A question about falling.

[Rain Man]

What are a person's odds of surviving a fall from 20 feet? 40 feet? 100 feet? I know there's some variation depending on what you land on, but there has to be an overall average. (Let's assume that we're not talking water landings, just ground landings.)

Anyone ever seen a table showing the percent of people who survive/don't survive at various heights?

I'm curious, in part because the construction workers in the building across from me are now working on the 24th floor.

[J Diddy]

I know after 24 floors they're pretty none.
1 story: 75%
2 story: 50%
3 story: 25%
4 story: 10%
5 story and on 1%

[ROYC75]

24 isn't going to be a pretty site........

[ptlyon]

Does this have anything to do with the bowl situation? :hmmm:

[ROYC75]

reminds me of the joke about the construction worker on the 36 th floor ...........

[Rain Man]

They keep driving the cherry picker up to the edge and then cantilevering the bucket out the window opening so they can work on the outside of the building. You can see the thing wiggle every time they move. No way on God's green earth would I do that.

[Frazod]

When I was a kid I fell about 40' out of a tree. Of course, I hit many branches on the way down that slowed my descent, but that really sucked. All it really did was knock the wind out of me, though. It's amazing how resilient children can be.

If I fell that far now, I'd probably just explode on impact.

[Nzoner]

When I was a kid I fell about 40' out of a tree. Of course, I hit many branches on the way down

That explains it. :D

[Frazod]

That explains it. :D

I suffered many sharp blows to the head as child.... :hmmm:

[4th and Long]

Q: What's worse than falling off a 40 story building, hitting the ground below and exploding like a water balloon?

A: Falling off a 40 story building and catching your eye lid on a nail at the 17th floor.

[AustinChief]

Ants can survive a fall from ANY height! Their terminal velocity is too low to cause them much harm. Humans on the other hand usually top out at close to 120mph ... after falling aproximately 1500-2000 ft.

Just some factoids to keep the thread rolling...

--Kyle

[Rain Man]

Ants can survive a fall from ANY height! Their terminal velocity is too low to cause them much harm. Humans on the other hand usually top out at close to 120mph ... after falling aproximately 1500-2000 ft.

Just some factoids to keep the thread rolling...

--Kyle

Those are cool factoids.

Is the 120 mph if you're spread out, pointed headfirst, or somewhere in between?

I would've guessed you'd reach terminal velocity much quicker than 1500 feet...

[KcMizzou]

When I was a kid I fell about 40' out of a tree. Of course, I hit many branches on the way down

Ah.... the "Ugly Tree".

[Rain Man]

Ah.... the "Ugly Tree".

ROFL

(Rustle, rustle.) And the "Post of the Month" award goes to...

[Jenny Gump]

What are a person's odds of surviving a fall from 20 feet? 40 feet? 100 feet? I know there's some variation depending on what you land on, but there has to be an overall average. (Let's assume that we're not talking water landings, just ground landings.)

Anyone ever seen a table showing the percent of people who survive/don't survive at various heights?

I'm curious, in part because the construction workers in the building across from me are now working on the 24th floor.

Hang on...and I'll let you know...brb.

[Skip Towne]

They keep driving the cherry picker up to the edge and then cantilevering the bucket out the window opening so they can work on the outside of the building. You can see the thing wiggle every time they move. No way on God's green earth would I do that.
I'd do it.....for $11 million dollars an hour. I'd just work one hour though.

[ptlyon]

Ants can survive a fall from ANY height! Their terminal velocity is too low to cause them much harm. Humans on the other hand usually top out at close to 120mph ... after falling aproximately 1500-2000 ft.

Just some factoids to keep the thread rolling...

--Kyle

Great. Fine. But do you know the velocity of a laiden swallow?

[AustinChief]

Those are cool factoids.

Is the 120 mph if you're spread out, pointed headfirst, or somewhere in between?

I would've guessed you'd reach terminal velocity much quicker than 1500 feet...

That is spread out.. but it is all averages since it depends on each individual.

btw in response to the original question... I don't have hard figures but I know that 30' is the "cutoff." Most people who fall from over 30' do not survive... unlike cats who also have a low terminal velocity and have survived falls where they had reached t.v.

There is a 90% survival rate for cats that fall from high-rises if they receive immediate and appropriate medical attention.

[4th and Long]

Great. Fine. But do you know the velocity of a laiden swallow?
African or European?

[Bearcat]

Ah.... the "Ugly Tree".

ROFL

[ptlyon]

African or European?

Finally, someone gets it!

teh rep

[Ultra Peanut]

I look straight in the window, try not to look below
Pretend I’m not up here, try counting sheep
But the sheep seem to shower, off this office tower
It’s nine-point-eight straight down, I can’t stop my knees

I wish I could fly
From this building
From this wall
And if I should try
Would you catch me If I fall?

My hands clench the squeegee, my secular rosary
Hang on to your wallet, hang on to your rings
Can't look below me, or something might throw me
Curse at the wind storms that October brings

I look straight in the boardroom; a modern pharoh’s tomb
I’d gladly swap places, if they care to dive
They're lined up at the window, peer down into limbo
They're frightened of jumping, in case they survive

I wish I could step from this scaffold
Onto soft green pastures, shopping malls, or bed
Then, with my family, and my pastor and my grandfather
Who's dead

I look straight in the mirror, watch it come clearer
I look like a painter, behind all the grease
But painting's creating, and I’m just erasing
A crystal-clear canvas, is my masterpiece

I wish I could fly
From this building
From this wall
And if I should try
Would you catch me
If I fall

I wish I could fly
From this building
From this wall
And if I should try
Would you catch me, if I fall?

When I fall
When I fall
When I fall
When I fall
When I…..hmmm mmmm...

[Baby Lee]

When I was a kid I fell about 40' out of a tree. Of course, I hit many branches on the way down.
So it was an ugly tree?

EDIT: DAMMIT Carl!!!! Read the whole thread first.

[Ultra Peanut]

So it was an ugly tree?<img src="http://www.montgomerysports.org/tee%20ball%204.jpg" style="width: 141px; height: 212px; border: 0" alt="" />

[Frazod]

Ah.... the "Ugly Tree".

nlm

Good shot, you bastard.

I haven't seen you around lately. Just get paroled?

[redsurfer11]

My Grandfather,Father and brother all had someone jump from The Empire State building, and smash within 20 feet from them. All in different years. The last one was in 1981. They cleaned the guy off the sidewalk with a snow shovel.

[ptlyon]

My Grandfather,Father and brother all had someone jump from The Empire State building, and smash within 20 feet from them. All in different years. The last one was in 1981. They cleaned the guy off the sidewalk with a snow shovel.

That is a pretty cool story.

I bet you stand around the ESB just to continue the tradition.

[Amnorix]

So what are the odds of jumping off an 80' cliff, while skiing, and doing a backflip?

Apparently 100% for some people...

http://www.big-boys.com/articles/80foot.html

(note that the video is SFW, but the website is NSFW)

[Amnorix]

My Grandfather,Father and brother all had someone jump from The Empire State building, and smash within 20 feet from them. All in different years. The last one was in 1981. They cleaned the guy off the sidewalk with a snow shovel.

Thsi ought to be some kind of Guiness Book of World Records entry...

[KcMizzou]

nlm

Good shot, you bastard.

I haven't seen you around lately. Just get paroled? Heh... I get internet access in exchange for good behavior.

I'm not around as much, but I'm still around. You never really leave the Planet. ( I have no plans to, anyway..)

[Sparhawk]

I knew a fellow once that fell from a helicopter at 90 feet. Considering the number of bones he broke, including his spine, and all his ribs, it's was a miracle he survived.