Is it illegal to throw stuff from tall buildings?

Aron R

Responses to a similar question:

http://jaypinkerton.com/myths/myths3.html

"... a cent dropped from the top [of the Empire State Building, twice the height of the Space Needle] would hit the ground at around 280 feet per second. Factor in a penny's light weight and flat, non-bullet shape, and the odds are the tumbling coin would barely break the skin ..."

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080202071447AAVTnrA
(one answer refers to a Wikipedia article, which in turn cites a MythBusters episode, stating that the coin would have an end speed - "terminal velocity" - of 65 mph, enough to sting but likely not enough to seriously injure)

and

http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Drop_20a_20Penny_20Skyscraper_20Vending_20Machine
(cites two estimates of terminal velocity of 20-45 mph, and of 23-73 mph)

Whether or not the coin is traveling fast enough to, say, penetrate an adult skull, you also have to consider some additional scenarios:

* Whether it might cause someone to startle, fall and hit their head.

* Whether it might hit an infant.

* Whether it might strike glass or another material that could shatter and scatter sharp material.

The odds may be low, even extremely low, but the impact on your lives - and someone else's - would be great.

There's a difference between whether it was illegal to do so - haven't found any direct references to this on the Web - and whether it was smart.

Imagine this: let's say you have a tuned car, like a Civic or Impreza WRX, with custom wheels and a perfect paint job. Some young boys, say 11-12 years old, were chucking small pebbles, coins, and asphalt chunks at each other, and using your car and other cars to hide behind. The boys were careful to try only to hit one another, not to hit any cars, and the likelihood that any of these missiles might chip glass, or scratch paint or dent any body parts was next to nil, but they were throwing these items right near your car. Would you be angry? Would you think them idiots for doing so? Hopefully the analogy is an obvious one ...

jcvcvc

stupid people like you will end this world

~Trust Me...I Know~

yes, dont do it

Don't look at my avatar.

Yes, you will get in trouble. If that hit someone directly on the head, it can cause great injury and pain. Imagine if youdropped that on an infants head. That can acutally easitly kill a baby, because when a new born baby is born, the top of the skull as not yet developed, so it is still very weak and a coin dropped from such height onto the babies head can well be fatal. You will be charged anyway, whether it hits someone or not.

Snobaby

Of course it was, silly. Plus it's a very stupid thing to do.

Smilin' Jack

Legal or not, it was stupid beyond belief. You don't always need laws & signs to tell you when something is okay or not, just use your head for something besides a place to store your hat.

halsca

Talk about a dumb question. America is the most litigational society in the world. Lawyers are literally drooling over this topic. Yes it is illegal and believe it or not Mythbusters already did an episode about it.

Rose

throwing things from a tall building per se is not a crime. it is when what you threw hit a person wherein you can be charged for negligence.

being charged for negligence will result to damages and penalties.

My Evil Twin

Do you really need a sign to tell you not to do something incredibly stupid & thoughtless? Any solid object such as a coin can cause a nasty injury or worse if it hits someone at a high velocity. Think before you act next time!

Anna Giggles

Yes, It is very illigal.
The signs may not have been there but It is something you should know. It that coin were to hit someone, it could potentially cause death.

dreamer.

it is illegal. coins that fall from the space needle pick up so much velocity on the way down they could potentially kill someone depending on where they hit.

bustersmycat

it is against the law in most places to perform an action that can be reasonably assumed to be likely to cause personal injury or property damage. Most reasonable people would be aware that throwing objects off a very high building has a good chance of causing some sort of damage. and therefore even if you did not personally foresee this, you still could be punished, convicted of a crime and held liable for damage that you caused.

milton b

A penny isn't going to kill anyone from that height but one, it is illegal and two would you want to get hit in the head by a penny some idiot threw off of a tall building?

Spree

Potentially, a penny being tossed off the Empire State Building could reach the speed of 100 mph before hitting the ground. I wouldn't advise it.

We Are Anonymous

I believe it is illegal, as it would be littering, or could potentially hurt someone below.

psyroad2086

Well a speeding coin moving 40 miles an hour could potentially hurt someone so I wouldn't do it. I know at the empire state building if they catch you tossing stuff off you get in big trouble but I mean... it could be different in different places.

RLDN106

I don't think it's illegal, but you can get in serious trouble if you do. If it hits any one from that height, it can crack their skull open. It was on Myth Busters.

fleecorb1122

yes if u do people will get hurt

bsumone34

OMG this is scary did you realize how many people told him it wasn't illegal. Quick lock up your dog.

Melvin L

Coins will not kill ya but yes it is illegal

Suki Kosho

probly not, but if someone got hurt maybe

Dashawn

Yeah its called littering

Big Bear, Doin Thangs

Well if the coin landed on someone you could be facing murder charges. It's the equivalent of driving through a major city tossing knives out onto the sidewalk. If you want to act like morons and endanger lives, at least do something like backyard wrestling and kill each other.

rainmaker

I don't know if it is illegal but it was a dumba.. move were you educated in a goverment school?

b ball 4 life

yes it is illegal 2 thow stuff off of tall buildings because it counts as littering

Cherry Blossom

Yes, it is.

The Mamba

yes it is illegal and the cops r gonna be knocking at ur door any day cuz they have cameras at the space needle.

dumbass

ash

Definitely illegal. By the time the coins reach the bottom they can pick up speeds great enough to have the same effect as a bullet. Hope it didn't hit anyone... then you'd know for sure whether it's illegal or not... ;)

David G

its not a cool thing to do

><>Mels<><

I read in a book(enciclopedia of immarturity) that if you throw a penny of the empirestate bulding, and hit someone n the head, it will only sting

I_AM_THE_LENGEND

yes... it is littering and there are usually not signs that tell you not to kill people... so its legal also... right??

Patrollerguy

Believe it or not... a coin falling from the Space Needle in Seattle CAN possibly kill you. It is very illegal to throw any objects from overpasses, buildings, and yes the space needle. A coin falling, even slowed by it's tumble, strikes a human skill edge side down could break skin, cause a skull fracture which can lead to hemorage. Television and books publish it as a false myth to deter the idea of giving a try just to see. Face it... focus on your own life, not gambling on others....

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