Coast Guard arrests a man trying to run a giant hamster wheel across the Atlantic

skybox@lemm.ee to Not The Onion@lemmy.world – 168 points –
npr.org
35

Stop wasting tax dollars stopping this man doing what he wants.

But it’s dangerous; he could end up in a better place.

The issue was that he threatened to detonate a bomb if the coast guard got close. He also said he had knives and would kill himself.

The reason this escalated is they were harassing him. They detained him for days, looking for a problem that wasn't there.

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He definitely would have died at least twice if not for coast guard intervention, and it seems like that's what he wants.

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let me get this straight.. if a millionaire builds a million dollar , untested experimental craft and goes and plays in the ocean, hes fine.

if some poor schlup scrapes together a bunch of crap into an experimental craft and foes and plays in the ocean, hes stopped, investigated, and arrested when he refuses to comply.

why the disparity in treatment? oh right, money. people with money can do whateverthefucktheywant

Released on a $250000 bond.

Ah yes, you are allowed to do whatever you want as long as youre rich

That's $50,000 more than Trump's bail in Georgia.

Try to rig an election all you want, but running in a hamster wheel on the ocean? Now that's serious!

Isn't this like the third time he's tried?

Literally in the article, but yes he tried a couple of times already.

I remember people trying dumb shit like this in the 80's or 90's.

like sands through the hour glass, there are dumb people for all of time.

There's always bigger idiots in the sea

And on land.

Again?! Is there some kind of reverse Darwin award for doing the most stupid shit and somehow not dying?

Isn't that basically what evolution is?

True, but now and then, stupid shit by stupid people pays off:

  • "Let's use this raft and head for open waters" -> discovers hawaii
  • "I'm sick of foraging. Imma dive into the water and pry open that thing on the rock down there" -> Oysters
  • "Why the fuck are you burning perfectly good mammoth?" -> BBQ

The idea is that you should die and not further your genes if you do such idiotic things (that's the premise of the Darwin awards), this guy is very stubbornly not dying!

A hurricane was approaching. He would have been drowned for sure.

Banned from the ocean for life is a pretty hefty punishment for a Florida man. I didn't know that was possible.

LOL I can see it now, “Cops, the Coast Guard edition. All suspects are innocent… I love what I do. Patrolling the seven seas and making a difference in people's lives is so rewarding... We're going to pull over this hamster wheel."

I would say you should mention he’s from Florida, but on rereading the title, it’s well enough implied.

ACAB includes the Coast Guard

I dunno, man, the guy threatened violence repeatedly, and the Coast Guard managed to non-violently de-escalate the whole thing, and get himself to peacefully surrender. At least in this case, they handled it exactly the way they should have.

Coast guard also responds to stuff like oil and haz spills and enforces environmental laws to protect endangered marine species. I think they're pretty OK.