People who do potholing for fun

[StrychnineIntheSandwiches]

I just watched this extremely distressing video of a fully grown man squeezing his fully grown self into a letter box sized hole. He probably doesn't even know where that hole leads. Pennywise might be down there waiting for him. He might never comes back.

'Ah' his friends will say 'but he died doing what he loved most, squeezing himself into creepy little caves'.

I'd rather walk across broken glass to embrace a naked Nigel Farage than go potholing.

twitter.com/jeremiahjw/status/1488607102452912129

I recall going through soft play with dc1 while pregnant with dc2. I forgot about my bump for a second and attempted to go through those rolling things which look like a mangle and just stopped dead (obviously - but still I tried a couple of times before realising there was no way I'd get through).

I imagine this would happen to my hips if I attempted any sort of potholing nonsense. I am not built for it. Anyway, I'd rather die

This is my actual worse nightmare ever

Just googled it...even looking at the photos is making my anxiety sky high

@toppkatz

You would not get me to go potholing in a million years. I think literally the only thing that would get me down somewhere like that would be to rescue my DC.

Even then I'd be a bit...

@safeharbour

Very sorry for the man who died, and for his family. We are not all the same and it's great that some members of society are fit and brave enough to climb mountains, sky dive etc,and all physical activities (within reason!) should be encouraged, but given the current resources of the NHS, I do think anyone who knowingly undertakes such a risky activity (I'm talking extreme sports here not run of the mill sports) should be required to sign some form of obligatory health insurance in the event of needing to be rescued or treated. I say this as a horse rider who has needed help from paramedics for concussion. It would be difficult to draw the line as to which sports would qualify but I suspect a quick look at A & E records would help. I think it's a bit much to knowingly take part in such a risky activity without being prepared to pay for at least a percentage of your treatment or rescue when NHS resources are as stretched as they are.

So long as fat people and smokers / drug users are subject to the same conditions

So long as fat people and smokers / drug users are subject to the same conditions

You could go on forever with that list; women who have a lot of children, people who drive more than average etc etc.

Best not go down that road! Although, I suppose people might get asked those questions when they have health insurance, like in the states.

I know this is just chit chat but I think the NHS is far more burdened by people with poor fitness and lifestyle related issues (Type 2 diabetes, etc) than the small number of people injured doing outdoor sports, which are generally very safety conscious.

I've never heard of this before but felt anxious just watching it! Stupid question but would he then come back up so someone else could have a go? Or is the idea that it would lead somewhere?

Things I would rather do instead of potholing:

• Spend a week with Piers Morgan, including dinner with Katie Hopkins
• Smother myself in antelope blood and walk into the lion enclosure at the zoo
• Allow Elon Musk to name my next child

There are probably more....

I think that Type 2 diabetes has a strong, genetic component, so I'm not 100% sure you can call it a lifestyle problem. I don't have it btw but there was a doctor talking about it on SM a while ago. She was saying that being fat doesn't give you diabetes, it is actually the other way round? Just one doctor obviously, but it was quite interesting to me anyway

I suppose if we're going to go ahead and dissect this and ruin the lighthearted, yet HORRIFYING, thread, the thing about extreme sports like this is the number of people please involved if a rescue is needed. It must cost so much. But then so do rescues if there is a big car crash for example and nobody suggests that people pay for their rescue if they're in a car crash, if they use their car more than the average for example.

I don't think it's a stupid suggestion, and I think they use a similar system in other countries. It just wouldn't be in fitting with how the health service in the UK is meant to run. And I wouldn't like to live in the US where getting sick can end up bankrupting you

Shit, bugger that! I get panicky putting my slightly too tight jumper on
Would actually die of heart failure and fear I think

@NotMeNoNo

I know this is just chit chat but I think the NHS is far more burdened by people with poor fitness and lifestyle related issues (Type 2 diabetes, etc) than the small number of people injured doing outdoor sports, which are generally very safety conscious.

That's an excellent point but some of the more extreme sports involve massively expensive rescue operations when they go wrong, particularly mountain rescue, and some European countries do request that the person involved pays a percentage of costs which I personally think is fair enough.

@safeharbour

Very sorry for the man who died, and for his family. We are not all the same and it's great that some members of society are fit and brave enough to climb mountains, sky dive etc,and all physical activities (within reason!) should be encouraged, but given the current resources of the NHS, I do think anyone who knowingly undertakes such a risky activity (I'm talking extreme sports here not run of the mill sports) should be required to sign some form of obligatory health insurance in the event of needing to be rescued or treated. I say this as a horse rider who has needed help from paramedics for concussion. It would be difficult to draw the line as to which sports would qualify but I suspect a quick look at A & E records would help. I think it's a bit much to knowingly take part in such a risky activity without being prepared to pay for at least a percentage of your treatment or rescue when NHS resources are as stretched as they are.

A quick look at A&E records would almost certainly show that Sunday morning 5 a side costs the NHS significantly more than rock climbing, paragliding and caving combined.

That's an excellent point but some of the more extreme sports involve massively expensive rescue operations when they go wrong, particularly mountain rescue, and some European countries do request that the person involved pays a percentage of costs which I personally think is fair enough.

In many European countries, mountain rescue is a professionally provided service (in the sense that rescuers are paid, not that they are necessarily superior to ours). People pay for rescue because the rescue system is set up that way.

In the UK, mountain rescue teams are volunteers, their equipment is funded through donations, and helicopter rescues are done by the RAF as part of the essential training hours they have to do anyway. Mountain rescue teams are happy with this approach, and the actual cost to the taxpayer is minimal. (Same for the RNLI)

So what costs would you actually be proposing to charge people?

the thing about extreme sports like this is the number of people please involved if a rescue is needed. It must cost so much

You are wrong. See above.

Same applies for cave rescue btw. The cave rescue teams operate in the same way as mountain rescue. In the UK, a caver who gets into difficulty will be rescued by a fellow caver who is volunteering their time.

Also, the quality of the UK's (volunteer) cave rescue teams is shown by the fact that it was UK cave divers who led the rescue operation for those boys in Thailand.

We should be proud of the skills that we have in this country, and the fact that people volunteer to help others for free. But instead we just mutter and grumble about how people should be charged and MADE TO PAY for daring to have a slightly unusual hobby.

How fascinating! I still don't think anyone should be charged for their medical care if they're fat, a smoker or , a potholer / cave diver. My reasons for hating the sound of potholing are absolutely not fiscal

Came on to say that cave rescue in the uk is carried out by volunteers. Apparently we have some of the best cave rescuers in the world.

Anyone who hasn’t already watched The Rescue, I urge you to do it - it’s about the rescue of the boys football team from that cave in Thailand. Absolutely amazing that they all got out. I’ve seen it three times so far…!

X-post with @Octomore!

It seems to be a thing on Twitter - nightmare potholing videos

The nutty putty death is stuff of nightmares, but then I’d never do it in the first place so that must be the thrill right

@BellaTheDarkOverlord

My arse would never fit in that hole

Mine neither! And if by some form of a miracle I got my arse through I'd still end up wedged by my norks

"I read about the nutty putty guy. I had nightmares about it for weeks. Even thinking about it now distresses me. Do not read it if you are claustrophobic or easily upset, it’s awful!

THIS x 100. I read about it, and now even seeing the thumbnail image of the film on Netflix (or Prime..?) makes my blood run cold. Absolutely horrendous. I will never watch that film.

I've been terrified since 999, a dreadful addicitve program in the 90's when someone did the underwater cave dive and ended up in an unknown cave chamber. shudder who was the voice over Nick Ross maybe he of 'don't have nightmares do sleep.well' fame

I've wondered what potholing was years but never looked it up. Now I know, thanks OP.

I've had the same recurring nightmare for decades which is being followed by someone and while trying to get away, finding myself wedged in tiny spaces that get progressively smaller and smaller until I wake myself up sweating, feeling like crap.

I know people like to get their kicks in all kinds of different ways but I can't see any pleasure in this at all. Also, how is it a challenge, really? You either fit through or you get stuck.