[karajorma]

Britain's unluckiest man falls down manhole

A 54-year-old Doncaster unfortunate - dubbed "Britain's unluckiest man" - has continued a lifelong tradition of mishaps by falling down a manhole, Ananova reports.

John Lyne, of Stainforth, near Doncaster suffered injuries to his back, left leg and both knees as a result of the tumble, and will be out of action for 32 weeks, according to the Doncaster Free Press.

Lyne's career began as a child, when he fell off a horse and cart and was run over by a delivery van. As a teenager, he fell from a tree and broke his arm. On his way home from hospital - on Friday 13th - the bus he was in crashed, provoking another fracture in the same arm.

Since then, he's been hit by lightning twice, fallen victim to a rock-fall in a mine, has nearly drowned and has enjoyed three car crashes.

Lyne said: "I don't think there is any reason or explanation for it though, it has just happened really. I have to particularly be careful on the Friday 13ths, when a few accidents have fallen."

The poor bloke added: "Everyone thinks it is just hilarious. My mates, family and wife Susan just laugh about it."

And while we're at it.

Brits ignore bloke trapped down manhole

There was a time when Britons could leave the security of their homes and venture forth safe in the knowledge that in the unlikely event of falling down a manhole, their fellow citizens would at least have the courtesy to stop and enquire: "Hello, are you from the Water Board or are you down that manhole involuntarily?"

Not any more, as 65-year-old Clive Collins can attest. The poor bloke fell down a 5ft-deep manhole in a car park in Boscombe, Dorset, and was trapped for 45 minutes "while shoppers ignored his cries for help", the BBC explains.

Collins recalled: "Probably about 15, 20 people walked by. The more I called out, the less they seemed to notice me."

He continued: "What surprised me is that they didn't make eye contact. A woman actually parked along side my camper and put the hood up on her car.

"I said 'can you please call me an ambulance' and she refused to acknowledge the fact that I was there. One chap looked straight at me in his car driving very slowly by and I waved. He waved back and then carried on."

Collins was, despite having two broken ribs, able to fish his mobile out of his pocket and call 999. He was subsequently treated at Royal Bournemouth Hospital for said rib damage, plus a chipped tooth, a strained groin and other injuries requiring 47 stitches.

Bournemouth Borough Council spokeswoman Carly Earnshaw assured: "A full investigation is being carried out as to how this happened and if any vandalism on the manhole has taken place. In the meantime we would like to reassure residents that the site is now secure and that we do have policies in place to maintain our car parks."

Which does make you wonder how the first guy got out.

[Snail]

And I thought I was unlucky.

[Taristin]

I think that first guy was actually very lucky, not unlucky. All of those horrible things that befell him and he is still alive.

[karajorma]

He was unlucky to have them happen to him but lucky to have survived them.

There are plenty of people who are lucky enough to only get into one accident in their life but unlucky enough to have it be fatal. I'm sure almost all of them would have been willing to swap with him

[Fineus]

I can field the answer to the second one: "Why was a man in Bournemouth ignored when he was trapped down a manhole?"

Answer: Because the residents of Bournemouth are all blind or stupid.

I've been there. I know.

[ToecrusherHammerjaw]

That.....almost happened to me once.  I was walking down a street, talking on my cell, and I stepped on a manhole cover, and it abruptly tipped to one side.   I didn't fall all the way in, my right leg just simply gave out from under me.  The guy waking behind me thought it was funny as hell. 

[Taristin]

The evils of cellphones!