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OHCHUTE

Ball with people goes over cliff. One dead.

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I've gone Zorbing, but I'll admit there wasn't a cliff close by. It's pretty much a tourist type of thing, and I'd expect the operators to keep me safe.

Poor location for a Zorbing operation, too many opportunities to lose control.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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I wonder if the occupants even realized what was happening that they might have worked to get out. Not sure of internal layout of the ball for quick exit. Maybe Wendy knows. Besides wouldn't that ride make you sick that you'd not even want to try it? Not near cliff of course.

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I saw the video when it first came out...the zorb rolled down a long decline that went up and instead of coming back down the same direction it went to the left (as in the left of the way the camera was facing) It rolled back and you could see only one person to the side trying to prevent it from going down to a large drop off. IMO they should have had SEVERAL people in case one person fell and was unable to stop the rolling ball.

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1. I saw skydivers laughing at 'our own's when they do really stupid things.
2. These guys were not doing simply dangerous activities, this was plain stupid, hoping that one guy could always catch that ball. Actually, this zorbing thing, they have their own safety guidelines, including necessity for fences preventing the ball from... well you saw it.

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1. I saw skydivers laughing at 'our own's when they do really stupid things.



Of course, but you'll rarely see it when there's a fatality involved. And certainly not in here.



We have seen how people here laugh and gloat at someone who was recently paralyzed in a skydiving accident. I think its even worse..

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How to get out.
There's a hole in the side; when I went, there was a door over it, but it looks like this one didn't have the door. That said, since there's no guarantee of where the hole in the side it, getting out it when the ball is moving quickly would be very challenging.

Quite frankly, the padding provided by the ball is probably what saved it from being two fatalities.

The whole video looked like the kind of thing that we might also get from "some dude" buying skydiving, scuba, or BASE gear and heading out to jump, because, after all, how hard can it be?

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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The main thing to consider is the G-forces involved when you're spinning end over end like that. Ever ride the centrifuge at the carnival? Remember how hard it was to lift your arm or leg and hold it? These guys probably just couldn't get out while it was rolling like that.
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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Can never understand why we think it's ok to laugh at people and call them stupid when they're killed doing other dangerous activities - and yet we get all uppity when it's one of 'our own'. :|



It's also a little bit like blaming the poor old lady who almost fell out of her tandem harness; saying it's her fault because she trusted her TM to be a pro and keep her safe.

I got the impression these guys (who were running the show) set up "shop" and were supposed to be the experts who gave people a good time. Inexperienced people (like those paying for these rides) generally don't know enough to see if it is being run in a safe manner. Even Wendy said she trusted the operator of the "ride" to keep her safe.
lisa
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The whole video looked like the kind of thing that we might also get from "some dude" buying skydiving, scuba, or BASE gear and heading out to jump, because, after all, how hard can it be?



Scubadiving, skydiving and basejumping are skills which can be acquired by training and you get better and safer with experience.
By putting yourself in that giant rubber ball you are giving away any form of control you have about the possible outcome.

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