There was this couple who was trying to make themselves Internet Famous by taking lots of travel photos, especially “daredevilly” ones standing near the edge of things–in one post they said:
So recently someone finds an unatteded camera on a tripod near a cliff in Yosemite.Rather than thinking “cool, free camera”, they contacted the authorities. The couple was layer found, 800 feet below.
Somehow, I doubt that as they were plummeting down they were screaming “Wooooorth iiiiiiiit!!!”
Hope they release the final shot on the camera! 
(Fucking idiots.)
“layer found”? Did one land on top of the other and they compressed? 
The article says that they had graduate degrees in science and engineering.
So maybe they just wanted to experimentally check that the force of gravity really is 9.8 meters per second squared.
(I would like to add a smiley, at the end of that sentence… but it’s just too sad)
There are several places in Yosemite Park that have signs saying “if you go here, you will die”.
I think the signs are in places that are deceptive–for example: a nice, cool stream, that is tempting for a tired hiker to wade in,and does not appear to be dangerous.
And at the popular viewpoint at Glacier Point, there is wheelchair access with a guard rail on the cliff’s edge. The rail is specifically built at an angle, with no flat surface to sit or stand on. Because, yes, the park management knew that people would be stupid enough to climb on it–even though there is a 1-mile deep straight dropoff to the valley floor below.
The selfie has breathed life back into the Darwin Awards series.
Sad. They were a very good looking couple.
If you weren’t already aware of it, Wikipedia has a page on selfie deaths and injuries:
And yes, the page has already been updated.
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More like 3200’ (so, about a kilometer). In any case, enough to make you unhappy if you were to slip and fall.
And note that there’s ample access to areas without railings at Glacier Point
Recently got back from Grand Canyon. As I understand it, stupidity takes a number of lives there regularly.
There is a new ad for Group Selfie Mode (I believe from Google) that really gives me the creeps. It shows various groups with a voiceover asking people to move or back up so that everyone can be in the picture. Some of the scenarios look like they are in dangerous places where you need to pay attention if you are moving. Every time I see it, I want to scream, “You’re being stupid and someone is going to get killed.”
Those Instagram posts in that article made my head hurt.
I can’t believe people actually post things like that with all the emojis and hashtags without being satirical.
Well, at least they’re not as stupid as people who try to take selfies with bears…
I’ve seen stupid shit like this in probably a dozen national parks. I have zero sympathy for idiots who ignore safety railings and other barricades/signage, and consequently suffer injury or death.
Gravity is a harsh mistress.
As is hubris.
But they are just as dead…
Niagra falls has many warning signs as you get closer to it telling of the danger and to turn around. There is one sign near the edge that you cannot read as it faces the away from the falls. I was told it said “goodbye.”
I’d sure hate to be the rookie park ranger at Yosemite. “Guess who’s turn it is to scrape up the dead bodies!” :eek:
For those not familiar with Taft Point, here are a couple of pics I took a while back. Like many other viewpoints in Yosemite and the National Parks, there’s not much to keep people from going over the edge:
Taft Point
Guard rail
The selfie death listed for Yosemite a month ago happened at the top of Nevada Falls. We were keenly aware of that fact when replenishing our water supply shortly afterwards from the stream up there. The word we passed around the group in the event anyone dropped some equipment into the stream was to just let it go, it’s gone.
Sad to see that a majority of these deaths are people ranging in ages 17-22. IDK if that’s because younger people are more likely to take selfies or that younger people tend to feel indestructible and take more risks.
