Darwin candidate

[Ryanh1801]

http://www.break.com/index/crazy-kid-does-pull-ups-off-crane.html

 

[kornkob]

I have to wonder if it is faked. Hard to tell, really, with the resolution and size.

If it is real (and I'm doubting it) they are in fact stupider than base jumpers.

 

[Fingers]

It isn't about level of intelligence. Those guys are fully aware of how dangerous the stunts are; that's why they're doing them. When I was much younger I used to be a bit of a thrill seeker too, but not quite on that level. Of course now I have a wife so doing any dangerous stunts are potentially fatal by bitchiness. It's a far worse way to go.

 

[Rick_R]

Those guys are fully aware of how dangerous the stunts are

I'll respectfully disagree, at least in a sense. I'm sure they know that if they slip, they'll die, but I believe they are still in the "indestructible" phase. They know they'll be killed if something goes wrong but they can't actually, deep down, buy into the idea that something could go wrong with them and they could be killed. That sort of thing happens to other folks. I also don't believe the precious and fragile nature of life has yet sunk in to kids that age.

I'm just an old fart, I know, but watching that hurts me for the kids themselves as well as the family they could have easily left grieving. It's both absolutely tragic and incredibly stupid what sometimes happens in such situations.

: old fart rant off :

Rick

 

[gaffrig24]

He's wearing a chute the first time he's doing it. With the next try I'll bet it's under his jacket. Still a stupid stunt though

 

[Bobby_M]

Yeah, pretty sure that's a base jumper's chute. Smaller, no 2nd chance.

 

[superfluent]

He's wearing a chute the first time he's doing it. With the next try I'll bet it's under his jacket. Still a stupid stunt though

For starters, it dosn't take any skill to do it -you just have to be stupid enough or doped up (probably both) so I can't really respect it.

Just compare it to Dan Osman's speed climb of lover's leap. It sure looks dangerous too, but somehow I respect the skill and grace he shows when he climbs. This clip I can watch this over and over again:

[YOUTUBE]H9oKkw0sOSg[/YOUTUBE]

H

 

[dblvsn]

That climbing video is awesome!! It's unfathomable to me that someone can climb that fast. A true "spiderman" :rockin: :rockin: :rockin:

 

[Fingers]

How does that not fit the same category as the OP?

 

[Bobby_M]

I think the level of commitment is slightly different. Free climbers put everything into the sport. It's not like a stunt that they just decided to do for shock value. I'm sure this guy knows very well the danger he's putting himself in and likely had a couple friends that splatted, maybe even on the same climb with him.

 

[superfluent]

How does that not fit the same category as the OP?

Good question. The way I see it, making pushups hanging from a crane is just lame because it's basically something anyone has the ability to do while Dan Osman perhaps shows exeptionally bad judgement, but at the same time also hows exeptional skill and grace doing something few of us would ever be capable of.

To ballance things out I might add that Dan Osman died in 1998 after his rope failed while performing a controlled free-fall jump from the Leaning Tower rock formation in Yosemite National Park.

H

 

[Fingers]

I think the level of commitment is slightly different. Free climbers put everything into the sport.

Well there's no disputing that the level of commitment and skill are quite different between the two, but that doesn't make the odds for failure any lower for either. One is performing a one-time risky stunt and the other is making a lifestyle out of doing the same. The lack of skill of one is far offset by the risk level exhibited by the other. Scrambling up the side of that cliff is much more dangerous than hanging from the crane. He even jumped to grab what appeared to be a half inch ledge above his head. If that rock had spalled at all, no level of skill would keep that sudden stop at the bottom from having its predicted effect.

 

[eriktlupus]

I ALSO WILL BET THAT DAN CLIMBED THAT ROUTE UP EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH BEFORE ATTEMPTING THAT CLIMB>sorry for the caps

 

[superfluent]

I ALSO WILL BET THAT DAN CLIMBED THAT ROUTE UP EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH BEFORE ATTEMPTING THAT CLIMB>sorry for the caps

Most likey, yes. It's a difference between doing dare devil stunts and making it appear like doing dare devil stunts (you're exused...).

H

 

[DeathBrewer]

i don't really see what the big deal is. i mean, it's a little windy, but other than that, it's just a pull-up. it's not like he was dangling by one finger or his friend was kicking his hands or anything (i was waiting for something like that to happen.)

It's too bad Dan died. silly rope, too, nothing crazy like that climb.

 

[superfluent]

i don't really see what the big deal is. i mean, it's a little windy, but other than that, it's just a pull-up.

Amen to that my friend.It's just a stupid way of showing off your bicebs... I went up Angel's Landing in Zion this summer. I wasn't really aware of it but it turned out to be a pretty exposaed climb with 40 pounds of photo eqiopment. There was some pretty ugly passages on the way, but still, it was a fun experience and I got some good pictures. Alltough angel's landing was exposed and all, I still have Zion on my short list for re-visits.

H