Sitting in the back seat of a car, speeding along the lengthy monotony of a highway, can be tremendously boring. It makes one wonder, "Why can't I be parasailing right now?".
Automobiles should be outfitted with winches and a good length of cable attached to parachutes or hang-gliders with a harness affixed so passengers can enjoy the excitement of being airborne.
Also, an airborn passenger on a glider could cut his tether and glide to his destination once within proximity. A parachutist could aswell, but with less control and accuracy.
Having cables extending out the back of automobiles would promote the safe driving habit of keeping a reasonable distance of the preceding vehicle on highways.
The highways where this would be permitted should be free of power transmission lines and not cross the migratory patterns of sharp beaked airfowl.-- ImBack, Aug 29 2002 Watch out for overpasses, for drivers watching the parasailers instead of the road, and for parasailers coming the other way. But sounds like fun. Landing could be tricky.-- RayfordSteele, Aug 29 2002 You could when at top speed unfold a large parasail from the trunk/boot and, sitting in your compact, sail off the highway and land in your driveway...or maybe not.-- FarmerJohn, Aug 29 2002 Or could just build bridges/signs with large transparent shallow sloping barriers, so that when a glider hits one he/she is pushed underneath.-- Zircon, Aug 29 2002 As the idea says "highway" is 55 mph fast enough for parasailing?-- Aristotle, Aug 29 2002 60 or 70 in this 'ere kingdom, bub.-- Zircon, Aug 29 2002 I think 55 is probably too fast. 15 to 30 mph seems more likely to me.-- bristolz, Aug 29 2002 All in all I think Highway Innertubing would be racier.-- General Washington, Aug 29 2002 Or, Freeway Skitchin'...-- Mr Burns, Aug 29 2002 Thats interesting General, I was thinking of that idea myself...-- barnzenen, Aug 29 2002 GW: I did highway whitewater rafting in a former life. Perhaps I should repost it.-- DrCurry, Sep 03 2002 Now listen up Dr, <ahem> this is rather personal, I have a friend, see? Who wants to demote himself, not being quite up to the task of Ge... Brigadier. Is there a way? Must he expunge all traces of his former life to be born again?-- General Washington, Sep 03 2002 cheers :$-- General Washington, Sep 03 2002 Badly thought out? You must be presuming those participating are thinking. Don’t you ever visit You-Tube? This is how the gene pool gets cleansed!
Plus there are those with the right stuff and an IQ who survive this gene pool gauntlet to go on to do great things…who else would sit on a Saturn V so as to walk on the moon!-- CwP, Jul 27 2008 Why, Ham the Astro-chimp of course.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jul 27 2008 I have miles of highway without overhead lines... still, a 'Duck!' feature and maybe a pull-behind trailer with cushions might be in order.
Just hit the 'Duck!' button, the cable winches you down to the trailer, and --whoosh-- the overhead obstruction goes harmlessly by, Hollywood-style.
Then, like a kite, slowly release some cable.-- Bcrosby, Jul 28 2008 Invent a autotargeting tractor beam and then it'll work!-- acemcbuller, Jul 28 2008 Some freeways have underpasses. These may make the highway parasailing experience somewhat more viable. I don't know what to do about signage though. It would seem to be essential.-- ye_river_xiv, Jul 29 2008 The 'Duck" button seems a perfectly reasonable solution to me. *grin*
How about the driver? Can't we add a remote control for the car and get the driver airborn as well?-- James Newton, Jul 29 2008 I've flown in a gyrocopter trainer that was towed by a rope behind a pickup truck. We never left the airport, but it was fun. [+]-- baconbrain, Jul 29 2008 random, halfbakery