Reason #612 why there should be harsher laws against stupidity... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

maleficent · 11-21-2005, 09:42 AM

Quote:

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- A French woman who is terrified of flying admitted in an Australian court Monday that she drunkenly tried to open an airplane door mid-flight to smoke a cigarette.

Sadrine Helene Sellies, 34, was placed on a good behavior bond after pleading guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court to endangering the safety of an aircraft.

Sellies was traveling on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to the east coast city of Brisbane on Saturday when the incident occurred at the start of a three-week Australian vacation with her husband, the court heard.

She walked toward one of the aircraft's emergency exits with an unlit cigarette and a lighter in her hand and began tampering with the door, prosecutors said. But a flight attendant intervened and took Sellies back to her seat.

Sellies was arrested and charged by police on arrival at Brisbane airport.

Defense lawyer Helen Shilton told the court Sellies was terrified of flying and had taken sleeping tablets with alcohol before takeoff.

Shilton said Sellies has no memory of what happened on the flight and that she has a history of sleepwalking.

But Magistrate Gordon Dean sternly warned the woman: "You must understand, if you are on a plane you must behave yourself."

Sellies, who did not speak in court and was aided by a translator, was placed on a 1,000 Australian dollar (US$734; euro623) bond -- meaning she will have to pay that amount if she commits another offense in the next 12 months.

So that's the price on stupidity? And drunkenness basically excuses stupidity?

Glory's Sun · 11-21-2005, 09:44 AM

the only form of justice would have been if she would have fallen out.

Jinn · 11-21-2005, 10:24 AM

At least she was conscientious enough to open a door so the smoke wouldn't bother the other passengers.. I could see it making sense.

... if you had an IQ less than 80.. maybe?

maleficent · 11-21-2005, 10:29 AM

One of my colleagues just spotted this story on CNN and was quite amused.. he's a former Eastern Airlines captain... and said that regularly they used to get warning lights in the cockpit of some moronic passenger trying to open a door... He said that once a handle was turned the lights woudl go off - but he also said that there were hundreds of pounds of pressure behind the door (on 737s anyhow) and it pretty much made it an impossiblity to open the door in flight.

But it's a nice way to cause a panic on a plane...

Eweser · 11-21-2005, 12:51 PM

I haven't taken sleeping pills before, but doesn't it say something about not taking them with alcohol?

snowy · 11-21-2005, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eweser

I haven't taken sleeping pills before, but doesn't it say something about not taking them with alcohol?

Indeed they do, usually...so count that as the first act of stupidity

Willravel · 11-21-2005, 01:11 PM

People with any kind of convictions about being drunk should have their legal right to buy alcohol revoked. I can't tell you how many times really good friends of mine, who are smart and capable, and moral, have done aweful and stupid things because they didn't control their intake of alcohol. I'm starting to wonder if I really am a libertarian. BTW, this is my 2,400th post! *goes to have cake*

World's King · 11-21-2005, 01:47 PM

C'mon... who here hasn't tried to do this... ?

MSD · 11-21-2005, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eweser

I haven't taken sleeping pills before, but doesn't it say something about not taking them with alcohol?

They wouldn't if we'd stop trying so hard to interfere with natural selection.

analog · 11-21-2005, 09:57 PM

Working in a pharmacy, I can tell you for a fact that a staggering percentage of people have NO fucking clue what's going on with medicine, and don't bother to ask. This is not an excuse, it's a further display of general stupidity. You wanna know how many people drive over to my pharmacy drive-through window after just being discharged from the hospital, doped out of their damn minds on pain meds, and then drive themselves home? The number would scare you.

I have people regularly complaining that the pain pills they're taking put them to sleep, only to find out they're chasing percocets and vicodins (pain meds) with alcohol. Well gee, no shit you could pass out if you mix the two. I have people all the time asking if there are any interactions with alcohol and antibiotics... so you're sick enough to need antibiotics, and you're curious about whether or not you can drink? Just get better first! I mean damn, it's only a 6-day course!

cyrnel · 11-21-2005, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by World's King

C'mon... who here hasn't tried to do this... ?

Do you mean suicide?

Seriously, I'm all for reading between the labels but not without a bunch of reading. Interactions can be so much worse than the basic side-effects.

feelgood · 11-21-2005, 10:20 PM

Is this woman NOT aware that 20,000 ft (give or take few thousands) there's barely any air? Travelling at couple hundred of KM per hour? There's no point in trying to light your goddamn ciggy.

You might as well try tossing a snowball in hell and see if it'll last longer than 2 second.

rlynnm · 11-22-2005, 08:50 PM

Maybe they shouldn't get rid of ALL the stupid people..if then, we'd have no one to write these uber amusing forums on..

11-21-2005, 10:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
Jinn Lover - Protector - Teacher Location: Seattle, WA	At least she was conscientious enough to open a door so the smoke wouldn't bother the other passengers.. I could see it making sense. ... if you had an IQ less than 80.. maybe? __________________ "I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

11-21-2005, 10:29 AM	#4 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	One of my colleagues just spotted this story on CNN and was quite amused.. he's a former Eastern Airlines captain... and said that regularly they used to get warning lights in the cockpit of some moronic passenger trying to open a door... He said that once a handle was turned the lights woudl go off - but he also said that there were hundreds of pounds of pressure behind the door (on 737s anyhow) and it pretty much made it an impossiblity to open the door in flight. But it's a nice way to cause a panic on a plane... __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

11-21-2005, 12:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
Eweser Psycho Location: O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A	I haven't taken sleeping pills before, but doesn't it say something about not taking them with alcohol? __________________ "Whoever wrote this episode should die!"

11-21-2005, 01:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	C'mon... who here hasn't tried to do this... ? __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

11-21-2005, 10:20 PM	#12 (permalink)
feelgood Free Mars! Location: I dunno, there's white people around me saying "eh" all the time	Is this woman NOT aware that 20,000 ft (give or take few thousands) there's barely any air? Travelling at couple hundred of KM per hour? There's no point in trying to light your goddamn ciggy. You might as well try tossing a snowball in hell and see if it'll last longer than 2 second. __________________ Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war

11-21-2005, 09:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
Glory's Sun Registered User	the only form of justice would have been if she would have fallen out.

11-21-2005, 01:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	People with any kind of convictions about being drunk should have their legal right to buy alcohol revoked. I can't tell you how many times really good friends of mine, who are smart and capable, and moral, have done aweful and stupid things because they didn't control their intake of alcohol. I'm starting to wonder if I really am a libertarian. BTW, this is my 2,400th post! goes to have cake

11-21-2005, 09:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
analog Banned	Working in a pharmacy, I can tell you for a fact that a staggering percentage of people have NO fucking clue what's going on with medicine, and don't bother to ask. This is not an excuse, it's a further display of general stupidity. You wanna know how many people drive over to my pharmacy drive-through window after just being discharged from the hospital, doped out of their damn minds on pain meds, and then drive themselves home? The number would scare you. I have people regularly complaining that the pain pills they're taking put them to sleep, only to find out they're chasing percocets and vicodins (pain meds) with alcohol. Well gee, no shit you could pass out if you mix the two. I have people all the time asking if there are any interactions with alcohol and antibiotics... so you're sick enough to need antibiotics, and you're curious about whether or not you can drink? Just get better first! I mean damn, it's only a 6-day course!

11-22-2005, 08:50 PM	#13 (permalink)
rlynnm Psycho Location: so cal	Maybe they shouldn't get rid of ALL the stupid people..if then, we'd have no one to write these uber amusing forums on.. __________________ The hardest thing is to be honest with yourself, especially if that means completely redefining the world you've come to know. Don't look too hard, I'm right in front of you.