That selfie could kill you
On Aug.9, a Polish couple fell off a cliff in Portugal. It was not suicide; it was an accident. They were taking a selfie on the edge of the cliffs at Cabo da Roca on the west coast of Portugal when they slipped and fell.
Their children, aged five and six, could only watch in horror as the couple plunged to their deaths below. Reports say the children had stood behind a barrier on that part of the cliff but it is unclear if their parents had gone beyond the barrier.
The family was on holiday in Portugal, and had decided to visit the popular tourist destination of Cabo da Roca.
A situation which was all fun and laughter turned into a tragedy in just a split second. All because they were too engrossed in taking the selfie and did not pay enough attention to safety.
This is not the first time something went wrong while someone was taking a selfie.
Just on Aug 3, I read about a young man in Mexico who killed himself while posing with a gun for a Facebook photograph.
Oscar Otero Aguilar, 21, had borrowed a gun and was apparently waving it around while taking a selfie when it went off. He is said to have been drinking with friends at that time.
Nearer to home, a 14-year-old high school student in the Philippines, Christine Rosello, died on June 30 after falling down the stairs while posing for a selfie. It sparked debate about whether cell phones should be banned in Philippine schools.
There is also the tragic story of a woman who died in a head-on collision seconds after she posted selfies on Facebook on April 24.
At 8.33am that day, Courtney Sanford, 32, updated her status on Facebook, writing: “The happy song makes be so HAPPY.” At 8.34am police received a call about an accident. Sanford’s car had crashed into a truck and burst into flames.
Police did not find any evidence that she had taken drugs or was speeding or was under the influence of drugs.
A police spokesman said: “In a matter of seconds, a life was over so she could notify some friends that she was happy. It’s really not worth it. As sad as it is, it is also a grim reminder for everyone… you just have to pay attention while you are in the car.”
Now, this is very sound advice for all of us, especially for those who love to take selfies or send SMS or talk on the phone while driving.
In April, Xenia Ignatyeva, 17, slipped and fell as she was taking a selfie atop a railway bridge in Russia. In her attempts to hold on to something, she grabbed some electrical wires and was electrocuted.
And this year’s participants of the Tour de France cycling competition in July had new challenges to surmount – excited people getting onto the roads to takes selfies.
Many spectators in Yorkshire, England, were thrilled when the Tour de France came to town. This was only the second time it had come to England, so many of them took selfies, not realising the danger they posed to themselves and the riders.
A few crashes that occurred were attributed to the selfie craze. Several cyclists said that this was causing problems, with American Tejav Van Garderen tweeting: “Standing in the middle of the road back turned while 200 cyclists come at you, just to take a selfie? I love the crowds and thank you for your support. But please give us room.”
Apparently he took a tumble due to someone taking a selfie.
Selfies are a social phenomenon and almost everyone with a social media account seems to have fallen prey to this desire to put up their picture for their family and friends to not only see, but comment on.
I know of people who update their status or upload selfies or pictures of food they eat every day – sometimes several times a day. And I know of people who become very disappointed when they don’t get comments or likes for the pictures or status updates they post on Facebook.
I don’t think there is anything wrong in taking selfies. But I worry that in their desire for more likes, some people might be tempted to take selfies in what could be dangerous areas or situations.
As the stories above indicate, that selfie could kill you.
So, those who take selfies, please be aware of your surroundings when you do so. Take the selfies, by all means, but pay attention to where you are and whether you could be endangering yourself or others. In other words, be careful always.
