While we were minding our own business today, we came across a title reading: new world land speed record for the blind set by... Now, we know blind men (or women) behind the wheel of a car is not something unheard of. What we didn't know existed is a land speed record for the blind...
Well, apparently it did: 308 km/h (191 mph) and was set by a Belgian. Anyway, the new land speed record for the blind is 322.5 km/h (200.3922095 mph, to be exact) and was set by South African Hein Wagner, a motivational speaker from Durbanville. Wagner, although blind, is not at his first attempt.
According to news24.com, he became in 2005 the fastest South African on the planet (also, the first South African to set a land speed record).
For this year's attempt, Wagner needed a Mercedes-Benz SL 65 Black series, complete with a navigator (named Ray Wakefield) and the permission to use the Upington International Airport runway for his insane race. Which he got...
Once all that was taken care of, Wagner proceeded with his endeavor. Although "you're stupid if you aren't scared" (his words), the new land speed record holder managed to reach the aforementioned speed and maintain it for a full 1,000 m (0,62137119224 miles, to be exact).
His amazing achievement will get its very own Guinness World Records entry...
But do you think this is the last time we hear about Wagner? No, the brave motivational speaker will try something even more... challenging. According to the source, Wagner will now attempt to fly a full-sized Boeing, with full-sized (and alive) passengers, from London to Johannesburg...
Warning: passengers will need a strong motivational speaker (other than the pilot, of course) before and during the flight, so they don't go out of their minds.
Now, jokes aside, Wagner is surely outclassing many other people out there, with or without full use of their five senses. Below you will find a PDF listing Wagner's finest.
Well, apparently it did: 308 km/h (191 mph) and was set by a Belgian. Anyway, the new land speed record for the blind is 322.5 km/h (200.3922095 mph, to be exact) and was set by South African Hein Wagner, a motivational speaker from Durbanville. Wagner, although blind, is not at his first attempt.
According to news24.com, he became in 2005 the fastest South African on the planet (also, the first South African to set a land speed record).
For this year's attempt, Wagner needed a Mercedes-Benz SL 65 Black series, complete with a navigator (named Ray Wakefield) and the permission to use the Upington International Airport runway for his insane race. Which he got...
Once all that was taken care of, Wagner proceeded with his endeavor. Although "you're stupid if you aren't scared" (his words), the new land speed record holder managed to reach the aforementioned speed and maintain it for a full 1,000 m (0,62137119224 miles, to be exact).
His amazing achievement will get its very own Guinness World Records entry...
But do you think this is the last time we hear about Wagner? No, the brave motivational speaker will try something even more... challenging. According to the source, Wagner will now attempt to fly a full-sized Boeing, with full-sized (and alive) passengers, from London to Johannesburg...
Warning: passengers will need a strong motivational speaker (other than the pilot, of course) before and during the flight, so they don't go out of their minds.
Now, jokes aside, Wagner is surely outclassing many other people out there, with or without full use of their five senses. Below you will find a PDF listing Wagner's finest.