reminder for a public service announcement

http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/webtemp3.cfm?dept=48&id=2527

First, it's sad that he died and his wife is without her husband and his children are without their father. That said...

>> Darwin award nominee.

He made one very bad decision after another. Maybe growing up on the cold plains of Nebraska has jaded me to the situation, but shouldn't the most sheltered city person have instincts that would kick in to save themselves?

1. Taking a short-cut at night across unfamiliar roads in very rugged terrain.
2. Having not even basic winter survival gear while driving long distances during winter.
3. Continuing to drive down an unmaintained road - at night - instead of immediately turning around.
4. Deciding to spend the night in their car instead of going slowly pressing forward and getting back to a maintained road. They were snowed in the following morning.
5. After burning their car tires they are unable to maintain a fire because the wood is frozen. Except that they are surrounded by pine/evergreen trees whose branches will break off when twisted and pulled. Pine needles burn like crazy and under every tree - under the snow are piles of pine needles that will easily burn.
6. Bringing a map, but not knowing how to read one.
7. Inexplicably - he leaves the car to hike out for help. He couldn't read the map in the first place and got lost. Now, he will again read the map and HIKE his way out? He didn't even have a hat.
8. After marching 2 or 3 miles he leaves the road to take his chances in the wilderness.

Pick any one of the above decisions - make the right choice - and he is probably still alive.

I know he walked out to save his family, but with just a little common sense his family wouldn't have been there in the first place.

A man is dead and family is minus a father, husband and son, and we're calling him an idiot and doing some Monday morning QB-ing.

I don't think this is about calling this person an idiot. Think of this as a warning for people in the same situation.

PS: in my country - if you're stranded, NEVER stay in your car. Others may run into it. No kidding.

I guess it's fair to say he was unprepared - but a lot of people make that mistake. Here in the Scottish Highlands it's a regular tragedy.

However, if you're out of your depth, it's easy to make mistakes. And easy to be critical with hindsight.

I figure it's a natural male instinct to seek help, especially where a your own young family is in real danger.

Best thing is to simply learn from others mistakes in case it helps in your own future situations.

As for the news coverage - internet, tech, news, publishing - a lot of webmasters are close to that. Hence I figure of interest.