The Dangers of Taking Selfies in the Wrong Places
Taking selfies in scenic places is becoming a growing cause of death that doesn’t seem to phase people despite widely-publicized news reports. These accidents are completely avoidable simply by being more attentive to surroundings and risks. However, despite the truly horrific, and embarrassing way to die, death by selfies are on the rise.
Why? We would assume that people have an innate tendency to avoid dangerous situations and minimize risk. Let’s look at a couple of possibilities, and maybe these can help us all to avoid falling into a similar fate, no pun intended.
Loss of Situational Awareness
One of the most plausible explanations is that people temporarily check their situational awareness at the door. Maybe they get caught up in the moment. Maybe they have just achieved a feat that they’re proud of or want to show off. Their adrenaline is pumping and they may be governed more by their emotions instead of calculated, rational thought. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter why people choose to abandon their situational awareness. What matter is that they do, and the consequences are fatal.
One recent story of a Japanese tourist who was taking scenic pictures while he stood on train tracks on a bridge over the River Kwai is a good example. He was so engrossed in the moment that he didn’t hear the sound of an approaching train. The train blew its horn, screeched its brakes, but the tourist was completely oblivious to the danger. The train struck him and he was knocked off the bridge, fell about a hundred feet and is now clinging to life.
We can all shake our heads and wonder how it is possible to miss something like that. However, it is entirely possible, and this fully-rational, intelligent and fit individual was so engrossed in the moment that he blocked out his surroundings.
Loss of Balance
Another explanation may be that it’s easy to lose our balance as we try to position the camera, and ourselves, in just the right angle to get that perfect shot. We lean, twist and bend in all kinds of positions that end up altering our center of gravity. This reduces our ability to keep our feet securely planted on the ground, or we cant lean against walls or use our hands to keep us from falling. Unfortunately, coupling this with the fact that people are perilously close to the edges, the stage for a disaster is set.
Getting too Close to Danger
Many people have also been killed and injured because they simply got too close to danger. One guy was taking a selfie during a protest, and the car next to him exploded after a bomb went off. Another person was taking a selfie during a riot and got hit in the chest by a stray bullet. Someone else wanted a perfect picture with a shark in the background and he got attacked. These are just a few examples of why it’s unwise to be in a dangerous situation in the first place, let alone trying to preserve that moment for posterity.
It is very easy to ridicule and laugh at people who meet their fate while being caught up in the selfie-obsession that is sweeping the globe. However, it’s also true that any one of us may end up doing the same thing if we allow ourselves abandon good judgment in the heat of the moment. The real tragedy is that the last picture people will see of the individual who lost their life is their smile, because in a split second, that smile must have turned into absolute horror as they faced the permanent consequences of their actions.
Never put yourself in a similar situation, no matter how tempting it may be. Make sure that you also stress the importance of keeping things in perspective to your loved ones as well. Nothing is worse than a perfectly healthy person losing their life during a freak accident. Death by selfie takes this to a whole new level. Sadly, it’s usually the loved ones left behind who are left to carry the shock and grief with them for the rest of their lives.
