Subway Surfing
You probably remember last fall's Subway Series between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. But you may not have heard of the frighteningly dangerous and foolish "sport" of Subway Surfing.
This potentially deadly sport involves jumping on one of the thousands of trains that make up the New York subway system. The "surfers" then ride the "waves of the subway" by standing on top of the train with their arms stretched out like wings for balance. They hop from one car to the next, ducking to avoid tunnels and bridges, as the trains travel through the city at speeds of 30 miles an hour. The subway cars cruise through sudden curves and dip down into tunnels without warning.
So, as you might have guessed - this is big time dangerous. There are no safety harnesses, no instructors to tell you how to "surf" properly and there are really no second chances. Unlike traditional surfing where you jump back on your board if a wave knocks you off, with subway surfing, riders find themselves crushed beneath the wheels of the train or thrown to the ground if they lose their balance. In 1999, New York Subway trains killed 42 people.
It shouldn't surprise you that not many people decide to take up the sport of Subway Surfing - usually just the bored and the stupid. So, surf the net and surf the ocean - but ride inside the subway train. The view's much better from there and you'll live to tell about it.
Related Stories:
