Danger is in Burning Man's Culture

[1durphul]

YOU MIGHT DIE.

It's an honest statement, and it sometimes happens. I often see things and events that tempt fate.

The Piano Trebuchet. I mean, how well did the actually measure that landing zone, and the wind...

A few years back there was a giant geodesic dome just off 9 and Esplanade that had a tiny foam mattress, and nothing else. And people were dangling off the top of the dome and dropping onto the mattress as people moved it around to catch them.

How many dangerous/fun things have you seen on the playa?

[Popeye]

Informed Consent.
Probably needs to be more than just the back of your ticket but if it is obvious or if you are warned in some detail that you might be injured or die then it is on you.
Take responsibility for yourself.

[Leap]

Last year, I paired a filet mignon with a warm chardonnay.

I know...

[Token]

You have clearly never been to the pond to kill the FrogBat!

I’ll post a few:

Gigsville Carbecue. For those that have not been to Gigsville, it is worth a visit.

Every year GV brings out a full semi of firewood to the Playa, and keeps the hearth flaming hot.

The vessel of this flame is the carbecue.

Every year, about May or so, the Gigsville villains drag a vehicle out to a CA dry lakebed. The vehicle is prepped by stripping of all the fluff, but left “driveable” for the few minutes of life remaining.

The vehicle is then set to run in a circle - you know, rope down the steering, brick on the accelerator.

Then the Gigsville villains and FKO’s fire rounds from high-power weapons at the vehicle until it is dead!

Once declared dead, custom accessories are added :

Grilling station - a place to get your meat fix.

Small Propane Bottle Launcher - a pipe where a disposable Coleman propane cylinder can slide into and launch out. - fun

Other crazy burn-it contraptions...

Always worth a visit late night for good discussion and dangerous shenanigans.

Eye protection highly recommend.

[torrey.smith]

Sextant seems to appreciate the following hazards:

High Voltage via the Tesla Coil
High Altitude via the Tower
High Velocity via the Zip-Line
High Alcohol content via vünderbar

[Aurelia]

Oh is that what I love about it

[Leap]

An honorable death

This is how I want to go.

[FlyingMonkey]

Ha. Took me a sec but I see what you did there.

Take an existing thread, move some words, discuss.

I like it.

While I'm glad people arent driving their cars over tents anymore the whole "Potentially Deadly" aspect of Burning Man is part of the allure for me.

Maybe this year someone will bring killer robots that scoff at Asimov's laws. Then it will rain & all will be safe again.

Damn I sure wish I could go this year.

Anyone up for Zorb pinball?

[Token]

2009

Though not particularly lethal, it was a theme park of danger, pain, injuries and goddamn quality family fun!

Lots of road rash that year.

[FlyingMonkey]

2009

Though not particularly lethal, it was a theme park of danger, pain, injuries and goddamn quality family fun!

Lots of road rash that year.

Totally Freaking Awesome!

I started going to Burning Man way to late.

[Jackass]

That was my first year. I believe "the wedge" may hold the record for the single most injurious piece ever, due to the sharp increase in med tent visits during it's long week in the desert. A good percentage of the population got skinned on that thing, it got hott! My taint region nearly caught flame

[Token]

It was epic, especially after hours when sensible decisions got tossed into the wind.

How many people on this green earth can say: “I was ridden down a three story slide and landed in a pile of unwashed humanity”

Smelled like victory at the time.

[Simon of the Playa]

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[1durphul]

You have clearly never been to the pond to kill the FrogBat!


Gigsville Carbecue. For those that have not been to Gigsville, it is worth a visit.

...

The vehicle is then set to run in a circle - you know, rope down the steering, brick on the accelerator.

Then the Gigsville villains and FKO’s fire rounds from high-power weapons at the vehicle until it is dead!

...

Always worth a visit late night for good discussion and dangerous shenanigans.

Eye protection highly recommend.

Fucking AMAZING. I would love to experience this.

[1durphul]

2009

Though not particularly lethal, it was a theme park of danger, pain, injuries and goddamn quality family fun!

Lots of road rash that year.

Of the 12 years I've gone, that happened to be one of the two years I took a friend to medical by Center Camp. While my friend in 2009 was getting help, I looked around me and saw all the road rash victims from the astroturf slide. A guy walks in with pretty bad road rash on his legs and the nurse that greeted him just said "that fucking slide" before the guy could even say what happened.

[Perpetual Burn]

Principle 11: Keep Burning Man Deadly

Only been a few years but that rotating Bull was pretty fun. After a few dizzy minutes it was quite the trick to get off... can see how a few people got hurt.

But if you can't get off the bull, then don't get on it... but common sense ain't so common.

I liked those little bike rollers last year... let's upgrade them to full blown jumps.

And in the real ThunderDome, "Two men enter, one man leaves!"... we should lock sparkle ponies in there...

[flatfootfloozy]

2009

Though not particularly lethal, it was a theme park of danger, pain, injuries and goddamn quality family fun!

Lots of road rash that year.

My first year and that was so much fun! I got a little bit of road rash, nothing too bad but I saw so many people get totally worked on that thing.

[tatonka]

[some seeing eye]

I had a conversation with an officer on an art car who had resigned from secret service in Afghanistan. They related sneaking on other forces and cutting their tent ropes to mess with them. I would say that is danger.

I experienced serious electrolyte depletion one year. Year 6 I think. I self referred to Playa medical before not dying.

I was part of a cool large village and had good longtime in-person friends tenting right next to. I said to them "this is what I am feeling" and they were "we can go with you to medical right now." I walked it. Medical staff was lovely. I have also found a man down on playa perishing year 2 or 3 and got them medical service by ambulance. My close friend, many year experienced burner, was evaced for electrolyte depletion several years in. Evac is close to dying, cannot be treated on playa.

Pointy topic.

Bottom line, if you think you are having a medical emergency (or even a psychic emergency) on the playa, ask for help right now! It is there.

[motskyroonmatick]

That Speed Cult Rollercoaster is still my all time favorite!!!!!

[Perpetual Burn]

Great post, some seeing eye.

That carpet slide looks so much fun... I'd have to try it at least once.

I liked the steep stairs on the Pyramid... wonder how many people got hurt climbing those things. I approached those Pyramids from the 3 O'clock side... so I climbed up those stairs. Couldn't figure out why so many people were snickering till I realized you could get up there in a wheel chair the other way.

So, I'd chill up there and enjoy the shenanigans of people struggling to get up those stairs.

Saw a couple approaching the Pyramids from the the 3 O'clock side... they debated on which way to get to the top... he decided to climb, she walked in... I laughed and said, "She's smarter."

[vargaso]

2009

Though not particularly lethal, it was a theme park of danger, pain, injuries and goddamn quality family fun!

Lots of road rash that year.

The only injury I've ever sustained at Burning Man was from that goddamned thing! Serious road rash. Totally worth it.

[Simon of the Playa]

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