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| Shannon Falls, British Columbia |
The group of friends were hiking near the falls, when one, a young woman, fell in. Two young men, one her boyfriend, fell or jumped in while attempting to rescue her. All three died.
News of the positive yet daring adventures of one of the deceased - a vlogger* - made me think of this death-by-selfie piece I wrote a few years ago. For me, the connection is the drive to share life experiences in social media. I'm not suggesting the friends were doing anything foolish when the accident happened; it just seems timely to share.
*Vlogging is a form of blogging based on videos (the vlog category is popular on YouTube).
DEATH BY SELFIE
- by Roberta Westwood
Think that selfie is fun? Harmless?
Aside of the downsides of "missing" the experience of where you are, because you're so busy capturing your selfie, you may be surprised to to learn that taking selfies is actually dangerous.
What starts as playful fun can cross the line when selfies become an obsession, in which you become less aware of your surroundings and take ever-increasing risks.
Especially for men. The truth is that while women take more selfies than men, 75% of selfie death victims are MEN.
Selfie deaths?!? Really? You bet.
Selfie-takers have been killed by:
- Falling off cliffs while taking selfies (many)
- Falling over viewpoint barriers
- Falling over a cliff when leaning on a gate that gave way
- Sitting on boulders forming a safety barrier over a gorge, which gave way
- Falling into a volcano crater
- Falling down stairs
- Falling down stairs while taking a selfie at the Taj Majal
- Falling off bridges (many)
- Falling off dams (several)
- Falling into a pond
- Falling into a spring
- Falling in irrigation canals
- Falling into water reservoirs
- Falling into a quarry filled with rainwater
- Falling into a well, while leaning over it to take a selfie showing the depth
- Taking selfies in a melt hole (cave) at the front edge of a receding glacier, when the roof gave way
- Taking selfies with waterfalls (several)
- Standing in rivers while taking selfies
- Waves, when standing on the beach (several)
- Waves, while standing in the surf, in a storm, taking selfies
- Taking selfies with trains (several)
- Falling off moving trains while taking selfies
- Climbing on top of moving trains
- Climbing on top of stationary trains mistakenly believed not in service (many by electrocution)
- Crashing cars while taking selfies or uploading selfies while driving
- Being hit by cars
- Being hit by a car while taking selfies with airplanes
- Standing in a boat to take selfies (drownings)
- Climbing on a fountain to take selfies
- Climbing onto a glass dome to take selfies, and falling through
- Climbing on girders in a construction site to take selfies
- Preparing to take a selfie by hanging from a rope from a high-rise
- Leaping to take a "flying selfie" (at Machu Picchu)
- Falling into a geyser while taking a selfie
- Posing with guns (many!)
- Posing with grenades
- Posing with a rattlesnake
- Posing with tigers at the zoo (several)
- Taking selfies with a walrus at the zoo
- Posing with a bison in a national park (gored)
- Posing with an elephant near their tent on a safari
- Getting out of a vehicle to take selfies with a herd of elephants blocking a road
Places where selfies have banned, due to deaths:
- In Pamplona, Spain, during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona
- At New York State zoos (tigers)
- Anywhere in Mumbai (India has very high selfie deaths)
- In Japan, selfies and selfie-sticks on train station platforms are banned
Places where selfie bans have been proposed, due to high selfie deaths:
- In Paris, at the Eiffel Tower
- In Rome, at Trevi Fountain
- In Rome, on the Spanish Steps
Do you believe me now?
Even if you are not killed, just imagine the extent of serious injuries any of the above could cause.
Seriously, have fun out there, but don't let it cost you your life (or limbs!)
Related resources
List of selfie-related injuries and deaths - Wikipedia
40% Selfie Deaths from India, Selfie Obsession kills over 60 people Worldwide - Phone Radar
Mumbai sets no-selfie zones as deaths linked to selfies rise - Associated Press
No Selfies Allowed: Social Media Bans at Landmarks - Conde Nast Traveler
Selfie deaths: six people who died while taking a selfie - The Week
In Goa, red flags go up on beaches after tourist deaths: Selfies can be dangerous - The Indian Express
Selfies can be deadly - and India leads the way - Economic Times
Two young women struck by lightning while taking selfies - Economic Times
Death by Selfie - Martin Parr
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