Comments on: Man busted for feeding gator that ate his hand

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 22:33:00 +0000

As opposed to the left thing.

By: HeretoSpeak

HeretoSpeak — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:50:00 +0000

Americans usually do the right thing.

By: stupocalypto

stupocalypto — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 15:19:00 +0000

Other than spell you mean.

By: HeretoSpeak

HeretoSpeak — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 01:17:00 +0000

Americans usually to the RIGHT thing.

By: Bob Brinkman

Bob Brinkman — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 03:06:00 +0000

Yeah, go on an airboat ride in Florida sometime. One of the first questions that the Captains ask is if anyone is, in any way, associated with law enforcement.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:26:00 +0000

Nope, just gator spit.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:15:00 +0000

Feeding them encourages them to associate people with food. It’s generally forbidden anywhere that large predators and humans occupy the same space.

By: Warren

Warren — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Welp, he shouldn’t've been feeding the gators.

By: Brainspore

Brainspore — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 16:43:00 +0000

The fine was really just a slap on the wrist.

Of course, they could have at least waited until his wrist was no longer gushing blood.

By: WhyBother

WhyBother — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 16:18:00 +0000

It was still only one feeding. A hand holding a fish is an alligator’s version of a sandwich.

By: Andrew Champ

Andrew Champ — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:35:00 +0000

Insult to injury. Fines are punishments, I think losing is hand was enough of a punishment.

By: scav

scav — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:28:00 +0000

See, you can’t actually charge him for being a dumbass. The punishment for that was losing a hand.

But being a dumbass and losing a hand aren’t mitigating circumstances for reckless and illegal behaviour. I doubt the misdemeanor charge is top of his list of things to be upset about right now. Plead guilty, pay the fine, appear on a couple of TV shows, come out way ahead financially.

Then for the rest of your life … “tick tock, tick tock”….

By: atimoshenko

atimoshenko — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:23:00 +0000

Crocodile tears?

By: EvilSpirit

EvilSpirit — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:14:00 +0000

I can’t help but feel that there are worthier causes to spend my teardrops on.

By: stupocalypto

stupocalypto — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:11:00 +0000

Never doubt an Americans ability to keep doing the wrong thing… there’s always his feet.

By: Wreckrob8

Wreckrob8 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:07:00 +0000

Can anybody set themselves up as a tour guide or do they need some form of official accreditation?

By: Jim Huinink

Jim Huinink — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:05:00 +0000

That’s adding injustice to injury.

By: Cameron Postelwait

Cameron Postelwait — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:00:00 +0000

well, he was kind of putting other people at risk right? i’ve never been alligator watching before, but it seems unsafe to lead an out of state family on a tour that includes inviting alligators halfway up the side of the boat.

By: Aaron Swain

Aaron Swain — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:59:00 +0000

“Weatherholt was subsequently charged with a misdemeanor for unlawful feeding of a gator.”
…and for being a complete dumbass.

By: Dustin Driver

Dustin Driver — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:57:00 +0000

Oh, see, I thought he had some sort of pet gator that ate his hand a while ago but the love was so strong that he still kept it and fed it steak every week or something.

By: Dustin Driver

Dustin Driver — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:57:00 +0000

That would’ve been more heart-warming. Except for the whole cold-blooded giant lizard from hell part.

By: WillieNelsonMandela

WillieNelsonMandela — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:52:00 +0000

I understand the reason for the law, but this charge should be dismissed and considered a lesson learned.

By: Romeo Vitelli

Romeo Vitelli — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:46:00 +0000

To be fair, passengers reported that he hung a fish over the side of the boat and had his hand at the water’s surface when the alligator attacked. While losing a hand seems extreme, his actions also got that alligator killed as well.

By: fuzzyfuzzyfungus

fuzzyfuzzyfungus — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:40:00 +0000

Would it be excessive to charge him with two counts, one for the hand and one for the fish?

By: CSBD

CSBD — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:39:00 +0000

That fine will double teach him… just in case he forgot the part about having his hand ripped off (or hasn’t bothered to watch the video of said hand removal on youtube).

Maybe they can make him pay to take a class explaining what life is like after loosing a hand to an alligator as well (he might not know what its like yet).

I also loved the part where they said “allegedly reached over to feed an alligator” and lost his hand. I guess its just as likely that he was minding his own business at a Winn-Dixi and lost his hand while reaching into a freezer case to buy a 6 pack of Klondike bars… just as he got his hands on the low fat variety, a roving alligator minding its own business in the freezer mistook his hand for ice cream (yeah.. it happens in florida) and the rest is internet “news” history.

He is a stupid ass that probably wont do it again… or if he does do it a second time, he cant possibly do it a third time.