Titusville - Death by coconut or shark more likely?

 

The coconut is circled in red, just lying there

I was walking Hoolie this morning when I came to the part of the path that goes under several coconut trees. Lying on the sidewalk was a coconut. It apparently had freshly fallen from the nearby palm tree. I wondered what would have happened had I walked under the palm tree at just the right time as the coconut was falling? An article in the New York Times stated that the force of a falling coconut could reach 2000 lbs given the typical weight of the coconut at 3 lbs and the height of a palm tree at up to 100 feet! 

When looking up, don't stand directly under the palm tree!

Sharks kill about 5 people worldwide per year according to the latest statistics. The estimates on "death by coconut" vary widely, from 150/year to in the tens. There are a lot more coconuts near beachgoers than sharks. Certainly, a 2000 lbs knock on the head could do serious damage. It's probably wise to look up to see if there are any coconuts about fall, better safe than sorry. 

I survived coconuts today, no problem, and we'll celebrate by having donuts Sunday morning. We don't need much reason to celebrate with donuts on Sunday anyway.