What's the worlds most dangerous and extreme sport?

What's the worlds most dangerous and extreme sport?

Author
Discussion

Disastrous

10,083 posts

217 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
p1stonhead said:
Disastrous said:
p1stonhead said:
Disastrous said:
TbirdX said:
How about extreme breath holding..or free diving as it's more commonly called.
Remarkably safe when practised properly.

I'd argue it's less dangerous than SCUBA in the sense that you aren't dependent on kit and can always ascend.
Except if your floatation device fails when you are about to use it;


http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/the-last-deep-di...
The reason it failed is the subject of much contriversy though... wink

Besides, these guys are at the absolute limit. I don't think they're especially representative of most of the participants who are more like 'advanced snorkellers'. I count myself in that category, by the way. Only managed a ball hair off 40 feet so far.
40ft is still pretty bloody deep!
It's depressingly st compared to the instructor who managed 75m in his prime! Insane!

Also, if I'm honest, I prefer 40' as it sounds less impressive in meters wink

AdamIndy

1,661 posts

104 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
p1stonhead said:
How about this?

http://m.imgur.com/uMObiyY?r

Not safe for life
WHAT THE ACTUAL fk?!

p1stonhead

25,549 posts

167 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Disastrous said:
p1stonhead said:
Disastrous said:
p1stonhead said:
Disastrous said:
TbirdX said:
How about extreme breath holding..or free diving as it's more commonly called.
Remarkably safe when practised properly.

I'd argue it's less dangerous than SCUBA in the sense that you aren't dependent on kit and can always ascend.
Except if your floatation device fails when you are about to use it;


http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/the-last-deep-di...
The reason it failed is the subject of much contriversy though... wink

Besides, these guys are at the absolute limit. I don't think they're especially representative of most of the participants who are more like 'advanced snorkellers'. I count myself in that category, by the way. Only managed a ball hair off 40 feet so far.
40ft is still pretty bloody deep!
It's depressingly st compared to the instructor who managed 75m in his prime! Insane!

Also, if I'm honest, I prefer 40' as it sounds less impressive in meters wink
I've been down as far as 100ft scuba diving during my advanced open water course, I can't imagine free diving to more than 5 times that depth. Just insane.

One of the strangest experiences we had was when the instructors told us to take a deep breath and swim to the surface from about 10m down. As we got got nearer to the surface, the air in our lungs expanded so we went from feeling like running out of air, to suddenly having more. Very strange feeling.

Miss diving. Haven't been for over a decade

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

212 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
p1stonhead said:
One of the strangest experiences we had was when the instructors told us to take a deep breath and swim to the surface from about 10m down. As we got got nearer to the surface, the air in our lungs expanded so we went from feeling like running out of air, to suddenly having more. Very strange feeling.
Your instructor needs shooting if he/she told you to do that.

Russwhitehouse

962 posts

131 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
Your instructor needs shooting if he/she told you to do that.
Pneumo thorax anyone?

robemcdonald

8,787 posts

196 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
Trolling Brexiters on the N,P &E forum or bullfighting. Pretty similar actually.

LimaDelta

6,522 posts

218 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
For me extreme sports boil down to two specific types. There are those that you can start an activity and stop it whenever you get scared, or panic, and those where you have no choice but to see it through to the end.

All sports can have sudden fatalities, even golf (old people playing) or football, but nobody tee's off seriously expecting to die before they reach the end of the course.

Climbing (to an extent), motorsport, horse riding, diving, all have a pause button. If things start to go wrong you can take stock, evaluate your options and stop. For me the most dangerous are the sports which once you start, you are committed right through to the end. Something like big wave surfing, or skydiving. If something goes wrong, you are at the mercy of the gods. You can't stop, or call in help, you just have to ride it out.

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

212 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
LimaDelta said:


Climbing (to an extent), motorsport, horse riding, diving, all have a pause button. If things start to go wrong you can take stock, evaluate your options and stop. .
Ha. None of these have a pause button if things go pear shaped. What the hell do you mean?

Du1point8

21,608 posts

192 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
p1stonhead said:
Disastrous said:
p1stonhead said:
Disastrous said:
TbirdX said:
How about extreme breath holding..or free diving as it's more commonly called.
Remarkably safe when practised properly.

I'd argue it's less dangerous than SCUBA in the sense that you aren't dependent on kit and can always ascend.
Except if your floatation device fails when you are about to use it;


http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/the-last-deep-di...
The reason it failed is the subject of much contriversy though... wink

Besides, these guys are at the absolute limit. I don't think they're especially representative of most of the participants who are more like 'advanced snorkellers'. I count myself in that category, by the way. Only managed a ball hair off 40 feet so far.
40ft is still pretty bloody deep!
40ft is not that deep free diving... the fins are completely different so there is a lot less effort to get deeper faster.

They are a lot more efficient so produce more power for less effort, therefore you can get down to 40ft in seconds (not to take the thunder off people diving that deep)...

LimaDelta

6,522 posts

218 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
LimaDelta said:


Climbing (to an extent), motorsport, horse riding, diving, all have a pause button. If things start to go wrong you can take stock, evaluate your options and stop. .
Ha. None of these have a pause button if things go pear shaped. What the hell do you mean?
Of course they do. When climbing if you reach a dodgy ascent, or feel knackered you turn around and go home. With motorsport at any time you feel uncomfortable you can just pull over and stop the car/bike. You can't do that when committed in other extreme sports. If you are halfway down on a parachute jump and fear issues - what are your options? none. Just deal with it. You can't get back in the aircraft and call it a day.

Of course you could have a sudden mechanical failure in a car or bike which instantly makes you a passenger, but as I said any sport can unexpectedly kill you - even golf or driving to work. That doesn't make those activities extreme or inherently dangerous.

I know you compete or are active in motorsport. How scared do you actually feel when starting an event? I'd wager not at all as you are a professional and have invested a lot of time learning your skill and preparing your car. I'm sure to the casual spectator what you do seems extreme and dangerous, but you mitigate all (as far as one can) dangers before you even turn the key. If you thought there was something loose with the rear suspension - would you carry on? or pull back into the pits to have it checked? That is my point.

Disastrous

10,083 posts

217 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
Du1point8 said:
40ft is not that deep free diving... the fins are completely different so there is a lot less effort to get deeper faster.

They are a lot more efficient so produce more power for less effort, therefore you can get down to 40ft in seconds (not to take the thunder off people diving that deep)...
Partly yes - the fins are a big help but the main challenge for me is equalising effectively using the frenzel technique. I could have easily gone deeper but just could not get my left ear to pop!



CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

212 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
LimaDelta said:
CaptainSlow said:
LimaDelta said:


Climbing (to an extent), motorsport, horse riding, diving, all have a pause button. If things start to go wrong you can take stock, evaluate your options and stop. .
Ha. None of these have a pause button if things go pear shaped. What the hell do you mean?
Of course they do. When climbing if you reach a dodgy ascent, or feel knackered you turn around and go home. With motorsport at any time you feel uncomfortable you can just pull over and stop the car/bike. You can't do that when committed in other extreme sports. If you are halfway down on a parachute jump and fear issues - what are your options? none. Just deal with it. You can't get back in the aircraft and call it a day.

Of course you could have a sudden mechanical failure in a car or bike which instantly makes you a passenger, but as I said any sport can unexpectedly kill you - even golf or driving to work. That doesn't make those activities extreme or inherently dangerous.

I know you compete or are active in motorsport. How scared do you actually feel when starting an event? I'd wager not at all as you are a professional and have invested a lot of time learning your skill and preparing your car. I'm sure to the casual spectator what you do seems extreme and dangerous, but you mitigate all (as far as one can) dangers before you even turn the key. If you thought there was something loose with the rear suspension - would you carry on? or pull back into the pits to have it checked? That is my point.
You don't press pause if things go wrong when climbing or diving, you have to deal with it otherwise you're not going home.

WTFWT

841 posts

223 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
pitboard said:
Gargamel said:
High Altitude Mountaineering has probably the highest statistical fatality rate. Anything above 8000 metres.

Especially as it can affect absolutely anyone, so all participants are at risk (unless you are a sherpa I suppose)

Would be interesting to see a proper stats list.

Edit

Found this

http://www.tetongravity.com/story/adventure/your-c...

1 in 10 above 6000m in the Himalayas....
[/quote=Gargamel]

High altitude stuff was always a dangerous game, even in the days when all participants were highly skilled and experienced and had earned the right to be invited or organise an expedition. Nowadays, all it takes is money, and the mountains are defiled with legions of commodities brokers and hedge fund managers with a tick list.
[/quote=pitboard]
Edited by Gargamel on Tuesday 24th May 13:02
That is a Daily Mail cliche. I've done a bit of climbing at altitude and city boys are extremely rare. If they are there, it is almost always on a shoulder to shoulder experience level with anyone else.

motorizer

1,498 posts

171 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
LimaDelta said:
CaptainSlow said:
LimaDelta said:


Climbing (to an extent), motorsport, horse riding, diving, all have a pause button. If things start to go wrong you can take stock, evaluate your options and stop. .
Ha. None of these have a pause button if things go pear shaped. What the hell do you mean?
Of course they do. When climbing if you reach a dodgy ascent, or feel knackered you turn around and go home. With motorsport at any time you feel uncomfortable you can just pull over and stop the car/bike. You can't do that when committed in other extreme sports. If you are halfway down on a parachute jump and fear issues - what are your options? none. Just deal with it. You can't get back in the aircraft and call it a day.

Of course you could have a sudden mechanical failure in a car or bike which instantly makes you a passenger, but as I said any sport can unexpectedly kill you - even golf or driving to work. That doesn't make those activities extreme or inherently dangerous.

I know you compete or are active in motorsport. How scared do you actually feel when starting an event? I'd wager not at all as you are a professional and have invested a lot of time learning your skill and preparing your car. I'm sure to the casual spectator what you do seems extreme and dangerous, but you mitigate all (as far as one can) dangers before you even turn the key. If you thought there was something loose with the rear suspension - would you carry on? or pull back into the pits to have it checked? That is my point.
You don't press pause if things go wrong when climbing or diving, you have to deal with it otherwise you're not going home.
You're not gonna press pause when horse riding either, if you're in trouble and haven't already fallen off it's probably because the horse won't pause.

stuttgartmetal

8,108 posts

216 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
p1stonhead said:
I've been down as far as 100ft scuba diving during my advanced open water course, I can't imagine free diving to more than 5 times that depth. Just insane.

One of the strangest experiences we had was when the instructors told us to take a deep breath and swim to the surface from about 10m down. As we got got nearer to the surface, the air in our lungs expanded so we went from feeling like running out of air, to suddenly having more. Very strange feeling.

Miss diving. Haven't been for over a decade
I think you meant to breathe out and not breathe in fella.


CAPP0

19,582 posts

203 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
Someone I know is a skydiver, and a fairly prolific one from what I can gather.

They and their other half & have a pact. "Dangerous" pastimes are allowed with two exceptions:

1. Base jumping. Kinda understandable.

2. Riding a motorbike! Er, I ride into work every day! Not entirely in the same league!

Mastiff

2,515 posts

241 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
motorizer said:
Powerboat racing in general is very dangerous.
I have done this exactly SIX times in two different categories (offshore).

Of the six attempts - we/I have actually finished the race four times - and in EACH of those times, at some point in the race I have been utterly convinced that my life was definitely over. A definite thrill.

Of the two times that we did not finish - on one occasion we simply had engine failure - but then had the front of the boat taken off by another competitor who hit us doing well over 50mph.

The second time resulted in back problems that I still live with today - nearly 30 years later.

As they say - if at first you don't succeed - parachuting's probably not your Sport!!

GT03ROB

13,263 posts

221 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
quotequote all
stuttgartmetal said:
p1stonhead said:
I've been down as far as 100ft scuba diving during my advanced open water course, I can't imagine free diving to more than 5 times that depth. Just insane.

One of the strangest experiences we had was when the instructors told us to take a deep breath and swim to the surface from about 10m down. As we got got nearer to the surface, the air in our lungs expanded so we went from feeling like running out of air, to suddenly having more. Very strange feeling.

Miss diving. Haven't been for over a decade
I think you meant to breathe out and not breathe in fella.
I think he meant take a deep breath at the bottom, then breath out constantly through the ascent, a CESA. If he didn't keep breathing out he would have suffered the very strange feeling of his lungs bursting!!


p1stonhead

25,549 posts

167 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
quotequote all
GT03ROB said:
stuttgartmetal said:
p1stonhead said:
I've been down as far as 100ft scuba diving during my advanced open water course, I can't imagine free diving to more than 5 times that depth. Just insane.

One of the strangest experiences we had was when the instructors told us to take a deep breath and swim to the surface from about 10m down. As we got got nearer to the surface, the air in our lungs expanded so we went from feeling like running out of air, to suddenly having more. Very strange feeling.

Miss diving. Haven't been for over a decade
I think you meant to breathe out and not breathe in fella.
I think he meant take a deep breath at the bottom, then breath out constantly through the ascent, a CESA. If he didn't keep breathing out he would have suffered the very strange feeling of his lungs bursting!!
Yep this! Didn't explain it very well!

Gandahar

Original Poster:

9,600 posts

128 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
quotequote all
Perhaps the question should be, you are doing a really dangerous sports and how far away are the emergency services?

Cave diving you are really on your own

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36097300