No one has ever wanted to win a contest more than Austrian trials cyclist Fabio Wibmer.
In pursuit of the GoPro Of the World Best Line Contest $15,000 grand prize, the 21-year-old daredevil strapped on a helmet cam, rode up to the fence overlooking the 660-foot-tall Kölnbrein Dam in Carinthia, Austria, and rode down the 2-inch handrail – snow and asphalt to his right, and certain death to his left:
On multiple occasions, Wibmer pauses and leans over the abyss to catch his balance. We challenge you to focus on that squirrely front tire without getting nauseous. (If you can’t take it anymore, look at those picturesque Austrian Alps to the side.)
You’re probably watching the video thinking, “That guy is insane!” So insane, you just might follow suit.
In a recent Caltech study, researchers found that people are more likely to partake in risky business themselves just after they’ve seen someone else complete a risk-seeking behaviour – providing that person doesn’t, for instance, fall to their death off an Austrian dam.
The scientists call it the contagion effect; we have a tendency to reflect the risk-taking behaviors that we observe. Then there’s also the mating-ritual effect: Research shows that women are more attracted to guys who take risks.
But, if you’re going to dust off the old BMX bike to go on the prowl, maybe test your skills on a sidewalk curb before hitting the Hoover Dam. Pros like Wibmer are only attractive when they make it to the other side.
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