Do not pet the great white sharks while they're feeding.

July 24, 2001 12:34 PM

Do not pet the great white sharks while they're feeding. Do not climb onto a whale carcass with your child while the great whites are ripping it to shreds. This is very similar to a thread I posted here but the idea of tourist shark interaction fascinates me.
posted by rdr (19 comments total)

OK, but the question on everyone's mind is surely:

Did they use their left or right hand to hold their fork? And did they have sneakers on?
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:02 PM on July 24, 2001

Someone gets gored about every year in Yellowstone trying to "pet the buffalo". I have no idea where people get the idea that these creatures are safe. Too much TV?
posted by muppetboy at 1:06 PM on July 24, 2001

do not stand idly by as your state department of transportation attempts to explode a whale with dynamite. instead, run quickly away.
posted by moz at 1:08 PM on July 24, 2001

Good question... does T.V. desensitize (that may be the wrong word) to the reality that most wild animals (including Deer) will attack you if you get too close. Granted, some may run, but the "dangerous" ones still shouldn't be approached.
posted by da5id at 1:19 PM on July 24, 2001

My god people are stupid.

Does anybody know of a good hotel down there?
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 1:21 PM on July 24, 2001

Too much TV?

No, rather, not enough buffaloes. Three hundred years ago, mom told you "don't pet the buffaloes" when one wandered into the village. You were 3. Today, people don't see their first until they're 30, and mom's not there to tell them otherwise.

Or something.
posted by jpoulos at 1:23 PM on July 24, 2001

Anyone have a link to the video footage mentioned?
posted by lawtalkinguy at 1:24 PM on July 24, 2001

^
posted by clavdivs at 1:25 PM on July 24, 2001

Great quote:
"It is clear the state government will need to look at the law in order to protect people too stupid to protect themselves."
posted by waxpancake at 1:41 PM on July 24, 2001

....make good eating, though.
posted by Postroad at 2:04 PM on July 24, 2001

Thing is, should we let the Australian authorities interfere with natural selection in this way?
posted by Grangousier at 2:10 PM on July 24, 2001

Shark thoughts while munching on dead whale carcass and being petted by stupid-fucking-moron:

• "Hey dude, does you or your kid taste like chicken? This whale's kinda fishy..."
• "Mmm... yes... there is somebody who hasn't see Jaws!!!"
• "Man is this cool or what!?? I find a dead whale --that's, like, dinner for a year!!-- and while chowing down, here comes "snack" and "snack junior" trying to pet me while I eat! Man, all I need now is to get laid tonite!!!
• [bumps whale carcass with nose] "C'mon, dammit, fall in!"

posted by blackholebrain at 2:17 PM on July 24, 2001

Since it's been mentioned, it might as well be linked.

http://www.explodingwhale.com/
posted by mrbula at 2:17 PM on July 24, 2001

I hope someone is waiting is the boat, warming up the Darwin awards...
posted by david hedge at 3:26 PM on July 24, 2001

Video! Video!
posted by precipice at 3:55 PM on July 24, 2001

Struth, ya pack of whingin' sooks. Real Aussies ride bloody sharks all the time. If they look like givin' ya any grief, just roll 'em over and stick yer thumb fair up their arseholes - that'll fuckin' sort 'em quick smart.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 6:16 PM on July 24, 2001

I like how the cbsnews article changed the law to 100 yards instead of meters because obviously we are all too dumb to know what a meter is. Wait, what was that article about again? Sharks was it?
posted by fusinski at 10:40 PM on July 24, 2001

I love the '109 yards'. Where did they get that from? (As in, 'the whole 109 yards'? Ausie thing?)
posted by leafy at 3:43 AM on July 25, 2001