“Fifty Shades of Grey” Locking Up Londoners, Say Firemen
Published at
Aaron Davidson/Getty Images(LONDON) — The London Fire Brigade is blaming the novel Fifty Shades of Grey for an increasing number of emergency calls dealing with people who’ve locked themselves in handcuffs and in other compromising ways.
According to a press release, the “Fifty Shades of Grey effect” has led to the rescue of nearly 80 people who lost the keys or otherwise couldn’t escape handcuffs, as well as nine men with rings stuck on their penises. Likely not resulting from E.L. James’ naughty book, however, was a man who trapped himself in his toaster and another in his vacuum cleaner.
“I don’t know whether it’s the Fifty Shades effect, but the number of incidents involving items like handcuffs seems to have gone up,” fire officer Dave Brown said in a statement.
“I’m sure most people will be fifty shades of red by the time our crews arrive to free them,” he joked.
In the time frame of 2010-2011, crews attended 416 incidents, the statement says, but by comparison, this number shot up to 453 in 2012-2013.
The fire department recommends anyone experimenting with the restraints to “keep the keys handy.”
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio