dying before you hit the ground?

Cosimo · 27 Sep 2010 at 09:02

Some may pass out on the way down but they die on impact or later. Only one way to find out and I can get you kitted out with some instruments.

jwest · 27 Sep 2010 at 09:16

The chances are that you'll die from heart failure- actually, to be precise, respirator arrest - from the shock of your fall.

semi-pro waster · 27 Sep 2010 at 09:24

ChrisJSY said:
Truth? Absolutely none at all.
Really, think about what happens, run through the process, if anything the sudden deceleration is one thing, ontop of the trauma and crushed organs/bones.
Yeah it's the "bounce".

You've quite clearly never watched Crank then have you? Humans bounce.

You're right though, falling fast doesn't kill you, it's the sudden stop at the end. Your internal organs don't tend to take kindly to decelerating from terminal velocity to a standstill in short spaces of time, they want to keep on going and your ribs/the ground don't allow them to do that or if they do then you've got equally big problems.

Abraham · 27 Sep 2010 at 09:31

jwest said:
The chances are that you'll die from heart failure- actually, to be precise, respirator arrest - from the shock of your fall.

and where's your source for that information?

Participant · 27 Sep 2010 at 09:50

blitzyuk said:
Also people have said that if you do actually manage to hit the ground

You make it sound like it's unlikely or requires skill

.

If I was going to do this (why on earth you'd choose this method of all the ones available I don't know) I'd make sure I landed on my head so my neck broke and / or my skull and brain were pummeled good enough for me to be unconscious as soon as I hit the ground.

Wings · 27 Sep 2010 at 09:56

No. You do not die before you hit the ground.

I and many of my friends would be long gone if that were the case.

Range · 27 Sep 2010 at 10:02

i tested it, i went unconcious and broke my nails, nothing happened, you should try it

BunnyKillBot · 27 Sep 2010 at 10:03

Kraven said:
I don't believe its true no, as some people have been known to survive high falls and end up with a lot of broken bones.

Broken bones are the least of your worries. All that spent potential energy has to go some where and the elesticity of your body isnt enough to gently carry it. AFAIK, the extreme deceleration causes a tremendous amount of localised heat, so not only do you splat, you also cook.

Nice

It is one of the most selfish ways to try to kill yourself, given the mess, clean up, and trauma for anybody who happens to be around at the time.

The Dread Pirate · 27 Sep 2010 at 10:04

If you were shot in the head this would be true other than that I doubt it!

lurkio · 27 Sep 2010 at 10:15

When I was at college in Belfast a student jumped off an 8 story building

An army patrol was just around the corner and they tried to help the poor bugger
he was alive for several pain filled minutes before dying (dude was a complete mess)

If I want to check out , jumping off a building is defo off the list

ChroniC · 27 Sep 2010 at 10:19

Not if you aim for the bushes.

Gornall · 27 Sep 2010 at 11:44

Thought it was reported that a few of the 9/11 jumpers for exmaple died before hitting the ground due to heart attack.

The early response about drivers and skydivers etc, I think the passing out etc before you hit the ground is more the fact you know your going to die. Possibily.

Skillmister · 27 Sep 2010 at 12:16

Gornall said:
Thought it was reported that a few of the 9/11 jumpers for exmaple died before hitting the ground due to heart attack.

Then why do bungee jumpers not die all the time? :confused:

Pretty sure they will have said that to be nice rather than reporting that the people died because they became a splat on the floor.

Duff-Man · 27 Sep 2010 at 12:16

Gornall said:
Thought it was reported that a few of the 9/11 jumpers for exmaple died before hitting the ground due to heart attack.

I highly doubt that, if for no other reason than it is extremely difficult to do a coronary report which is sophisticated enough to place cause of death on a heart attack, when that person has hit the ground at near-terminal velocity (i.e. pizza'd). Organs which are mush don't tell you much other than that the person hit the ground very, very hard.

MrKeeno · 27 Sep 2010 at 12:17

I used to be a volunteer rescue worker close to renowned suicide spots all along a river.

There was always that myth around here as well. In reality what happened when the majority of people jumped off the larger bridge was that they would break their back when they hit the water, they would then drown.

I can imagine the only thing they would be thinking as they are drowning is that they just made a big mistake. I know I would.

orderoftheflame · 27 Sep 2010 at 12:22

Berserker said:
Sounds like the sort of thing Mythbusters might test, but falling to one's death is probably beyond their remit.

You say that... but in one of the early series they tested whether or not you can survive falling to your death in water by breaking the surface tension with something thrown before you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(2003_season)#Hammer_Bridge_Drop

ChrisJSY · 27 Sep 2010 at 12:47

Skillmister said:
Then why do bungee jumpers not die all the time?

Oh my goooooooddddddddddddddddddd.think about it! Really?

As a bungee jumper you aren't expecting to hit the floor, chances are these days with a reputable company you won't hit the floor, under the assumption you will live.
People who jump high heights to terra firma for suicide don't, they are expecting to hit without a doubt.

But it's a really bad roll of luck, you could survive a fall from your terminal velocity but chances are slim.

steve-h · 27 Sep 2010 at 12:50

LiamC said:
With a lot of people commiting suicide by jumping off bridges etc is it true that you die / pass out before you hit the ground? Has it actually been proven?

pass out maybe... but I can't see how you'd just die

iNPUt · 27 Sep 2010 at 12:53

G-MAN2004 said:
There was a documentary about people jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Apparently the impact kills you instantly, iirc.

Pretty good documentary, why did the biggest douche manage to survive though?

FTM · 27 Sep 2010 at 13:01

ChrisJSY said:
Oh my goooooooddddddddddddddddddd.think about it! Really?

As a bungee jumper you aren't expecting to hit the floor, chances are these days with a reputable company you won't hit the floor, under the assumption you will live.
People who jump high heights to terra firma for suicide don't, they are expecting to hit without a doubt.

But it's a really bad roll of luck, you could survive a fall from your terminal velocity but chances are slim.

but surely if you have decided to commit suicide you have already made your peace with the world as you are prepared to die...so if you are prepared to die why would you suddenly panic and have a heart attack