And then there are these 10 real-life misfortunes, which are so catastrophic that they're certain to make you rethink your annual mid-Summer getaway to Santa Claus, Indiana's
Splashin' Safari.
10. Amputation by taxi cab -- New York City
New Yorkers are all too familiar with the danger posed by reckless cab drivers, but we usually only worry when we’re
inside the car. Last year, however,
a cab swerved onto the sidewalk and hit a British tourist, severing her foot from her leg and bringing a swift end to any vacation climb up the Empire State Building.
9. Train-crushing boulders -- Annot, France
If you’ve ever driven through the mountains then you’re familiar with those signs warning you of falling rocks. As it turns out, one big rock might be the greater concern -- last month, a boulder the size of
a car smashed into a tourist train in the French Alps, killing two passengers and injuring nine more.
8. Kidnapping under the cover of a sandstorm -- Mali-Niger Border
While returning to Niger from a festival in Mali, a group of European tourists found themselves driving through a sandstorm, during which a group of armed men shot out one of the car’s tires and
took three people hostage into the desert.
7. Seemingly harmless fauna -- Lochailort, United Kingdom
In the realm of wild animals, deer are rarely more than a garden-eating nuisance. But give even the most docile of creatures a rack of antlers and anything goes. Case in point: Dr. Kate Stone was headed to a friend’s home during her vacation in the Scottish Highlands when she was
gored in the neck by a surprised stag.
6. Chasing the perfect shot, right off a cliff -- Cape Douglas, Australia
Everyone with an iPhone has done something unwise at least once to get the perfect picture, from standing in the middle of road to taunting zoo animals. One such incident ended tragically, when an Australian woman vacationing on the coast
fell to her death while trying to take a photo from the top of a sea cliff.
