"Croc Hunter" killed in underwater accident

[Elf Witch]

On one of the morning show (The Today Show, I think), one of the hosts talked about the incident where he took his baby in with the crocs. He said that this event shouldn't overshadow his life, and then they showed a clip of Irwin defending his actions. He came off as a weirdo, saying that "everyone is an expert" (like it takes an expert to know that you shouldn't take your kid into a crocodile pit) and trying to say that living by a busy road is actually more dangerous.

I'm not trying to beat up on the guy now that he's dead, but this sort of proves his critics right. Wild animals are dangerous and unpredictable. Irwin was a professional who supposedly knew what he was doing and he was killed. He's lucky his kid wasn't killed years ago.

I had to walk away when I first read this because I would have had the moderators all over me for what I wanted to say.

The whole croc feeding thing should not define his life. I don't think it was the smartest thing to do. Parents do dumb thing sometimes hang a baby out of a window ala Michael Jackson, drive with your kid on your lap ala Spears.

One action does not make someone a bad parent. If that was true then I am a horrible parent. I made the mistake of puttting my son strapped in his carseat on the hood of my car while I got some packages out. It was not careful enough and the thing fell of the hood. The carseat landed face down on the asphalt. Luckily my two month old son was not hurt because he was so well strapped in.

I will also admit to a couple a times of not putting him in the carseat because I was in other people's cars. That was very wrong and I got lucky nothing bad happened and my son is now an adult.


Steve Irwin did a lot to improve the lives of animals and he educated people about them in a fun enganging way. Is death is a loss to his family , his fans and to the animals he cared about.

 

[Tonguez]

Stingrays are amongst the most docile animals you'll ever come across - they will flee before they attack and in the right circumstances are safe to swim around (not with since they are wild animals).

This was a freak accident and Steve Irwin despite being a mad Australian did do great things in teaching us that even the 'ugliest' creatures are beautiful and not deserving of the reputations imposed upon them

 

[Vocenoctum]

I'm not trying to beat up on the guy now that he's dead, but this sort of proves his critics right. Wild animals are dangerous and unpredictable.

Sorry, but I gotta disagree. Life is dangerous and unpredictable. Plenty of people work around aligators all day, every day, without getting eaten. The man worked with dangerous animals for many years without incident. Using his death as justification for what you already felt is a bit off, since if he'd been hit by a car, I doubt anyone would go "see, he was right, it IS more dangerous near a road!".

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Irregular Webcomic also reminds of him (one of the characters in the comic is obviously absolutely not based on Steve Irwin): http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/1317.html
Comic: http://www.irregularwebcomic.net//special/SteveIrwin.jpg

 

[Villano]

Sorry, but I gotta disagree. Life is dangerous and unpredictable. Plenty of people work around aligators all day, every day, without getting eaten. The man worked with dangerous animals for many years without incident. Using his death as justification for what you already felt is a bit off, since if he'd been hit by a car, I doubt anyone would go "see, he was right, it IS more dangerous near a road!".

Sorry for annoying everyone. It wasn't my indention. But, while people work around alligators and crocs everyday, they don't take their kids in with them. They know better. We're not talking about putting your kid on the hood of your car here. It's the equivalent of a lion tamer taking his toddler into the cage as part of the act (don't forget, it was part of Irwin's act, not a one time dumb thing, and he intended to repeat it until Australia's child services stepped in).

The point I was making was that he said his child was never in danger because he was in control of the situation. When I said that it proved his critics right, what I meant was that you're never in control of a situation with wild animals. Yes, it was a freak accident, but that same sort of freak accident could have happened when he had his child only feet away from a crocodile.

 

[Starman]

Sorry for annoying everyone. It wasn't my indention. But, while people work around alligators and crocs everyday, they don't take their kids in with them. They know better. We're not talking about putting your kid on the hood of your car here. It's the equivalent of a lion tamer taking his toddler into the cage as part of the act (don't forget, it was part of Irwin's act, not a one time dumb thing, and he intended to repeat it until Australia's child services stepped in).

The point I was making was that he said his child was never in danger because he was in control of the situation. When I said that it proved his critics right, what I meant was that you're never in control of a situation with wild animals. Yes, it was a freak accident, but that same sort of freak accident could have happened when he had his child only feet away from a crocodile.

Still, is now the right time to bring that up? Agree or disagree with him, he was killed and it is unfortunate. Think about his wife and kids. They don't get to see him anymore.

 

[Villano]

Still, is now the right time to bring that up? Agree or disagree with him, he was killed and it is unfortunate. Think about his wife and kids. They don't get to see him anymore.

Yes, it was tragic he died. Perhaps I should have waited a day or two, but I don't think that would have mattered since some people would still feel I was unfairly criticizing him.

 

[Elf Witch]

Sorry for annoying everyone. It wasn't my indention. But, while people work around alligators and crocs everyday, they don't take their kids in with them. They know better. We're not talking about putting your kid on the hood of your car here. It's the equivalent of a lion tamer taking his toddler into the cage as part of the act (don't forget, it was part of Irwin's act, not a one time dumb thing, and he intended to repeat it until Australia's child services stepped in).

The point I was making was that he said his child was never in danger because he was in control of the situation. When I said that it proved his critics right, what I meant was that you're never in control of a situation with wild animals. Yes, it was a freak accident, but that same sort of freak accident could have happened when he had his child only feet away from a crocodile.

I read his comments about putting his baby in danger and you know what he some ways he was right. He had much more control over that situation then say a child playing on their street with a lot of traffic. Or playing in their backyard down here in Florida and having the child attacked by a gator. Or how about parents who own pit bulls that turn on their kids and kill them.

I personally would not have exposed my child to a croc like that.

But as I said before I think it is wrong to use one act to define a person entire life.

As for this proving anything all it proves is that life can end when we least expect it. That diving into the ocean comes with some risk. But then walking out your front door comes with risk as well.

 

[Emirikol]

Croc' hunter Fails Save Vs. Poison

Steve Erwin, the Crocodile Hunter is dead at 44. He failed his saving throw vs. a StingRay while filming a great barrier reef program.

His contribution to DM's NPC accents and personalities the world over is immeasurable.

jh
Hey, I learned a valuable lesson from Steve..don't dangle your kids over crocodiles!

 

[Glyfair]

A discussion on the WotC Eberron forums has convinced me to introduce a tribute in the form of a Talenta Halfling Dinosaur wrangler in my game. He won't be a direct copy (no Aussie accent), but I will use some of his mannerisms and habits in the portrayal of the character.