Man rescued three days after car drops 200 meters into valley in Gifu
GIFU —
A 58-year-old man, whose car plummeted about 200 meters into a valley on Saturday morning, survived the fall and was rescued on Tuesday, police said. Satoru Takeda, an unemployed man from Nagoya, was driving along a prefectural highway in Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture at 4 a.m. on Saturday morning when he lost control of his vehicle.
Takeda told police the car went over the edge after he swerved to avoid a rabbit which jumped out on to the road. Takeda survived but sustained cuts to his left leg, and couldn’t move due to the pain until Tuesday morning, when he managed to get out of his vehicle and call for help. He didn’t have any food or drinks with him, and finally got some water from a stream nearby.
At around noon on Tuesday, a passer-by heard his calls for help, noticed the man waving some 200 meters down the side of the valley, and called police. A helicopter arrived about an hour later and took him to hospital.
During the rescue, aid workers also discovered a body under a different car on its side about 100 meters above.
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smartacus
He's a very lucky guy. But what's with that other body and another car? Could this valley be a dumping ground for corpses or is that part of the highway just a dangerous place to drive?
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thebottomline
There is something fishy about stating that he is unemployed. Is that information necessary? Are you implying that it was suicide? Rabbits? Hmmmm!
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Harry_Gatto
If what he says is true then he is a very lucky man who really should acquire a taste for rabbit pie! However, we need more information about the second car; was it involved in the same accident, how long has it been there, if a long time then why wasn't the driver reported missing. There must be more to come on this.
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timorborder
When he gets out of hospital hope this chap goes down and buys a New Year's Lottery Ticket, one very lucky dude.
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Samuraiiki
I will run over the rabbit in a heart bit, then bring it home and make it into rabbit stew. Oh what a lucky guy, he was..
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taiko666
I think a rich country like Japan should be able to afford crash barriers on such an obviosuly dangerous stretch of road.
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romulus3
Maybe the rabbit was his sponsor...
"come on, one more cup of sake for the road"
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Spidey
What's up with this story, Doc? Talk about a cliff hanger!
Need more info!
BTW...what's an "unemployed" man doing driving around at 4 in the morning? Hmmm...? Hah...? (eyes rolling)
S
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powderfinger
Stories like this are how I picture Gifu.
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Proffessor
My take on this one is that the guy could have been driving under the influence and had to wait till the suff runs out of his system to call for help. I can't buy the 'pain' story. Three days....Mmmm
Poor rabbit if there was any.
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Wakarimasen
Couldn't move because his leg was sore and then finally moved 2 days later? It got better. Gimp!
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Nessie
Mod, this should be "call out for help". He didn't call anyone.
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Nessie
Why would you spare a rabbit? They'll eat you in a hearbeat if they get the chance.
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Samuraiiki
Seesaw: Not that I meant to run the rabbit over on purpose, but if I had a choice of going over the cliff, or running the rabbit, then it is either me or the rabbit. Do you get the picture?
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seesaw
Samuraiiki: I'm not trying to be anything...it's just the way you put it sounds like you're so cold-hearted man...
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borscht
Unemployed or retired? He's 58 he could have taken early retirement from some corporate job. Plus, the real story here is the second body under the second car. Will JT kindly do some follow-up cut-and-paste so we can learn more about it?
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seesaw
that's right borscht! we want to know what's the connection between the 2 men...does the man has something to do with it or did his accident lead he Police to an unsolved mystery...? we are not here to discuss about rabbits...that's rubbish..!
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cleo
It's natural instinct, if something dashes in front of the car, to swerve to avoid it. The reaction kicks in before the brain has time to register whether it's a rabbit, a child, another car or whatever. Something to do with signals from the optic nerve reaching the amygdala (something in the way - avoid it, quick! (fight or flight/panic reaction)) before they reach the cerebrum (it's only a bunny, flatten it (reasoning and planning)).
If you're driving and can make a rational decision about what to do about the bunny/baby that suddenly dashes into the road in front of you, you're either driving very slowly (much to be commended) or there's something wrong with your amydala (dunno if medical science can help....)
One reason for not zooming everywhere at full speed.
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Samuraiiki
Seesaw, Ok, I will be careful next time. Thanks for the concern. Peace and blessings to you!
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seesaw
thanks Samuraiiki...i didn't mean to be rude to you either, i just thought it's not a good way to put it. readers of this column may come from all ages....:) have a good weekend. cheers.
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jwswiss
"During the rescue, aid workers also discovered a body under a different car on its side about 100 meters above." Anybody else wondering what's up with this tidbit of info?
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mediak
Lucky man!
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