Longboarding isn’t exactly the most efficient way to get from point A to point B. Unlike a bicycle with pedals and gears, or a scooter with an engine, the longboard is just four wheels, some trucks, and a wooden platform, which isn’t much, considering that downhill runs have been clocked at more than 80 miles per hour.
That said, they’re a fun way to get around, assuming you’ve got a good sense of balance. And lots of protective gear. Especially if you plan to hurtle down a winding road shared with cars and wildlife.
Jared Henry, the longboarder featured in this video, was cruising down a winding country road in the Ozark Mountains when, unfortunately, a young deer darted out in front of him. According to the Fayetchill Clothing Company YouTube channel, he had just put on an extra layer of clothing due to coldness before taking this run. This extra padding definitely came in handy when he hit the pavement and skidded along at over 50 kilometres per hour. Unfortunately, the young deer didn’t have the luxury of a second layer, and it didn’t survive the collision.
Believe it or not, Henry brushed himself off and took two more runs before the shoot was through, making up for a lack of common sense with extra determination. This kind of high-speed longboarding is extremely foolhardy, exactly because random events like this can occur. If the deer had been larger, it would have been Henry’s life on the line rather than the fawn’s. And if a car had been approaching in the other direction while Henry slid into oncoming traffic, that poor fawn would have been the least of his problems.
