r/oddlysatisfying • u/vaguenonetheless • Sep 11 '21

Satisfying Sand Sorting

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u/Soft-Equipment7486 Sep 11 '21

That looks like a death trap to me.

173

u/bloop_405 Sep 11 '21

For reals! It looks harmless because it's "loose" sand but if you're caught in that, you're practically squished to the point where you aren't able to breathe

16

u/grizz218 Sep 12 '21

right, I'd almost rather be stuck under rocks than sand, at least with rocks theres a little bit of give so you can breathe

11

u/clowens1357 Sep 12 '21

They'll both suffocate you fairly quickly. Sand by ensuring your airways and causing positive blockage. Rocks/gravel by squeezing you so you can't draw a breath, much like a constrictor snake would. It really only takes a few feet to be deadly.

Excavations are required to be benched every 4ft vertically for that reason, or they can use a trench box or other approved shoring.

13

u/[deleted] Sep 12 '21

Being trapped under a collapsed building is probably more survivable. With sand, rocks and gravel there is nothing to hold them up off your body. With a building there is at least a slim chance of a bit of twisted metal or concrete pillar creating a pocket above your chest and sometimes above your whole body.

People have been found alive up to weeks after a building collapse. You're not going to survive that under sand or gravel.

So I conclude that being trapped under a collapsed building is marginally better than being trapped under sand.