This “stunt” is the product of a mind that has no regard for personal safety, and thus for one’s on existence.

If you die doing something that was born out of a wanton disregard for your own safety, how can you not deserve it? There was no accident here. There was a series of deliberate acts here–dress up in camouflage, walk out into highway traffic, try to distract people. The only accident was on the part of the teenage drivers, and that is why our sympathy needs to be with them. THEY didn’t deserve what happened to THEM.

This “stunt” (actually, a crime) was stupid beyond belief, and this idiot most certainly got what he deserved. Sorry.

I’d like to think so, too, but the hold-my-beer-and-watch-this crowd is generally not noted for their respect of the law or, for that matter, much forethought regarding its consequences. Nor do they seem to “get it” that the next idiot to stage a similar hoax and wind up run-over, shot, falling down a mountainside, etc., could be them.

I fear its only a matter of time before another hoaxer, or victim thereof, winds up dead…

P.S. Having had a few days to mull-over the whole episode I’d like to make it clear that my earlier comments, and those directly above, are directed at hoaxers in general and not, specifically, to Mr. Tenley. While his actions were reckless, at best, he did not “deserve” to die. His death is a tragedy and his family’s grief over the loss of a loved one is very real; they have my sympathy, as do the two young girls – the real victims, here – who will carry the horrible memory for the rest of their lives.

I was recently reading in the British media of a mature woman driver who managed to kill her two best friends by supposedly swerving to avoid something she saw in the road and smacking the two of them straight into concrete.

In other words this story could’ve been far more tragic than it already is.

Because it seems rather odd he was hit by of all people two girl drivers in their mid teens ie exactly the sort of inexperienced horror movie fodder you might expect to become hysterical and believe they’d seen something more than an idiot in a ghillie suit.

Unless maybe that motorway’s celebrated for only being used by nubile female teenage drivers.

Feel your pain, man.

But as somebody who is always leery of Passing A Law to Fix That, I would tend to look at existing statutes that would facilitate prosecution, like, say, those against “attractive nuisances.”

I believe that if anyone like this got prosecuted for anything they did that actually caused trouble, the damper effect on potential actors would be considerable.

Having said THAT, my response can best be summed up this way: What I think of whenever I see young guys – in their teens or early twenties – riding around on mopeds or motor scooters & wearing helmets that are unstrapped and just laying on the top of their heads:

“THE GENE POOL IS {sometimes} SELF-CLEANING”

‘Nuff said….

A law so narrow as to outlaw hoaxing cryptids would never pass, and there would probably be 1st Amendment challenges, too, from the first person busted under such a law. However, anything designed to frighten or distract motorists could surely be outlawed, and maybe something similar for hunters.

I wish bigfoot and other cryptid hoaxing was outlawed.