'Balconing' Claims Another Victim, When Will the Stupidity End?

by AOL Travel Staff Subscribe to AOL Travel Staff's postsPosted Jul 28th 2011 08:45 AM

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Yet another British vacationer has been injured "balconing," a faddish activity among Europeans involving jumping between hotel balconies and off them into pools. Euro Weekly News reports that earlier this week, a 19-year-old fell about 20 ft. while jumping between rooms at a hotel on Majorca.
The young man was hurt, but will survive. Others have not been so lucky: According to USA Today, 6 tourists died while balconing last year.

The fad is being credited to drunk British men, but has become popular with Swedes and Germans as well. The epicenter of the phenomenon seems to be the Majorcan resort town of Magaluf, where many injuries, including the latest, have been reported.

Like all stupid activities, balconing has become a YouTube phenomenon. Interspersed with videos of young men launching themselves off unlikely places while their buddies giggle, are now clips of news reports on people who have died.

There is probably an argument to be made here about the panopticon or evolutionary theory, but it seems more appropriate to just sigh and acknowledge that this whole "I am a golden god" situation is probably the best argument anyone has made for "planking," which may be stupid, but doesn't kill people.

A related trend? Owling. See below:

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Tags: balconing, british, drunk, mallorca, spain, stupid, youtube

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gary

It's Great!!It's Gods Way of Getting Rid of the "EDDIOT'S!!

September 15 2011 at 1:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

tjj300

I'm for anything that raises the quality of the gene pool. So to all those that want to give this a try, go for it!

August 28 2011 at 1:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

teldrock

Anybody remember hood surfing? Dumb as this but I've done both in my youth. Fortunately there were NO cameras around to capture it. Only those faces looking back at me from the people in the other cars while surfing the hood of that Bonneville at 50mph. balconing was what all of us did at our prom hotel. Fun? Yes! STUPID?!? Absolutly!

July 31 2011 at 7:25 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Patrick T

so you spend money to fly somewhere and rent a hotel room and walk along the balcony railing, fall and kill yourself? Now that's a vacation!!

July 30 2011 at 3:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

LaoShur

No doubt this tourist trend was started by Darwin Tours.

July 28 2011 at 11:19 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

bounce59

Just dont jump on someone walking past ok?

July 28 2011 at 7:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

wickedone1414

Sh!t for brains. Next...................................................

July 28 2011 at 7:36 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

lovebucket9

not funny if you live and have to pay the medical bills!!! ouch.!!!!!!

July 28 2011 at 7:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

area31040m

THE WORD "AWESOME" IS THE WRONG WORD AND ENCOURAGES YOUNG KIDS TO DO IT. BAD MOVE. I KNOW A GIRL WHOSE BOYFRIEND IS PARALYZED FOR LIFE BECAUSE OF A POOL ACCIDENT. NOT FUNNY. DON'T DO IT. IT ONLY TAKES ONE STUPID MOVE TO RUIN YOUR LIFE.. OR END IT.

July 28 2011 at 7:23 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply