And Several Butchers' Aprons

A comedy series with a difference - check out our website.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Friday, March 1, 2013

Morbid Mortality Monthly - March

Over the years, there have been fair few newspaper headlines that have stopped us in our tracks or made us splutter over tea, but none more so than "Giant Bavarian Beer Garden Sled Kills One, Injures 14"

The story behind this classic of journalism is just as ridiculous as the headline would suggest. In March 2000, more than 5,000 people gathered in the Spitzingsee region south of Munich to watch the annual sleigh race. While some compete on speed, other contestants aim to win the prize for having the most elaborately decorated sled that manages to get safely to the bottom of the ski run.

Giant Bavarian Beer Garden Sled Kills One

One entrant in the 2000 race was a giant sled built in the shape of a Bavarian beer garden. Attention to detail on the sophisticated vehicle saw it fitted with benches and beer barrels full of lager. The alcohol onboard may have played a part in the tragedy that unfurled as the sled left the top of the ski run. Its driver lost control of the Bavarian behemoth and it left the designated course, hurtling down at an accelerating speed until it crashed into a hut used by race officials.

According to Horst Hornfeck, head of the local mountain police patrol: "There were 14 people on the sleigh, but 17 were injured in total when it demolished the hut. The one man killed on the spot was a sleigh rider." As a mark of respect, the event organisers stopped any other giant beer gardens coming down the mountain for the rest of the day.

Taken from "1001 Ridiculous Ways To Die" (2008) by David Southwell & Matt Adams