How safe is it?

**aviatoreb** · January 13, 2016

All I know is I am glad I am not left handed!

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/scientists-calculate-odd-ways-die-282884

Scientists calculate odd ways to die

00:00, 30 MAY 2008
UPDATED 17:18, 3 APR 2014
BY MATT ROPER

Death may be the only certainty in life - but how it comes about is anything but certain. Check out the odds on odd ways of passing on.

Death may be the only certainty in life - but how it comes about is anything but certain.

Papers released from secret government archives this week revealed that in 1980 government scientists were told to calculate the exact chances of a Brit being killed by a falling asteroid.

The study was an attempt to persuade the public that nuclear power was safe, and that there were plenty of other things that were statistically more lethal than a neighbourhood reactor.

After much consideration, the men in white coats calculated that that one member of the public would be killed by an asteroid every 7,000 years.

Here the Daily Mirror looks at some other causes of death -and just what the odds are of your meeting your Maker in that way...

300,000,000/1 shark attack

Around 40 people are killed every year from shark attacks, with the numbers increasing as more people take holidays on coasts where sharks live.

300,000,000/1 fairground accident

The worst rollercoaster accident in Britain was in 1972 when five children were killed on the Big Dipper in Battersea, London, when one of the cars broke loose and collided with another. Just last week 29 people were injured when the Runaway Mine Train at Alton Towers split in two.

250,000,000/1 falling coconut

Coconuts apparently kill around 150 people every year. Falling from a height of 80 feet, they can build up an impact speed of 50 mph.

11,000,000/1 plane crash

Plane crashes worldwide claim 1,300 people every year. Young men are most likely to emerge from the wreckage alive - and 12 per cent of passengers who survive the impact will die from shock later.

10,000,000/1 killed by lightning

In the UK around five people are killed by being hit by lightning every year. And men are four times more likely to be struck than women.

10,000,000/1 killed by the escape of radiation from a nearby nuclear power station

The chances of an explosion at a nuclear reactor are increasing with the risk of terrorism and as conventional fuels run out. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster and its aftermath has killed an estimated 30,000 people.

9,300,000/1 dying in a terrorist attack

Last year there were 651 significant international terrorist attacks worldwide, killing nearly 2,000 people.

5,000,000/1 scalded by hot water

Children under five are most at risk, with 126 accidents reported every year in Britain. In Japan, around 150 people die from hot water scalding every year.

4,400,000/1 left-handed people killed using a right-handed product

More than 2,500 left-handed people are killed every year around the world from using equipment meant for right-handed people. The right-handed power saw is the most deadly item.

3,500,000/1 dying of a snake bite

Snake bites kill an estimated 25,000 people a year. More people die from snakebite in India than in any other country in the world, with the total death toll estimated I to average 10 - 12,000 annually.

3,000,000/1 dying from food poisoning

More than 79,000 cases of food poisoning were reported last year in the UK, while every year around 200 people die as a result of eating contaminated food.

2,300,000/1 dying from falling off a ladder

On average 15 people die from falling off ladders every year in Britain, and around 1,200 suffer serious injuries. A quarter of all falls happen off ladders.

2,000,000/1 dying after falling out of bed

In Britain around 20 people die from falling out of bed every year, with the young and the elderly most at risk.

685,000/1 drowning in the bath

A higher percentage of people drown in their bath water than in public swimming pools, with young children and the elderly most at risk. Around 25 babies drown in baths every year.

500,000/1 being killed in a train crash

Despite a number of fatal crashes, public transport is still the safest way to travel. Buses are even safer than trains, with the odds of being killed 13 million to one.

43,500/1 being killed in an accident at work

More accidents happen at work than anywhere else. Every year there are more than 25,000 serious workplace accidents, killing around 300 people in the UK.

8,000/1 killed in a road accident

Every year 1,500 car drivers and adult passengers die in road smashes, while around 1,000 pedestrians and cyclists die in road accidents. Worldwide, over 3,000 people are killed in road crashes daily.

5/1 dying from cancer

Around 130,000 people die from cancer every \ year, of whom 65,000 are ' aged under 75. The most common killers are lung, breast, colon and prostate cancer.

2.5/1 dying from a heart attack or stroke

The leading cause of death in Britain, coronary heart disease and strokes account for over 200,000 deaths every I year. Someone has a heart attack every two minutes.

**1964-M20E** · January 14, 2016

Speak for your self left handed people are the only people in their right mind.

they are also more efficient at eating a steak that the average right handed person. It is a wonder the world is dominated by right handed people. :lol:

**aviatoreb** · January 14, 2016

9 minutes ago, 1964-M20E said:

Speak for your self left handed people are the only people in their right mind.

they are also more efficient at eating a steak that the average right handed person. It is a wonder the world is dominated by right handed people.

Yes, but... More than 2,500 left-handed people are killed every year around the world from using equipment meant for right-handed people.

**flyboy0681** · January 14, 2016

chrisk · January 15, 2016

If only the odds of dying in a plane crash were calculated for pilots of private planes. --yet another example of how statistics mislead

**aviatoreb** · January 15, 2016

10 minutes ago, chrisk said:

If only the odds of dying in a plane crash were calculated for pilots of private planes. --yet another example of how statistics mislead

The only statistic that begins to make sense for us is fatalities per 100,000 hrs. A bulk statistic that says percentage of the population is useless since some people don't fly at all and most who do fly they fly commercial.

I'm still thanking my lucky stars that I am right handed.

N33GG · January 15, 2016

Crap... I am left handed. Now I have one more thing to worry about!

**N201MKTurbo** · January 15, 2016

I will make sure to wear a helmet whenever walking around coconut trees.

Yetti · January 15, 2016

Then there was the statistician that drowned crossing the river with an average depth of 4 feet.

PTK · January 15, 2016

A patient asks his doctor what the odds are of surviving a certain procedure. The doctor tells him the odds are 50-50. But no need to be concerned, the first 50 are already dead!

**Danb** · January 15, 2016

34 minutes ago, PTK said:

A patient asks his doctor what the odds are of surviving a certain procedure. The doctor tells him the odds are 50-50. But no need to be concerned, the first 50 are already dead!

The other 50 are ambidextrous

Marauder · January 15, 2016

38 minutes ago, PTK said:

A patient asks his doctor what the odds are of surviving a certain procedure. The doctor tells him the odds are 50-50. But no need to be concerned, the first 50 are already dead!

This reminds me of a funny story. I'm at an airport waiting to board a commercial airline that has been delayed an hour already. The Captain walks down the gangway and announces to the waiting passengers that the plane has a broken part, they have the replacement and it will be another hour before the plane can depart.

One angry woman steps forward and begins yelling at the Captain that this is "totally unacceptable". The Captain, looks at the lady and asks "so ma'am what do you do for a living?" She yells back "I am a nurse". The Captain calmly asks, "so ma'am, you never lost a patient where you work?" And with that he turns around and walks down the gangway.

The passengers erupted in laughter.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

bonal · January 15, 2016

Being left handed is definitely an advantage. Most right handed people I know are almost completey helpless with their left hand wheras most left handed people I know are very capable with their right. This is probably a condition that results from being forced to grow up in a right hand world. Always wondered why right hand people cut there steak with the right then have to put down the knife switch the fork to the right then use it to eat the meat. How stupid is that.

**Hank** · January 15, 2016

I always cut my steak [or chicken, or pork or . . .] with my right hand. But I'm an ambidextrous eater, and hold the fork equally well with either hand. Just don't make me write with my left hand, it makes kindergartners look like experts.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Hank

**aviatoreb** · January 15, 2016

3 hours ago, Hank said:

I always cut my steak [or chicken, or pork or . . .] with my right hand. But I'm an ambidextrous eater, and hold the fork equally well with either hand. Just don't make me write with my left hand, it makes kindergartners look like experts.

..well there ya go - red meat - even worse than using your left hand. Its gonna kill you some day. Better to eat Tofu for your heart.

M20F · January 15, 2016

4 hours ago, bonal said:

Being left handed is definitely an advantage. Most right handed people I know are almost completey helpless with their left hand wheras most left handed people I know are very capable with their right. This is probably a condition that results from being forced to grow up in a right hand world. Always wondered why right hand people cut there steak with the right then have to put down the knife switch the fork to the right then use it to eat the meat. How stupid is that.

I am left handed which in Europe is even rarer than in the US if you are X age. If however you eat in Europe almost everyone (especially the Germanic people) holds the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand. Being curious I asked about it and the answer was that you can control the knife better in your right (predominate for most) hand and that is what is important not the fork, they don't switch out.

American's tend to be the sole cut with the right and then swap, this actually has some backstory in Monty Pyton/Fawlty Towers where Terry Gilliam did this at a hotel that served as inspiration for Fawlty Towers and was berated for essentially being a savage

Edited January 15, 2016 by M20F

**aviatoreb** · January 15, 2016

30 minutes ago, M20F said:

I am left handed which in Europe is even rarer than in the US if you are X age. If however you eat in Europe almost everyone (especially the Germanic people) holds the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand. Being curious I asked about it and the answer was that you can control the knife better in your right (predominate for most) hand and that is what is important not the fork, they don't switch out.

American's tend to be the sole cut with the right and then swap, this actually has some backstory in Monty Pyton/Fawlty Towers where Terry Gilliam did this at a hotel that served as inspiration for Fawlty Towers and was berated for essentially being a savage

I eat like a European then - but I am right handed.

C-GHIJ · January 16, 2016

1 in 3,000,000 die from food poisoning......obviously they have never had my wife's cooking. She's almost killed me twice!

**DonMuncy** · January 16, 2016

I assume your wife does not look at Mooneyspace.

**Hank** · January 16, 2016

27 minutes ago, DonMuncy said:

I assume your wife does not look at Mooneyspace.

Do any of our wives? My wife enjoys going places in the plane, but she doesn't hang out and talk planes, or go fly with me "just because," like tomorrow afternoon. I'm feeling a persistent lack of altitude, and there's only one solution.

C-GHIJ · January 16, 2016

8 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

I assume your wife does not look at Mooneyspace.

I'm not that brave....she might succeed on her third attempt.

PTK · January 16, 2016

By applying these right/left handed statistics and through a careful and laborious analysis I have reached what appears to be the most encouraging and logical conclusion.

Since I'm a right handed pilot operating my Mooney from the left seat and not the inverse, statistical analysis does confirm, with minimal disturbance I might add, my long held belief and hypothetical expectation.

In all probability I'll never die! The statistics preclude this possibility!

Of course barring any coconuts or hot scalding water which may complicate matters! :angry:

DAVIDWH · January 16, 2016

Since over 70% of deaths are from natural causes, scientist should forget about searching for cancer cures and

concentrate on finding a cure for natural causes. (U-Tube comedian)

**aviatoreb** · January 16, 2016

Today is 25F, and freezing rain is developing. I am writing you today feeling cozy here by the wood burning stove, drinking my coffee and feeling rather safer than usual in the far reaches of upstate NY from scourge of falling coconuts. At least for today.

bonal · January 16, 2016

Let's see, things you righties would not understand. When writing your pen is positioned with the tip pointing away from the direction of travel as opposed to a lefty having to push the tip into the resistance of the paper making it more difficult to control friction. Also, the right handed moves away from the drying ink wheras the lefty has to push through the wet ink causing potential smearing. The vast majority of boats have the driver on the right this is to allow for a right hand throttle control. Most hot boats with a foot throttle are on the left. Another challenge is when writing a right hander can rest the hand on the paper until the last part of the line a lefty has to start with the hand off the paper particularly challenging when filling out log books with the first colum at the far left edge of the page. Ever consider that most coffee mugs are for right handed people...think about it.

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