train only to be run over by another one travelling the other direction on the other track. ---
**Author:** ![skittles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@skittles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skittles)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/6 "2004-11-04T15:40:54Z")
:eek: Thanks for the description! Wow - what a nut job! ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/7 "2004-11-04T15:48:07Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > What would have been funnier (albeit very unfortunate) is if he jumped out of the way of the train only to be run over by another one travelling the other direction on the other track. That would have been brilliant! Erm… in a… sick sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/8 "2004-11-04T20:14:30Z")
Yeesh…not a smart guy. Dumber than a meatball sandwich, some might say. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-the-darwin-awards-are-not-so-bad/272942/9 "2004-11-04T20:31:04Z")
I can’t see the video either. But your description reminded me of this story: [http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Northeast/02/11/subway.death.ap/](http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Northeast/02/11/subway.death.ap/) I really felt genuinely conflicted about this story. On one hand, I think it’d be heartless to mock out someone killed this way. On the other hand, this was a crowning example of stupidity in action.