h a l f b a k e r yYou want a piece of this?
add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random
news, help, about, links, report a problem
browse anonymously,
or get an account
and write.
register,
|
|
|
the bull twang
portable crane reverse bungee attatchment for bullriders not harbouring a death wish | |
A rope, connected to the reverse bungee on the crane, is
attatched to an upper body shoulder harness behind the
rider's head, before, or while the rider gets on the bull in
the
shute.
Judge has the control button.
During the bull ride, as soon as the rider's head gets within
1
foot of
the bull's back (to avoid a horn hook up) the judge
hits
the control button and the rider safely ejects skyward.
For riders harbouring a death wish the item need not be
used
at all, or, alternatively, the rope can be quickly configured
into a noose in the shute and hidden with a bandana.
[link]
|
| |
How much slack is in the bungee? I only ask because,
if there's a lot, then it may get tangled in something and may take too long to take up in an emergency and,
if not, then you may suffer from premature extraction and find yourself on the ground behind the bull just as you were getting into your stride. |
|
| |
attatchment looks kinda right though. |
|
| |
Oh no, The speling police!
Answers: uptake = whipcord quick, no slack in the
bungee, but not sufficient to provide balance to the
rider. |
|
| |
Far too sensible. Why watch rodeo if not to see people getting their mullets stomped on? |
|
| |
Now if you'd have suggested that the entire arena contain powerful fans (mechanical, not strong spectators) and the rider was given a parachute, I might be more inclined to watch the 'sport'. |
|
| |
So, we've got a bungee that stays taut (but not too taut) wherever in the arena the bull goes. How? |
|
| |
[pertinax], the new design of rodeo arena is concave and, underneath all the sand and sawdust, reflective. After the riders have competed, a Zamboni-type device reveals the underlying mirror and all gather round for a solar BBQ. |
|
| |
The crane is above the centre of the arena.
At the edge of the arena the rope is going to be more
taut, but not sufficiently taut to provide balance to the
rider.
This is achieved by the lower end of the rope being very
elastic bungee cord, for the stretch over that distance.
This idea would work and could actually make a sport out
of an otherwise highly dangerous activity, as virtually all
injuries occur down in the bull zone while the rider
comes off, or is on the ground. The only real difference
would be that riders would have to be bungeed upward
before there was any chance of a potential hookup
between the cord and the bull, meaning that an upright
style of riding would have to be employed to avoid
disqualification, and the impossible recovery ride would
be no more. It also places huge responsibility on a second
person for a happy ending, as with a rope attatched to a
rider, things could become very sticky if a mistake was
made. It's unlikely to ever be introduced, except maybe a
bullriding school with a small arena teaching the basics
may see the sense in keeping it's students in one piece.
Also, as indicated above, the idea IS far far too sensible
and non-gladiatorial. Riding skill is not largely what
bullriding is about, despite the balance and reaction
required that makes it probably the ultimate rough riding
skill. Some folks just love the crash and bash as with the
football codes. |
|
| |
ok, what about if the rider was dressed like a medieval knight and the safety operator holds a junkyard electro-magnet above him. |
|
| |
disclaimer: not suitable for use with mechanical bulls. |
|
| |
It's really too bad that the scoring is done so quickly. It would be so nice to dangle the bullrider - "in suspense", as it were - while his marks are totted up. Then, if he's good enough, the crane could take him for a quick "victory lap" or two around the arena. |
|
| |
They use (or did 30 years ago, anyway) this same system for training gymnasts. (Except no victory laps.)
<later edit>Yep, "overhead travelling spotting rigs" are still used in gymnastics training, and have also been adapted for high diving and aerial skiing acrobatics. |
|
| |
A similar mechanism was mentioned in the annos of my Monster Boarding, and Gnarly Surf Plough ideas. Seems fair enough to me. [+] |
|
| |
Hmmmm..... Martin-Baker might be able to help out with this one. |
|
| |