Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

NYC man plunges 40 stories, lands on car, survives

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » The DU Lounge Donate to DU
 
BridgeTheGap Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 11:44 AM
Original message
NYC man plunges 40 stories, lands on car, survives
NEW YORK – A New York City man who plunged 40 stories from the rooftop of an apartment building has survived after crashing onto a parked car.

Witnesses and police say 22-year-old Thomas Magill jumped from the high-rise at West 63rd Street on Tuesday. He landed in the backseat area of a Dodge Charger after crashing through the windshield.

He suffered broken legs. Police say he's in critical condition.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us40_story_plunge
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
tigereye Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 11:55 AM
Response to Original message
1. holy smoke!

:wow: Wonder what he was thinking on the way down. Was he trying to commit suicide?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
BridgeTheGap Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 12:38 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. They're not sure why (or if) he jumped. I guess if it was a suicide attempt, no note
was left.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
tigereye Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 09:03 PM
Response to Reply #2
9. we were talking about movie cliche's how people who fall from a building
always end up landing on cars... and I thought, well, that's not that realistic...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
BridgeTheGap Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-03-10 08:40 AM
Response to Reply #9
34. I guess the effect is better than the splatter that happens on pavement. Not sure I've ever seen a
film that has attempted to recreate that one.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Sweet Charming Dem Donating Member (207 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-03-10 10:21 AM
Response to Reply #34
35. The Departed recreates that pretty well.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
BridgeTheGap Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-03-10 11:28 AM
Response to Reply #35
36. I'm going to have to watch it again now as I don't remember that scene. It was a damn good flick! n
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Sweet Charming Dem Donating Member (207 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-03-10 05:57 PM
Response to Reply #36
37. Yeah, it's a great movie
It's when Martin Sheen gets tossed out the window in front of Leonardo DiCaprio.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Dappleganger Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 12:42 PM
Response to Original message
3. Is he a cat?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Fleshdancer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 01:07 PM
Response to Original message
4. wow. I don't think I would want to survive that.
Then again, if he jumped willingly, it sounds like he didn't want to survive it either. :(

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
BridgeTheGap Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 01:36 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. If he jumped from 40 stories, he wasn't looking to survive. n.t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
PBS Poll-435 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 01:31 PM
Response to Original message
5. I was going to go with Plymouth Breeze, but...
Still a Chrysler.



:hide:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
struggle4progress Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 03:02 PM
Response to Original message
7. Man Survives 40-Story Plunge From High-Rise Building
... The car's owner, Guy McCormack, of Old Bridge, N.J, told reporters he is convinced the rosary beads he kept inside the vehicle helped save Magill's life ... Police are currently investigating why Magill .. jumped ... Authorities are currently looking for clues on his Facebook page .... he listed "being mean" and "making fun of people" as interests ... http://www.wpix.com/news/wpix-man-survives-40-foot-fall,0,3758704.story
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
rurallib Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 09:21 PM
Response to Reply #7
10. had to be the beads.
:crazy: :crazy:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
struggle4progress Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 09:38 PM
Response to Reply #10
12. Yeah, that's a sorta strange belief. On the other hand, I also found it strange
that jumper-dude's interests were "making fun of people" and "being mean." If I were forced to choose between those two strange worldviews, I might go with rosary-guy
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
csziggy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 01:51 AM
Response to Reply #7
16. Maybe he was just too mean to die?
"he listed "being mean" and "making fun of people" as interests"

:hide:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Glassunion Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 03:06 PM
Response to Original message
8. NYC man plunges 40 stories, lands on car, survives... Ta Dah!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
kwassa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 09:22 PM
Response to Original message
11. I saw the remains of a 9-story jump.
very not pretty.

He landed on top of a car, smashing the roof to the floor. He was still barely alive when taken away. I saw the bits that were left behind. Awful.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Archae Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 09:51 PM
Response to Original message
13. Don't they hit terminal velocity on the way down?
Say about 3 or 4 stories on the way down?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pokerfan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 10:06 AM
Response to Reply #13
21. Takes around 10 seconds to reach terminal velocity
about 120 mph if spread-eagled. Freefall acceleration is about 22mph per second so in a vacuum you would reach 120 in about six seconds but since we're talking atmosphere, your acceleration begins to be offset by greater and greater drag so you wind approaching 120mph asymptotically which takes longer. So it winds up taking more than 3 or 4 stories.

I've skydived twice. (Didn't want to push my luck.)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Xithras Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 12:37 PM
Response to Reply #21
23. Technically it takes thousands of feet to reach terminal velocity.
In a way, it's like the speed of light. The closer you get, the more energy required to make you go faster, so the slower you accelerate. Because gravity is constant, accelerating through the last few percent can take a while. It takes about 2000 feet to reach 99.5% of terminal velocity.

Terminal V is 172 ft/sec (varies a bit based on body shape, atmospheric density, etc, but 172 is the widely accepted median).

Using d=1/2 *A*T^2 A=32 FT/SEC*SEC

V=A*T

At 400 feet you are at 76 percent of terminal velocity. At 766 feet you are at 90 percent of terminal velocity. At 1074 feet you are at 95 percent of terminal velocity. At 1807 feet you are at 99 percent of terminal velocity. (no, I didn't do this math myself, but borrowed it from a reference).

The average American multistory building has 11.5 feet per floor, which gives this 40 story plunge an approximate fall distance of 460 feet. That puts him at about 79% of terminal velocity, or 135.9fps (or 92.6MPH) at the point of impact.

Ouch.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pokerfan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 06:57 PM
Response to Reply #23
30. That sounds about right
but also note that the kinematic formulas are for free fall in a vacuum (like my 22mph/s) where there is no terminal velocity.

G = 32.2 ft/s/s which is about 22mph/s. (It's just sometimes easier to work in mph.) I like to use 22mph/s for calculating air-time on a thrill ride. If you know how fast a ride goes, then you know how much air time (in theory) it is capable of. For example, Superman the Escape at Magic Mountain launches you at 100mph straight up and then lets gravity take over. A quick back of the envelope calculation gives 100/22 = 4.5 seconds of air time before reaching the apex and another 4.5 seconds falling backwards for close to 9 seconds of zero gee!
:bounce:
(It's actually more like 7 seconds because of friction and air resistance, but that's the general idea.)

(Yeah, I'm as much fun at parties as I am at amusement parks. ;))
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Xithras Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 07:06 PM
Response to Reply #30
31. Grr, don't remind me.
I went to Magic Mountain earlier this summer and really wanted to ride that.

It's been closed for renovations ALL SUMMER :grr:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pokerfan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 08:56 PM
Response to Reply #31
32. It's a good one
Very short. But fifteen seconds of pure fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIc2_dqoI0M
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
HEyHEY Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 09:53 PM
Response to Original message
14. This has been happening alot lately.
Happen in New Zealand too.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
txwhitedove Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-01-10 10:27 PM
Response to Original message
15. Reminds me of a late 1970's fiction novel about a man who mysteriously
Edited on Wed Sep-01-10 10:36 PM by txwhitedove
survived a multi-story fall. I can't remember the name of the book... Second Son or something....
Anyone else remember that?

EDIT: "The Second Son" by Charles Sailor, fiction, good read dealing with hypocrisy of organized religion.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lasher Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 05:00 AM
Response to Original message
17. How did he go through the windshield and end up in the backseat area?
Was the Charger standing on its rear bumper?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
whistler162 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 08:24 AM
Response to Reply #17
19. Probably came in at enough of a angle that hitting
the dashboard/windshield sent him sliding through the front seats to stop at the back seat.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lasher Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 01:51 PM
Response to Reply #19
25. Makes sense.
Prolly dribbled around like a ping pong ball. Hope he is still alive.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
whistler162 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 08:22 AM
Response to Original message
18. NYC cites car owner for being illegally parked....
Edited on Thu Sep-02-10 08:22 AM by whistler162
;)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
cwydro Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 08:53 AM
Response to Original message
20. And the owner of the car is royally pissed.
Apparently she has been quoted as saying "why did he have to pick my car?" and "I wonder if he feels like an idiot now that it didn't work" or something of that nature. Reported in the Daily News.

People are amazing.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Tuesday Afternoon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 11:44 AM
Response to Reply #20
22. aren't they though. She was glad she hadn't gotten the brakes fixed.
:wtf:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
cwydro Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 05:33 PM
Response to Reply #22
29. Lol.
I heard today she was ticketed for parking in an illegal space.

Karma. It's what's for breakfast!:rofl:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
blueamy66 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 03:22 PM
Response to Reply #20
27. I heard this on The Today Show.
merciless b**ch
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
cwydro Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 04:49 PM
Response to Reply #27
28. I did too.
Been watching that show since Jane Pauley days and can't break the habit lol!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Starbucks Anarchist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 01:02 PM
Response to Original message
24. It's like that Seinfeld episode, except the guy survived.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
flvegan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 02:03 PM
Response to Original message
26. In other good news: Dodge Charger dead after man lands on it.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
zanana1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-02-10 11:50 PM
Response to Original message
33. Talk about a bad day...
When you can't even kill yourself right.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Fri Dec 27th 2024, 02:11 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » The DU Lounge Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC