Legal Tombstoneing ?

[vegster]

Tombstoning at Worthing ?.. Well, its almost a bi-monthly warning on local and national news these days. “Danger of Death” “ Man paralysed in Seaside Leap”.,.. these are the sort of shock horror headlines we see quite regularly. What do you think when you see people jumping off the Harbour arms at Shoreham or off the groynes at Brighton ? Well, probably “Idiots” “morons” that sort of thing ?

Well, now you can do it legally ! Jump off a pier and you risk falling foul of the local by-laws but, call yourself a competitor in The Birdman Competition and its legal !!! All the forces which complain bitterly about risking their lives pulling half dead, concussed people out of the water suddenly are proud to be in attendance when an overweight bloke with a home made Buzby costume plunges a longer distance down than out. So, we have this unwarranted drain on our self admitted, “ overstretched” emergency services while those who may suffer a genuine misfortune may end up dying a cold, miserable death mid-channel away from the bright lights of publicity and corporate sponsorship.

Mind you its not all bad news, the competitors have over the years raised thousands of pounds for good causes such as hospital scanners, Air Ambulance services and The RNLI. So that’s alright then.

 

[Bars Mar]

It's A South Sussex Thing. You Wouldn't Get That Kind Of Hypocrisy In Horsham Or Crawley.

 

[bailey]

I'm pretty sure the HSE would have the organisers doing all sorts of risk assessments and the like. Which means the legal tombstoners are jumping into the sea where it's deep enough.

The trouble with kids jumping off the pier etc. is they may not always think about the depth of the water they're jumping into - the difference between high tide and low tide is about 6m.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

“Danger of Death” “ Man paralysed in Seaside Leap”.,.. these are the sort of shock horror headlines we see quite regularly.

They're not 'shock horror headlines'. They're just trying to make fit and healthy young people maybe think twice about jumping into three foot of water and ending up in a wheelchair for life

 

[steward 433]

When i was in my last year at school 1989 another kid at school on a day trip somewhere did the whole tombstoning thing and broke his spine.

I can see the appeal but i would at least check the bloody water is deep enough first!!!