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"Hypothetical question"

I read somewhere recently (the Daily Mail, no less) that one of the reasons for assuming the "brace" position in an air crash is that it preserves the teeth better, allowing for a cheap form of identification if you crash and burn. This led to a long debate on the following question:

How do you know if the body you get back is the one you were meant to get?

A bit morbid perhaps, but the possibility exists after an event such as a plane crash, where the bodies will be in pieces and burnt, that you might not get back what you were expecting. The real question I suppose is "are there doctors that would knowingly give you back a body, where they weren't sure of the indentity to: a) give peace of mind to relatives, b) make it quick and easy for themselves?". A bit of a paranoid and cynical way to look at the world, but, in theory at least, it could happen - and it's not like doctor's take their oath and from then on do no wrong - Look at Harold shipman, one of Britain's most prolific serial killers.

The only positive way of identifying a body is either DNA, or dental records. So short of having your own medical lab, you have to take the doctor's word. Are you the sort of person that would question this? Is he Quincy, or a bit shifty, like Dr No? Would the doctor's word provide the peace of mind you need to be reassured that it's the body you want back? The only way I could think of this being disproved is if the victim had an artificial limb, or gold teeth, then had a cremation. But how many people look at the ashes after a cremation, or indeed at a body after a plane crash?

Sorry if this upsets anyone, but it's just hypothetical. The sad fact is that there are probably people in the medical profession that would do this sort of thing to save time and money.

yer but then 2/3 people can surrvive the hindernburg but your more likely to die from a tree falling on you than being attacked by a crocodile in australlia

How would you know,
you ever been in one, i've seen plenty of cases where people survived, take the hindenburg for example, it was like a huge fireball, yet 2/3 of the passengers survived. You should just shut up now, you're the one fighting a lost cause.

You're fighting a lose cause

If a plane is going into the ground like a dart I fail to see how anything is going to help anyone.

SHEEPY wrote:
> *As the plane plumites towards the ground*
>
> " Can I help you with your seatbelt "
>
> Yeah... that'll save them.

no, if they are stuck and can't get out, you could save their life by helping them, I wouldn't worry though as you don't have much common sense, you should move to the front of the plane, that way you'd be gone quicker, let everyone else die in peace or survive.

*As the plane plumites towards the ground*

" Can I help you with your seatbelt "

Yeah... that'll save them.

Just use common sense. If you have it.

Thinking about it, you've probably drinking turps or something, that would probably make the flames bigger, anyway, you can help other people who have trouble with their seat belts, or if you survive, and the plane isn't going to explode (the wings have detached and are well away from the aircraft) you could go and help other survivers.

Please give us an example of being helpful in a plane crash.

" I'll pee on the flames "

Helplessness is almost non existant in most situations. There is always something you can do to increase your chances of survival. Don't just sit there and cry, leaking out what you want to say before you die. 1)DO SOMETHING. 2)DON'T PANIC. 3) LOOK AROUND YOU AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP. You make yourself helpless, not the situation.

If I was to die in a crash... I'd prefer it on the way back from my holiday.