A Zorbing Death

[nubka]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ki-resort.html

How tragic. So wrong that there were no safety barriers in place.

I'd never hearding of zorbing before reading this story. Has anyone here ever tried it?

[Buzz]

I have actually and I believe it was part of Sochi's presentation after the Vancouver games. Sad and tragic loss. Prayers to his young family.

[Garden Kitty]

I haven't, but I've seen them do it on the Amazing Race. It looked fun, but I'm such a klutz, I'd assume that I'd hurt myself somehow.

[Anita18]

My first thought was, "Wow, that would NOT have flown in the US in the first place. At all." Yay for lawyers? Ugh what a terrible/terrifying way to die.

[Reuven]

Yes, climb inside a big ball, with no guidance system, no fencing, alongside a cliff. What could possibly go wrong?
That ski resort better lawyer up.

[liv]

I have seen that on tv and absolutely wanted to try it... but only in circumstances that didn't involve nearby cliffs or any other dangerous obstacles. This particular place didn't look like it had any barriers and even the snow track didn't look insurmountable...and only guys at the bottom to run after it? eek.

This trend started in New Zealand, IIRC?

[aliceanne]

I read that both of them were conscious and stood up after they got out, but one died on the way to the hospital due to serious spinal injuries. I'm wondering how he was able to stand up and if that caused his death.

[Artemis@BC]

What a tragedy. It doesn't take much to make an activity like zorbing safe . Rick Mercer did it in his show last fall (starts at about the 4:49 mark in the clip), and it looks both fun and safe to me.

But it also doesn't take a lot of brain power to figure out that setting up a zorbing track on a frickin' cliff is just an accident waiting to happen.

What a shame someone has to die for that lesson to be learned.

[nubka]

I have actually and I believe it was part of Sochi's presentation after the Vancouver games. Sad and tragic loss. Prayers to his young family.

What was it like? Would you do it again?

[Buzz]

Scary and nope!

[Rob]

What a tragedy. It doesn't take much to make an activity like zorbing safe . Rick Mercer did it in his show last fall (starts at about the 4:49 mark in the clip), and it looks both fun and safe to me.

But it also doesn't take a lot of brain power to figure out that setting up a zorbing track on a frickin' cliff is just an accident waiting to happen.

What a shame someone has to die for that lesson to be learned.

The grass track made it look much more safe. And fun. The snow track was practically flat. Not safe at all. Horrible.