Feel like adding an extra dose of adrenalin to your life? Well, trust us there are so many other ways than heading for the nearest track and letting loose. Surely, doing 300 mph (320 km/h) can definitely let off some steam, but riding inches from the ground in these hellish high-speed luges is sometimes even better.
If you think that such luges are a new thing, you'd be surprised to learn that they date back from the '70s or even earlier. Now, the ones in the video below are what we, people in their late 30's and older ones, call "cutting-edge karts".
Back in the day, everything was simpler, more dangerous, more captivating, and... demanding. The bearings karts do indeed look primitive compared to the modern contraptions, but being able to master one was harder and more rewarding.
Safety first! What safety?
Now then, the first thing that came to mind watching these fellows indulging in a downhill luge race was safety gear. They have some helmets which look like bicycle units, but the rest of their bodies are unprotected. If you think sneakers are a no-no, take your time to spot the chap riding bare footed.
Gloves and knee/ elbow protectors would be a neat addition to this kind of fun and such gear could prevent asphalt rash in case of a wipeout. And that'd be just great because riding down the hill at high speed WILL cause a spill every now and then.
Obviously, when we were kids, a helmet was the peak of personal protection, anyway, and we all wore sneakers, t-shirts and shorts, as well. We all used to pay more attention to building our karts better than to safety.
Better bearings, tougher joints, stronger pieces of wood to be put together in a kart that would go faster were the only concerns. Steering these karts meant using one's heels to push the front axle extremities, and with the not-exactly-generous seating, this thing was at times very demanding.
Accidents and crashes were a rather common thing, but I for one, can't remember anyone who got more than sprained fingers or ankles. Now, this doesn't mean that there weren't more serious injuries, especially when bearings karting intersected traffic or other unforeseeable obstacles. That is because the bearings karts had no brakes, and they relied on sole-power...
If you're in New Zealand and feel like going back to the future, check out Skyline Rotorua.
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