HUMAN CANNONBALL DIES

The accident happened during a show put on by Scott May's Daredevil Stunt Show at the Kent County Showground in Detling at about 3.30pm on Monday.
A Kent Police spokesman said: "A man taking part in a human cannonball event this afternoon has died after it is believed a safety net failed to engage."
The man was flown by air ambulance to Maidstone Hospital but died.
He added that the man was aged in his 20s but it was not yet known where he lived.
The spokesman added: "Kent Police is advising people due to travel to the evening daredevil stunt show that it has been cancelled."
A statement on the Scott May web site states: "With our apologies, due to unforeseen circumstances all shows have been cancelled until further notice."
Scott May's Daredevil Stuntshow has been touring in the UK since 1991 and features motorbike and monster trunk stunts, and pyrotechnic displays.
Based in Cornwall, the show was originally formed to raise money for local charities.

Sad news SB.

Simply the result of stupidity. This is why intelligent people don't climb into large guns.

I wonder what you think about when you are flying through the air after being shot out of a cannon of your own free will and you see your approaching safety net collapse?

Phil

Too awful to contemplate.

Posted by Voltman

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Simply the result of stupidity. This is why intelligent people don't climb into large guns.

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Sorry Volty, that's not a fair way to look a this young lads death.

Yes the poor lad was only trying to make a living to put some food on the table for his family. If this was his choice of employment, then who are we to argue or say he was wrong. He might have thought that our respective jobs were stupid and dangerous. In reality they probably are, I know these stunts are properly choreographed and checked rigorously for safety each time they are performed. How many of us can say that about their jobs?

Phil

Phil, you was in Demolition, I am Guillotine operator, Volty is a Sparks. I suggest more people have died in these activities than have ever been shot from a cannon. SB

People go and watch this stupidity because they get a thrill out of seeing someone trying to escape death.
If your job mostly involves trying to escape death then you are doing it wrong, are a danger to the people you work with and it is about time you gave it up.

There are millions of sensible GO's Wreckers and Sparks in the world whilst there are very few human cannonballs, so comparison is rather pointless.

Volty

The trouble is, we are a morbid lot and people will pay to watch other people dice with death. Whats more dangerous than motor racing and people pay loads to see that and its classed as a sport. I see that the crowd at the event where the lad died demanded their money back because he didn't do the stunt.

Phil

Well that's sort of my point Phil.
Some people want to see danger and possible death, those that choose to offer people the chance to pay to see such a display should expect death as the eventual outcome, otherwise it isn't really as dangerous as it is cracked up to be. I would have thought the ghouls at the show in question should have paid double, as they got what they went for.

F1 isn't nearly as dangerous as it used to be, even severe crashes often result in little more than a few bruises, the wage hasn't fallen in line with the danger though.
VM