The folks at Perception Builder reconstructed the path of the
Mythbusters cannonball misfire from last week on this map. You can clearly see the area that was intended to contain the firing, and the incredible distance it actually went. See a larger map at the website.
Link -via
Fark
I absolutely do not disagree with any of that, but we aren't talking about the test range. If that projectile had actually killed or injured someone where it came to rest, which was not on the test range, don't count on the judge being a good sport upon hearing, "People get hurt on the test ranges. Sometimes people die. You can't know every possible outcome."
I think we might be talking about two slightly different things. The Mythbusters are not the Army Ordnance Corps, and the people living in that suburb never signed up to assume the risk from someone dicking around with a thirty pounder cannon.
Yes it was their responsibility, but also they fired the gun on a test range. You can bet the Alameda County range operators signed off as well. And then their cannonball bounced off the berm they were using for a backstop and flew all the way out of the containment region.
You can perform all due diligence and still have shit happen. I work on Aberdeen Proving Ground. People get hurt on the test ranges. Sometimes people die. You can't know every possible outcome.
You've never owned or shot any firearms, have you?
They deliberately touched the match to the powder. The responsibility for firing that deadly weapon was theirs, and theirs only. There is no "unlucky" way to fire a gun on purpose--this can't even be termed a negligent discharge, they were aiming the thing, counting down, the whole works.
I believe Geoduck was referring to the luck the damfools had in not killing or crippling somebody.