After the drowning death of an 18-year-old girl and a man who tried to save her last week, authorities in Mumbai, India have taken drastic steps by banning selfies from being taken at 15 sites, including many popular tourist attractions.
Sadly, we have seen an increasing number of deaths due to people placing themselves in dangerous and often illegal situations in attempts to get noteworthy shots. Last week, three young women from the suburb of Bandra attempted to take a selfie near the Arabian Sea, when all three of them fell into the water. Ramesh Walanju jumped into the water, saving two of them, but tragically, one girl drowned, and Ramesh himself succumbed to the rough waters.
Moving quickly, Mumbai authorities have now banned taking selfies along the Marine Drive Promenade, Girgaum Chowpatty Beach, Bandra Bandstand (a seaside promenade), and many other locations deemed to be hazardous. Warning signs, lifeguards, and police enforcement will now be enacted to enforce the ban.
Sadly, this is but one incident in a long and ever-growing string of such deaths. Last year, Russia launched a campaign to educate the public on safe selfie practices, coming on the heels of some particularly appalling accidents, including the deaths of two men who posed for a selfie while holding a live grenade with its pin removed. As social media continues to grow at an ever-quickening pace, it's more important than ever to consider safety and common sense when trying to get "the shot."
Lead Image by Flickr User Koshy Koshy, used under Creative Commons.
[via BBC]
Ok.
Selfies are banned in some places, but this is still tolerated: http://s3.scoopwhoop.com/ach/rail/an.jpg
Maybe this is safer? Or maybe they are just sick of selfie sticks?
Darwin would be disappointed by our meddling with nature.
I totally want a selfie of myself doing that. Lol.
Well, the Go PRO is an ACTION camera. It doesn't get more action than this! hahaa
Sadly, Darwin at work at work again. "You can't fix stupid. There's not a pill you can take; there's not a class you can go to. Stupid is forever."
- Ron White
I still can't believe people are taking selfies at iconic locations, never mind dying for them.
Lets be honest, The colosseum is a lot more impressive than your face.
Selfies are the last thing they should be worrying about.
agree
It is facile and darkly humourous to refer to Darwin. But these are often just kids or young adults who do not have the experience that we older people, the ones who survived, sometimes by accident, the stupid things we did.
This is human nature at work, both the carelessness and the heroism. Banning either one won't stop either one.
Young people are invincible, it's only as you get older you realise how stupid you used to be!
'deaths of two men who posed for a selfie while holding a live grenade with its pin removed' - Wow, these guys managed to outdo Mr.Frank Slade from Scent of a Woman.