Suicide by dowsing

[Camillus]

I am willing to bet that this chap has never actually tried this (http://mypage.direct.ca/j/jliving/landmine.htm). If he had I suspect he would be a shoo in for a Darwin award. The fact that he suggests that others might like to try it is particularly scary.

[Olowkow]

1. This guy needs a "disclaimer" stating he is not responsible for deaths due to malfunction of his pendulums, or a good lawyer.
2. It is certainly one way to prove that dowsing does not work, once and for all.

[Gravy]

The jackass is an engineer.

"Only in the last resort should life and limb be risked by dowsing for mines."

Do drunken bets count as last resorts? Or when bobbing for bear traps is no longer fun at parties?

[Father Dagon]

I really liked the "(or finding lost coins, etc)".

[Mojo]

To find mines that are close to you can be most dangerous


He got that bit right.

[technoextreme]

I am willing to bet that this chap has never actually tried this (http://mypage.direct.ca/j/jliving/landmine.htm). If he had I suspect he would be a shoo in for a Darwin award. The fact that he suggests that others might like to try it is particularly scary.
Actually there is a show that freatures James Randi himself that has a guy who was hired by the army to show how to douse for traps during Vietnam.

[PixyMisa]

I love it!

By moving only 1 foot forward at a time, and using a 1 foot search pattern, you have at least 3 chances of covering the ground before you step on a possible mine.

When the Lead Dowser has gone about 20 yards (20 metres) the next dowser starts; this is so that if a mine is exploded by one dowser, the next dowser will not be seriously injured.
He seems so... confident.

[LordoftheLeftHand]

I've "dowsed" for landmines before with a stick.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/call/call_98-6_sec6c.gif

LLH

[LordoftheLeftHand]

By moving only 1 foot forward at a time, and using a 1 foot search pattern, you have at least 3 chances of covering the ground before you step on a possible mine.

Even better is that many land mines have trip wires. So even IF it worked you could easily be with 1 foot of the trip wire but still be several feet away from the mine.

LLH

[Nursefoxfire]

When the Lead Dowser has gone about 20 yards (20 metres) the next dowser starts; this is so that if a mine is exploded by one dowser, the next dowser will not be seriously injured.

So you're the Second Dowser; you wait the "safe" 20 yard head start, then proceed after the Lead Dowser. He explodes in a red mist in front of you, but luckily you've taken precautions and are not seriously injured, so you can continue dowsing (hey, at least you'll know that the smear that used to be his body is now a "safe location")!

[Blackwell]

The jackass is an engineer.

and this:

He was commissioned as an officer in the Corps of Royal Engineers, and was taught dowsing at the School of Military Engineering, Chatham - reported to have the world's largest collection of material on dowsing.

Scary. Wonder what year this was, and if they still teach dowsing there. Gonna go Google it now....

[X]

I love it!

By moving only 1 foot forward at a time, and using a 1 foot search pattern, you have at least 3 chances of covering the ground before you step on a possible mine.

When the Lead Dowser has gone about 20 yards (20 metres) the next dowser starts; this is so that if a mine is exploded by one dowser, the next dowser will not be seriously injured.


He seems so... confident.


It could work.
With enough gullible dowsers, you will eventually "find" all the mines.

[Juustin]

Maybe when the Million Dollage Challenge is gone, another group can offer this guy the "Congratulations, you get to keep your legs!" Challenge to do this in a controlled setting.

If you lose, you have to admit you're full of crap. If you win, Congratulations! You get to keep your legs!