Moral dilema

[nebula]

Is it a sin to laugh at this stuff?

Death by Catapult 

2004 Reader Submission

Pending Acceptance

For the benefit of the rest of the world, in 1986 the UK saw its most violent storm for over 350 years. Wind speeds in some parts exceeded 90 mph and an incredible amounts of damage were done to property and people up and down the UK.

This story made several of the Kent newspapers at the time and - like most sane, rational beings I too found it dificult to believe - but it is absolutely true.

In Margate in the county of Kent, there are many tall Poplar trees and it's not uncommon for residents in the more rural areas to be surrounded by woods and spinnys. During the 1986 storm, an estimated 1 billion trees were lost - uprooted - by the gales. One hapless resident of Margate owned a house that bordered a small wood on the edge of which were 3 massive Poplars. The wind had felled 1 - which had come to rest across his back garden - while the other 2 had managed to resist the winds but had bent over just far enough to lodge their tops under the soffat of this guy's roof.

The foliage of the bent trees was obscuring almost 100% of the light which would have entered his upstairs bedroom windows. Now, this chap did not own a chainsaw nor could he reach the trunks of the trees which were several yards beyond his reach - even when leaning out of the window.

Undeterred by these frustrations and apparently unfettered by common-sense, he decided to find the base of the first tree, shin up the trunk from its location on the edge of the wood and (you can see it coming can't you?!!!) saw the top off while sitting astride the trunk with his feet wedged against his roof gutter.

After almost 20 minutes of sawing, the tree - which experts estimate held the energy equivalent to small field gun - broke away from the part he was sawing off and sprang back upright.

His body was found in a neighbour's garden over 1 mile away and had suffered massive trauma. The police surgeon stated that his neck probably broke during the whiplash and he would therefore have known nothing of the impact with the ground.

Submitted on 02/04/2004

Submitted by: Peek-a-Boo

Reference: Var Margate newspapers 1986

Copyright

[Guest LadyC]

i'd venture a guess that the story is fictional. if it's a sin to laugh at it, well, you'll be in good company!

[RGR]

i'd venture a guess that the story is fictional. if it's a sin to laugh at it, well, you'll be in good company!

Franky, I guess I need to go do some repenting myself!!!! Reminds me of the Bill Engvall tune-"Here's Your Sign!!!!"

[Guest LadyC]

oh my goodness LOL, i recently watched blue collar comedy tour with all those (raunchy at times) comediens... bill the cable guy, jeff foxworthy, a couple of others... they did a whole bunch of the "here's your sign" jokes!

[other one]

Is it a sin to laugh at this stuff?

Sometimes you just can't help laughing. I don't think it is a sin...... at times maybe tacky.

Like ladyC I doubt the story is fact. At least all fact. I find it very hard to believe that even a tree of that size could throw a body a mile. However I have seen people do really dumb things of this nature. (me included). I watched a guy cut a tree limb out from under himself one time and fall about ten feet. (couldn't get across the street in time to stop him). We did laugh at the guy and when he found that he was not hurt he had a pretty good laugh himself.

[cheercoach]

What's a spinny?