High-risk activities -- What do YOU do?

Toby

Toby

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Toby Speed
How many and what kinds of higher-risk activities do you participate in? Do you find that you increase the amount of risk you are willing to take as time goes on? If you are involved in more than one higher-risk activity, do you deliberately choose some lower-risk activities to balance things out?

I've noticed among pilots a large number of motorcycle riders, go-kart riders, race car drivers, and skydivers. I'd say, for the purposes of discussion, that we include all risky activities, such as smoking, or walking through a high crime area.

I'm curious, probably because my background is one where I never took risks and was not expected to . I was brought up believing I should erect a protective shield between myself and all the dangers of the world. I was always told to be careful, stay home, drive in the right lane, and if it's dangerous don't do it. Now that I broke through that, I want to expand the list.
 
I hate to generalize, but as a group pilots seem to be more intelligent and more conservative than a lot of other people. That said, I've ridden motorcycles longer than I've flown. And I drive the Mass Pike every day. :)
 
Toby said:
How many and what kinds of higher-risk activities do you participate in?
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I fly with Chip.

Toby said:
Do you find that you increase the amount of risk you are willing to take as time goes on?
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I want to fly with Chip again.

Toby said:
If you are involved in more than one higher-risk activity, do you deliberately choose some lower-risk activities to balance things out?
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Lunch in-between flights with Chip.

Toby said:
I want to expand the list.
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Yea, the more aerobatics I do, the more I want to do, and the more I want to do on my own. But, I have to go at my own pace. One of these days, I hope to do one tandem jump.

Seems like anymore I need to keep going one step up for the excitement factor.
 
It seems more and more that everyone living in a large city engages in high risk activity every time they get in their car to drive somewhere.

While I'm comfortable with my own ability to drive, I'm not so comfortable with many of the people who share the roads with me and after being nearly killed by a drunk driver I want lots of good metal around me. So, motorcycles are out of the question.

I never saw the need to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

Once upon a time I smoked but I quit 28 years ago.

Jeannie
 
Toby said:
How many and what kinds of higher-risk activities do you participate in?
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I just bought another Harley a couple months ago. I used to have one
then didn't ride for a few years. I started out doing dirt bikes for most
of the 70s. My bad left knee, weak shoulders and low back trouble are
most likely from all the crashes. For about 20 years on and off I raced
dirt speedway karts. Fifth mile clay oval, 60mph+. Open wheel. Wheel
to wheel. No roll cages or belts. It hurts when you crash. I quit at age
50. While I was still running in the top third and being a general pain
in the ass to the generally 1/2 my age field .. it was just too hard on
my old body.

For flying I've only done airplanes and helicopters. I won't skydive. I
scare easily.

The only thing that kept me out of stock cars and sprint cars was
money.

In my opinion, I don't consider any of the things I've done "high risk". I
consider them to be demanding .. in that you have to be on top of
your game physically and mentally and stay focused to be safe.
 
I've been crashing motorcycles since I was 10. Most of those were trail crashes or an endo. Never wrecked one so bad that I couldn't bend it back. The fun part now is when I see an open stretch of road in front of me, and open it up to 150+ mph.

Although I think golfing is a higher risk activity. Blood pressure goes ballistic when I miss a birdie putt, or put one in the drink.
 
Increase high risk as we get older?

Lets see. I USED to:

Race sports cars
Xtreme snow ski
Fly Gliders (well, not much risk in that really)
Play soccer
Fly

NOW I
Fly
Watch my son play soccer
Catch a Warren Miller film on Showtime once in awhile
Watch NASCAR
Want to fly gliders but have crept over the 233 weight limit :o

It's more duw to having kids, a mortgage and a body that was torn up pretty bad in a wreck 20 years ago. I recovered but now I'm falling apart again due to the onset of arthritis and other things.
 
I drive to the airport so that I can fly and avoid all the newspaper readers, cell phone users, makeup appliers and other assorted nitwits behind the wheel. I want to buy the propery next to ours, which includes some pasture land. Then we could put in an ultralight strip and I could fly to the airport to fly elsewhere. I am risk adverse ;)

Some day I am gonna try that skydive thing. I would like to try a glider, and I want to fly faster and bigger airplanes. I know, amazing relevations, right? I guess we all probably would like to try some of those things.


Jim G
 
rpadula said:
I juggle chainsaws.
:D
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Al of us are certifiably nuts in some way or another. But the Motorcycle on the Mass Pike takes the cake. In my wild and crazy days I used to drive an RD350 from Chicago to Boston and back- did it 10 times. Young and stupid.

Now that I'm old and wise I continue to put all my assets at risk teaching flying. Am I nuts or what?
 
bbchien said:
Now that I'm old and wise I continue to put all my assets at risk teaching flying. Am I nuts or what?
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Rhetorical question? :D
 
This is turning out to be more interesting than I expected. I like how Jim said that he guesses we'd all like to try some of these things. On this board, that is probably true. Perception of risk is so subjective. I'm going to ask my office mates the same question, and I'll let you know what they say! Maybe you can guess.
 
Toby said:
How many and what kinds of higher-risk activities do you participate in?
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The single most dangerous thing I've done in my life was ride a Harley for a couple of years without a helmet. I'm not sure anything is more dangerous than riding a street bike without a cover. I like fast cars and I did some bungee jumping and rock climbing back when I was much younger. There was some other high risk behavior back in college but we won't go into that
Toby said:
Do you find that you increase the amount of risk you are willing to take as time goes on?
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I find that my risk aversion is directly proportional to the length of time it takes bones to heal. I'm much less likely to take serious risks now.
Toby said:
If you are involved in more than one higher-risk activity, do you deliberately choose some lower-risk activities to balance things out?
No. I do what I think is enjoyable and within my abilities. I don't attempt to balance things out.
Toby said:
I was brought up believing I should erect a protective shield between myself and all the dangers of the world. I was always told to be careful, stay home, drive in the right lane, and if it's dangerous don't do it. Now that I broke through that, I want to expand the list.
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Enjoy!
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I once went boating at night in rock infested waters. (Long story that I will spare you of here.) I won't do it again you can be sure. I love riding crotch rockets, though I don't currently own one. Will not jump from a functioning airplane.
 
In my younger days, hi perf street bikes. Ever hit a cloud of bugs while going 160 mph on a motorcycle while wearing nothing but shorts, shoes and sunglasses? Well, it HURTS!

Go to Madison, Wisc, and, down by Camp Randall Stadium, find a street called Spooner Street. Drive that street going from northwest to southeast. It's a short, tall overpass over some train tracks that dead ends into a very busy street. We used to use it as a jump for our motorcycles (about 70 mph required to get air) and then be challenged by stopping for the traffic light at the T intersection.

Sometimes I look back and wonder why I'm still alive. But I don't do any of that stuff anymore.
 
What's funny is a year or two ago I looked at an insurance pollicy that a friend of mine was looking at. There were a lot of questions on there that understood me very well.

Do you fly...yes
Do you participate in motorsports...yes
Do you scuba dive...yes

Basically I think I failed their test...the only way I would ever be able to get insurance is if my annual premium is higher than my life savings.
 
I used to be an AVID scuba diver. Pretty much gave it up when I found the only way to see new wrecks was to go much deeper (increased risk) on privately owned (usually smaller) boats with captains of varying skill levels (increased risk) that were further off shore (increased risk). If it's beyond 200 feet, I at least want an experienced dive operator topside (they won't take you to those due to liability).

I ride my Harley still (got it around the time I quit diving) and will continue.

I fly airplanes and wish to do more, including trying aerobatics and getting an IFR ticket.

Hitting the silk? Major problem with the airplane, no problem. No problem with the airplane, no reason!

I prefer to look at these activities not as high risk, but as calculated risk. We learn and execute proper judgement, we can reduce the risk to a (self defined) acceptable level, and still enjoy the fruits of a rich, exciting life. Sure we could die doing these things (no one gets out alive). We could also choke to death on a ham sandwich!
 
Oh, the walking through a "high crime area"? Well, I live just outside Detroit. There's not a part of it I wouldn't go into if I had a decent reason. Then again, I might have a freind or two.....;)
 
I'm somewhat more risk averse now than I was when I was younger. Guess getting older and having a family has something to do with it. I'm never scared when flying alone, but still worry when I have my family with me. I'm hoping that changes, because it takes some of my enjoyment away.

Contrast that to someone who used to skydive, scuba dive, rock climb, ride motorcycles, once shot at a WW2 mortar shell we found in Guam to see if we could get it to detonate, and volunteer to go places where Americans were getting shot at. Of course, then I was early 20s, 155 pounds and VERY muscled up (I looked good), and immortal. Now I'm 230 pounds, not so much muscled, still look good, and am not so much immortal, and hurt from paying the price a couple times for my "immortality". I don't seem to need the thrills quite as much anymore.
 
Ken Ibold said:
In my younger days, hi perf street bikes. Ever hit a cloud of bugs while going 160 mph on a motorcycle while wearing nothing but shorts, shoes and sunglasses? Well, it HURTS!

No, but I did hit some kind of giant flying hard shell beetle at about 125 mph wearing t-shirt and shorts. The thing caught me square in the middle of the chest. That one hoit! :goofy:
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I'm a geologist, so I regularly work near drill rigs and heavy earth-moving equipment, often near open holes/excavations. It's relatively safe, but it's a lot like flying - a moment of inattention can yield unpleasant results. To add to the mix, I'm sometimes working with stuff that's been contaminated with various chemicals, but that part is much easier to control than the physical hazards.

I also have been known to drive on LA freeways, which doesn't seem like a particularly good idea lately:
http://www.nbc4.tv/traffic/4443029/detail.html

Jeff
 
Used to white line on the Santa Monica Freeway every morning on my way home from LAX to Pasadena. Oh yea, and I watched my Mom do a tandum jump for her 80th birthday.
Ron
 
I used to drive really really fast, now I keep it under 90 most of the time (always on interstates, never on regular roads). the minute I was on the autobahn I blended right in though, rented a Mercedes and 110 mph is flowing with traffic. got it up to 135 though! (220 kmh). yeehaw!

I did use to race (Mustangs - had a 5.0) but it was just for fun, would go to the track with friends and run quarter miles. not a big deal.

I travel alone a lot and have always been very lucky - most of the time I'm in Europe which is pretty safe but a few times in South America I kinda thought "ya know, no one at all knows where I am right now" - literally.

driving around this area in general though is risky.

I hate motorcycles having witnessed a friend of a friend taken away by a medical helicopter. I don't smoke and when I turned 27 I officially stopped sunbathing (used to spend summer days outside with a book next to the pool). don't laugh, it's a slooooow risk. both my parents have had cancer, my Dad's directly related to too much sun exposure so I'm glad I'm more cautious there.
 
Frank Browne said:
I did hit some kind of giant flying hard shell beetle at about 125 mph wearing t-shirt and shorts. The thing caught me square in the middle of the chest. That one hoit! :goofy:
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OUCH! I bet it did.
 
L10MAN said:
Used to white line on the Santa Monica Freeway every morning on my way home from LAX to Pasadena.
Ron
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Is that the same thing as "splitting lanes"? My son USED to do that on the Santa Monica Freeway on his Triumph till 2 years ago when somebody pulled out in front of him and he hit that car and then a truck. He only broke a few bones, so he was pretty lucky.
 
Diana said:
Is that the same thing as "splitting lanes"? My son USED to do that on the Santa Monica Freeway on his Triumph till 2 years ago when somebody pulled out in front of him and he hit that car and then a truck. He only broke a few bones, so he was pretty lucky.
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a friend of mine who had an old MGB swears that one day he and a friend (age 20 or so) were driving next to a semi, very very low of course, and thought what the hell, let's see if we can do this... and drove under it to the other side. not making this up (but not sure he wasn't). he always was a crazy SOB. he now has a helicopter license and actually ran for political office on the Libertarian platform - first time attempt - got 33% of the votes but still lost. as an aside and nothing to do with the above - he's a Gulf War vet. this guy's been AROUND. now that's living.
 
L10MAN said:
Used to white line on the Santa Monica Freeway every morning on my way home from LAX to Pasadena. Ron
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That has got to be one of the most dangerous (and stupid!!) activites on the planet. Of course, that applies to just about every freeway in SoCal. Used to crack me up, sitting in 5 mph traffic on the 210 and here comes a bike at about 45-50 'surfing the pier'. I kept waiting for someone to either do a quick lane change or, because they don't like bikes, open their door. :hairraise:

I just bought a little Honda Rebel. Cute little commute bike. I actually enjoy the 15 miile ride into work in the morning. Pete liked it so much he bought one for himself. And at 88 mpg, I've only driven the Vibe twice in the past three weeks. :goofy:
 
Hey at least I didn't fall asleep like I some times did when driving my car. Now there's a thrill for you, changing lanes on the Pasadena freeway while sound asleep. Nothing quit like working mids.
Ron
 
Well I used to.............
skateboard pools & 1/2 pipes
ride dirt bikes
Build & Go-Carts & mini-bikes
ride street bikes
race 1/4 mile on track for fun
Race 1/4 mile cars & bikes on the street for cash
Power boat
do electrical work with the power on
Drive a Propane truck in NYC delivering gas to arabs 9/93-12/2004
Get married

Now I just get a box of live bees in the Caravan every once in a while
 
I make smart-alek remarks to my wife.

I play paintball.

I drive like a demon (but fly like an old lady).

DId I mention I make smart-alek remarks to my wife?
 
DeeG said:
That has got to be one of the most dangerous (and stupid!!) activites on the planet. Of course, that applies to just about every freeway in SoCal. Used to crack me up, sitting in 5 mph traffic on the 210 and here comes a bike at about 45-50 'surfing the pier'. I kept waiting for someone to either do a quick lane change or, because they don't like bikes, open their door.
Click to expand...

It is if you do it as you describe. I lane split, but my max speed differential is about 25 MPH. If they're doing 0 - 5, I'm doing about 30 max depending on how much room I have.

I also mountain bike. I hadn't crashed for years, then I recently crashed 3 times on one ride. All at low speed. I'm never going on that trail again.
 
I would describe myself as someone who doesn't do a lot of high risk activities. My job is risk enough! At least it's a "little" better now that I'm out of patrol. But I do miss it.

I'm a very conservative driver. I don't do motorcycles or rock climbing or things like that, but I would like to try sky diving, and I've been in a glider, (Loved it!), an ultralight (also loved it) and did a little bit of aerobatics (can't describe how much I loved it!). So I guess I do enjoy high risk activities after all. :)
 
I've actually calmed down a lot as I got older. When I turned 18, I decided I wanted to become a professional wrestler, so I moved across the country to become one. I went to school for it, and wound up being certified in Massachusetts and Maine. That's the most dangerous thing I've ever done. Wrestling is not "fake," the outcome is predetermined.

I have a video of my first match:
http://w3.tvi.edu/~nbrennan1/nitro.html
 
RogerT said:
Ohhhh ... Ken wins. That's the most suicidal of all given
the way the parents get into these games.
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Last week one of the dads almost beat up the umpire after the game. The ump was a high school kid who blew six calls against us and none (that I saw) against the other team. (We lost by 1 run in the last inning due to said officiating.) Same game, another coach on my team and the head coach of the other team almost started duking it out after one of umpire's said bad calls.

And the kids are 6 and 7. Some role models they have.
 
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