Lessons learned from the Oregon tragedy

Matt Whiting wrote:

I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I could follow it
for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die trying than die
sitting waiting on someone who may never come.


I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've ever heard of
anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure there's a
couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in our general
area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of exposure deaths
were when people left a protective shelter.

On 10 Dec 2006 08:35:07 -0800, wrote:


Matt Whiting wrote:

I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I could follow it
for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die trying than die
sitting waiting on someone who may never come.

I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've ever heard of
anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure there's a
couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in our general
area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of exposure deaths
were when people left a protective shelter.

Seattle-area news last night said that this was not the first death due to a car
getting stuck on the same stretch of road. Another happened about twenty,
twenty-five years ago. The driver stayed with the vehicle. He kept a diary, it
ended after about sixty days. Death due to starvation.

Ron Wanttaja

You don't starve in six days. You can run out of water, but
cold exposure is more likely. Was anybody looking for the
person you spoke about?



"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...
| On 10 Dec 2006 08:35:07 -0800, wrote:
|
|
| Matt Whiting wrote:
|
| I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I
could follow it
| for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die
trying than die
| sitting waiting on someone who may never come.
|
| I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've
ever heard of
| anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure
there's a
| couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in
our general
| area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of
exposure deaths
| were when people left a protective shelter.
|
| Seattle-area news last night said that this was not the
first death due to a car
| getting stuck on the same stretch of road. Another
happened about twenty,
| twenty-five years ago. The driver stayed with the
vehicle. He kept a diary, it
| ended after about sixty days. Death due to starvation.
|
| Ron Wanttaja

Jim Macklin wrote:

You don't starve in six days. You can run out of water, but
cold exposure is more likely. Was anybody looking for the
person you spoke about?

What part of sixty didn't you understand? :-)


Matt

Another poster said six. Sixty days, yes, you can starve.
But that sounds more like a suicide by cold. Nobody was
looking for a car on a road for two months...???



"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
| Jim Macklin wrote:
|
| You don't starve in six days. You can run out of water,
but
| cold exposure is more likely. Was anybody looking for
the
| person you spoke about?
|
| What part of sixty didn't you understand? :-)
|
|
| Matt

Jim Macklin wrote:
Another poster said six. Sixty days, yes, you can starve.
But that sounds more like a suicide by cold. Nobody was
looking for a car on a road for two months...???

Must be my newsserver didn't pick that one up as all I read said sixty.
Yes, it is hard to imagine anyone other than a complete recluse not
being missed for two months.

Matt

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
...
You don't starve in six days. You can run out of water, but
cold exposure is more likely. Was anybody looking for the
person you spoke about?


60 days. And, yes looking the whole time. Found them in the spring.

Al G

Ron Wanttaja wrote:

On 10 Dec 2006 08:35:07 -0800, wrote:


Matt Whiting wrote:

I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I could follow it
for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die trying than die
sitting waiting on someone who may never come.

I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've ever heard of
anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure there's a
couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in our general
area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of exposure deaths
were when people left a protective shelter.


Seattle-area news last night said that this was not the first death due to a car
getting stuck on the same stretch of road. Another happened about twenty,
twenty-five years ago. The driver stayed with the vehicle. He kept a diary, it
ended after about sixty days. Death due to starvation.

I just can't imagine sitting in a car for 60 days starving to death.
I'd be on the road after a couple of says most likely, certainly after a
week I'd be outta there. I'd rather die quickly from exposure than from
starvation.


Matt

wrote:

Matt Whiting wrote:

I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I could follow it
for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die trying than die
sitting waiting on someone who may never come.

I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've ever heard of
anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure there's a
couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in our general
area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of exposure deaths
were when people left a protective shelter.

About 12 years ago, a person named Dewitt Finley drove into the same area
in his camper, and got stuck in snow. He stayed with the truck, and they
found him next spring. He had kept a diary, meticulously noting the
passing days, and anticipating rescue. He starved to death after about 2
month's wait.

The irony was that he got stuck only a few hundred feet from an open road
that he could have easily walked along to safety, but he apparantly never
left the truck to look around.

James Robinson wrote:

About 12 years ago, a person named Dewitt Finley drove into the same area
in his camper, and got stuck in snow. He stayed with the truck, and they
found him next spring. He had kept a diary, meticulously noting the
passing days, and anticipating rescue. He starved to death after about 2
month's wait.

The irony was that he got stuck only a few hundred feet from an open road
that he could have easily walked along to safety, but he apparantly never
left the truck to look around.

Ok. So there's one case. I did say there's probably been a couple of
cases. This once incident you cite doesn't make leaving the
car/airplane a good idea. If anything, I think it strengthens the
advice to stay with the car... The guy lived for 60 days!! Almost
amazing that he wasn't found in that time.