MOST DANGEROUS HOBBIES YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY
Added on: 23rd Dec 2016
SKYDIVING
Also known as parachuting, skydiving is a popular
adrenaline sport which involves a free fall at the
speed of gravity and a controlled fall with the use
of a parachute. These days, most skydivers are
required to carry two parachutes (in case the
first one fails), but fatalities still do occur in
this sport with about 1 death per 150,000 jumps.
When the skydiver performs unsafe manoeuvres
though, injuries might occur even under a fully
functional parachute.
DEEP DIVING
The definition of deep diving might vary with certain
categories but in terms of recreational diving, a
depth below about 30 metres (98 feet) is usually
considered a “deep dive” as it is where nitrogen
narcosis becomes a significant hazard for
some divers. Also, there is always the risk of
running out of air and being attacked by
some marine predators.
BASE JUMPING
One of the most extreme sports, BASE jumping is
parachuting or wing-suit flying from a fixed structure.
The word BASE is actually an acronym that stands for
4 categories of fixed objects from which BASE
jumpers jump: building, antenna, span and Earth.
Due to the lower altitudes of the jumps, BASE
jumping is significantly more dangerous than
skydiving from a plane. Needless to say,
BASE jumping is prohibited at many locations.
KART RACING
In recreational kart racing, drivers usually do not drive
as fast as professional racers who can reach
speeds exceeding 260 kilometres per hour
(160 miles per hour) but even driving at lower speeds
of “just” about 40 or 50 kilometres per hour
(25 or 30 miles per hour) might be considerably
dangerous as the karts are open and the driver
has no protection at all.
HANG GLIDING
Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in
which the pilot flies a light, non-motorized foot-launched
aircraft called a hang glider. Usually made of an
aluminium alloy or composite frame covered with
synthetic sail cloth, modern hang gliders are much
safer than those used in the past, but occasional
accidents still occur. There is one deadly accident per
about 116,000 flights.
WHITEWATER RAFTING
Despite being considered an extreme and very dangerous
sport, white-water rafting has been increasingly
popular in many countries all over the world. There
are numerous dangers related to this hobby,
including the risk of drowning, getting injured by
rocks and branches hidden under water and
heart problems caused by the adrenaline rush etc.
ROCK CLIMBING
Although rock climbers usually use ropes and
harnesses to increase their safety, rock climbing
is still a very dangerous hobby. Injuries due to falls
are relatively rare, but injuries caused by overuse are
very common. To minimize the risk of injury while
rock climbing, it is recommended to check your
equipment prior to the climb, be familiar with
the conditions of the rocks, check the weather
and consider your fitness when planning the climb.
FREE SOLOING
Known outside the US as free climbing, free soloing is an
even more dangerous version of rock climbing where
the climber (or free soloist) performs alone and without
using any ropes, harnesses, or other protective
equipment, relying entirely on his or her physical
ability. Free soloists typically climb above safe heights,
where a fall would always result in serious injury or death.
BUNGEE JUMPING
One of the most popular adrenaline sports, bungee
jumping involves jumping from a tall structure (such
as a building, bridge, or crane) while connected to a
large elastic cord. The thrill comes from the free-falling
and the rebound. In addition to all potential mechanical
failures related to the cord, injuries are quite
common even when everything is right. The sudden
change in pressure can damage the eyes and the
pulmonary system along with the risk of severe whiplash.
Comment on this