When I see people playing and driving on the ice over a lake I just shake my head in disbelief. It's so Darwinian that no explanation is needed.

When I lived in Minnesota on Coon Lake, in the winter ice fishermen would drive their trucks and cars out on the ice to their fishing shanties.

It's pretty safe as long as the ice is thick enough.

This is on White Bear lake, but you get the idea.

You can see in the video you posted that the ice is not nearly thick enough to support a guy swinging a golf club.

I guess he didn't want to take the penalty for hitting into a water hazard.

Well you do have a point about the ice being thick enough. That makes me also think about those scientists doing their research and development on the ice in Antarctica. Although the ice may be thick enough to golf on, it can still separate like shelves of glaciers causing you to be separated from the rest of your group. Even then, I'd still say it's just not that safe.

My comment: When I see people playing and driving on the ice over a lake I just shake my head in disbelief. It's so Darwinian that no explanation is needed.

I remember the Jack London story about a newcomer in the Yukon territory who decides to hike to a mining camp. He thinks he is well prepared and even has a dog to go along with him. He feels safe walking along the ice because of how cold it is. However, there were always pockets of thin ice. He breaks through one and gets soaked, and now knows he can only survive by making a fire to dry out his clothes. He has matches with him, but can't strike them because his hands are so frozen. He thinks of using his knife to cut the dog open to warm his hands on the dog's entrails. However the dog senses his desperation and runs away. He quietly freezes to death.

" the dog senses his desperation and runs away. He quietly freezes to death. "

The dog was smarter than he was.

Now I don't remember the Jack London story but your story makes me cringe. I just cannot understand the stupidity of some people. I see people driving on the icy lake not far from me and I just know it will be a matter of time before there is a fatality there.

That makes me also think about those scientists doing their research and development on the ice in Antarctica.

You might find this interesting.

Secrecy and Mysteries Challenge the Official History of Antarctica