By: Cathey Meyer
Watching a crazy video sharing an unexpected event used to be a rare moment in time. Back in the times of Bob Saget (may he rest in peace), parents were filming their kids for the family VHS archives, which in reality would never be viewed again. Most of the Meyer family film/video/photography collections are either stored in a box waiting for someone to claim them or have been transferred to a thumb drive that never opens on other computers. The last family gathering where all the collected memories were spread out for anyone to take, nothing was claimed.
I guess no one wants to remember their past.
Recently, after 20 minutes of not so uplifting nightly news, reporters have been sharing incredible videos of odd occurrences. Remember the kayaker floating along only to be swallowed by a whale and then spit out? The ‘standard’ railroad track video is always a breath-holding event as a vehicle is either spliced in half or bumped across the street. Pulling crash victims from burning vehicles is a heart pounding moment. Animal attacks are always fun as everyday people think wild animals are tame, domestic mammals and are shown who really owns the territory with powerful charges at dumbfounded tourists.
As I watched the kayaker being regurgitating (over and over and over again), I got very curious about first, who was filming this; second why were the filmers NOT helping the poor dinner dude; third was this real real or AI real? I heard the kayakers were a father/son duo out for an afternoon trek on the ocean and dad was recording his son in the open water. News flash, if it had been his mom recording, we would only have seen the camera flying through the air and landing in the water. We all know the mom would have either paddled like heck to save her son or would have dove in to personally fight off the aggressive whale. Granted all this was in split second time, but really, dad, are you keeping a steady hand not missing a moment of your own flesh and blood being devoured by a massive mammal?!
My first thought when watching a burning vehicle crash video is why isn’t the recording person jumping to help save the victim? How can someone just stand by and calmly record a stranger’s near-death experience? Doesn’t something in your core scream HELP THIS PERSON?! I am not so critical of train track rescues. If drivers are not smart enough to know NOT to try and beat a speeding train across a track, they deserve whatever happens to them. Why are folks in a position to record this ridiculousness? If I am approaching a train track when driving and the bells are dinging and the arms are coming down, I stop—just like instructed in driver’s ed. If I am a passenger in the same situation, I am the one screaming, “Stop! Train!” I do not have my camera rolling for the fun ‘what ifs’ crossing the track or watching others attempt the cross.
The wild animal encounters amaze, amuse and astound me. In these instances, I can see someone recording their once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The African Safari clips are interesting in that people see a wild animal coming right at them and they do not move; they keep recording. What is that thought process? This lion will notice the camera and pull-up for a good cameo? This elephant will come a chargin’ at our wide-open jeep, but will then stop because we are tourist on safari and the elephant does not want the bad press?
The open seas are unpredictable. Whales that approach small vessels and an attempt to overturn them are doing so in the whale’s territory. Nut cases that dive with sharks and share the experience live online are very much on their own. I am on the shark’s side when invaders enter their territory. When the Florida crocodiles emerge from the swamps and swallow small dogs whole, well, that is just Florida. But again, who is recording and why are they not saving the dog or dog walker?
Ring cameras provide endless entertainment with business and home animal intrusions. Bear encounters are very unpredictable as are the actions of the unsuspecting folks who must deal with the surprise. Without fail, when a mom is involved, you always see her grab the kids and/or pets, flip off the bear and head to safety. Men are another observation. More frequently, they either freeze in place or run first and then return for those left behind. Door camera recording is acceptable, guilt-free viewing. A door provides very little recourse in saving anyone in danger. We will always watch the unwatchable, I just hope we see more observers recovering instead of recording.
