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http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2325093.html
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Is the World's Highest Swing in Harbin Worth the Thrill?
- Thread starter Ivan Seeking
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the thrill and safety of the world's highest swing located in Harbin, China. Participants share their personal feelings about heights, thrill-seeking behavior, and the psychological aspects of engaging in extreme activities. The conversation touches on the nature of bravery versus thrill-seeking and includes anecdotes about other adrenaline-inducing experiences.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express excitement about the swing, describing it as "awesomely scary" and fun.
- Others share their fear of heights and express that the swing is not for them, questioning the motivations behind such thrill-seeking activities.
- A few participants debate the definition of bravery, suggesting that thrill-seeking may not equate to bravery but rather a desire for adrenaline.
- One participant mentions the idea of swinging with a long chain and how it might limit the swinging motion.
- Several anecdotes are shared about other adrenaline-producing activities, such as air combat, whitewater kayaking, and skiing, comparing them to the experience of swinging at great heights.
- Concerns are raised about the safety of the swing and the potential for accidents, with discussions about the mechanics of aircraft and the risks involved in high-g maneuvers.
- Some participants question the likelihood of structural failures in aircraft during extreme maneuvers, while others speculate on the reasons for safety concerns related to fire hazards.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally express a mix of excitement and fear regarding the swing, with no clear consensus on whether it represents bravery or thrill-seeking. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the motivations behind engaging in such extreme activities and the safety concerns associated with them.
Contextual Notes
Participants express varying assumptions about bravery, thrill-seeking, and safety, with some relying on personal experiences that may not apply universally. The discussion includes unresolved technical details about aircraft safety and the mechanics of extreme activities.
- #2
Astronuc
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Cool 
- I love high places.
- I love high places.- #3
cristo
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I don't normally mind heights, if I'm behind a barrier and with my feet on something sturdy, but that swing's not for me!
- #4
mattmns
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Wild! That looks awesomely scary 
- #5
Chi Meson
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I want a swing with a 700 foot long chain!
How long can you pump that sucker!
How long can you pump that sucker!
- #6
JasonRox
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Chi Meson said:
That's what I was thinking! But, you'd probably wouldn't be able to swing much.
That swing is crazy though. I'd love to go on there.
- #7
loseyourname
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I don't get that. Bravery, to me, means doing something out of the ordinary to achieve an end that is worth sacrificing your own safety for. Swinging 700 ft. above a city just to prove you're not scared doesn't really jive with that. It seems more like thrill-seeking or ego-massaging if you're actually trying to prove a point by doing it.
- #8
Danger
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I got one look at that picture, and my 'nads shrivelled up and tried to hide behind my tonsils. I can't stand even thinking about that thing.
- #9
dontdisturbmycircles
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Looks kinda fun :D.
- #10
Evo
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Hype. I've never known a good swing to break.
- #11
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loseyourname said:
What if you are scared? Also, aren't you talking more about heroism?
- #12
Chi Meson
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Danger said:
Dude, you got the wrong name then.
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Cyrus
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You know that thing you used to do when you were a kid. You would lean back on the swing until your body was horizontal and then you would stick your head down so you would see the ground coming up at you, upside down. -They should do that.
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radou
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loseyourname said:
It's not about bravery, it's about "adrenaline", eg "thrill-seeking", as you said. There are two types of people in the world; the ones who like thrills and the ones who don't. And I'm proud to be one of the most outstanding representatives of the former type.
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Office_Shredder
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The swing has a back, so you can't do that.
- #16
Danger
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Chi Meson said:
Most things don't bother me; just keep me away from heights and bugs.
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radou said:It's not about bravery, it's about "adrenaline", eg "thrill-seeking", as you said. There are two types of people in the world; the ones who like thrills and the ones who don't. And I'm proud to be one of the most outstanding representatives of the former type.
Same here, however, as much as I'd like to try that swing, and I would, I too have an intrinsic fear of heights. I guess my thrill seeking gene has more pull than my fear of heights gene.
In fact, probably most of the coolest things that I've ever done scared me half to death at the time.I tried Air Combat a some years ago, and I must say, the idea of having to parachute from a disabled plane with five minutes of training was about the most terrifying thing that I could imagine, but the allure of playing LASER tag at 200MPH while rolling and looping was too much.
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- #18
Cyrus
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I don't remember those airplanes in the air combat programs having ejection seats. 
- #19
turbo
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That might be fun for someone who has a fear of heights. I've engaged in all sorts of adrenaline-producing activities including skiing downhill flat-out in conditions that were sometimes a bit touchy , but perhaps the most fun was running heavy (class 4-5) whitewater in a low volume kayak or a canoe. Water is relentless and powerful, and every day is different. Sitting on a swing can't bring those rushes.
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cyrusabdollahi said:I don't remember those airplanes in the air combat programs having ejection seats.
They don't! He said that he would open the canopy and that I was to step out on the wing and jump; he'd probably stay with the plane.
That was pretty much the parachute training.
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Cyrus
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HAAAAHAHAAHAHAH, yeah, right. When the plane goes uncontrollable, the g-forces are going to plant you into your seat.
Otherwise, hell do a controlled landing into a field. That parachute was just to make you feel good when you die, with it strapped on, while strapped to your seat, becasue you never could get out the plane.
When your doing those kinds of high g manuvers, the airplanes "fails" when the wings fold due to high streses. You're not getting out of that airplane w/o an ejection seat, sorry.
Otherwise, hell do a controlled landing into a field. That parachute was just to make you feel good when you die, with it strapped on, while strapped to your seat, becasue you never could get out the plane.
When your doing those kinds of high g manuvers, the airplanes "fails" when the wings fold due to high streses. You're not getting out of that airplane w/o an ejection seat, sorry.
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turbo-1 said:
We have tried some river rafting, but for me it was mostly surfing and body surfing, motorcycles [street and dirt], and fast cars. I have always had the need for speed.
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cyrusabdollahi said:HAAAAHAHAAHAHAH, yeah, right. When the plane goes uncontrollable, the g-forces are going to plant you into your seat.
Otherwise, hell do a controlled landing into a field. That parachute was just to make you feel good when you die, with it strapped on, while strapped to your seat, becasue you never could get out the plane.
When your doing those kinds of high g manuvers, the airplanes "fails" when the wings fold due to high streses. You're not getting out of that airplane w/o an ejection seat, sorry.
No doubt, any collision or structural failure was going to be bad news, but he seemed most concerned about having a fire for some reason.
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Cyrus
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Ivan Seeking said:
Of course he was, you guys were dog fighting.
http://www.geocities.com/saedor/dogfight.jpg
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Hahaha, , but in fact I have always wondered about that. Maybe fire is among the likely modes of failure in a high performance, fully aerobatic aircraft?
, but in fact I have always wondered about that. Maybe fire is among the likely modes of failure in a high performance, fully aerobatic aircraft?- #26
Cyrus
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To be honest, I don't see any reason why the plane should burst into flames under high g unless its a piece of junk. I could understand him worrying about snapping the wings off, but fire? -its a piston aircraft.
-its a piston aircraft.- #27
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cyrusabdollahi said:To be honest, I don't see any reason why the plane should burst into flames under high g unless its a piece of junk. I could understand him worrying about snapping the wings off, but fire?
Wear on fuel lines, electrical shorts... I'm thinking of vibration induced failures and added wear due to the forces experienced.
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Cyrus
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But doing a loop does not increase vibrations, mass imbalances create vibrations.
Same goes for fuel lines. I don't really see a fuel line failing because the engine is flowing a high fuel rate. They are rated to take that type of flow rate.
Same goes for fuel lines. I don't really see a fuel line failing because the engine is flowing a high fuel rate. They are rated to take that type of flow rate.
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cyrusabdollahi said:
I'm thinking more of the 5G loops and vibrations experienced when one exceeds the aerodynamic limits of the aircraft. This happened fairly frequently as the pilot had never flown an airplane before. - #30
Huckleberry
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Why is it that I would be more afraid of that swing than I would be going for a walk down a city street... in Watts?