Driving over a 4ft long object falling from the sky on the Heathrow perimeter road
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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.
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If some Soothsayer predicted I would strike in my car, at speed, a 4ft long, man-made object falling from the sky on the Heathrow Airport perimeter road, I would consider it curtains time for sure. This however, is exactly what happened to me 45 minutes into the New Year.
Driving from Hatton Cross tube station car park on the Heathrow South Perimeter road a large Chinese Lantern abruptly landed 20 yards in front of me resulting in me unavoidably taking it out with both offside wheels. ……… Mine the only car on the stretch at the time.
Thinking about this, even considering New Years night (and ironic location) I could not conceive the probability of this event occurring! Any views?
I consider this has completely obliterated any chance of me winning the lottery??
Date submitted:Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:23:31 +0000Coincidence ID:3281
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