This is a classic example of a good idea that ended up backfiring.

In the popular Spanish seaside town of Estepona, on the Costa del Sol, a 38-metre long slide linking two streets to one another was unveiled on Thursday.

Intended to give “residents of all ages a quick way to travel between the streets, which sit at very different levels”, it was closed less than 24 hours later after it turned into a public safety hazard.

Predictably, there was outrage, as the Guardian reports:

“The Estepona slide is a piece of shit,” one woman wrote on Twitter. “I went on it and got hurt all over. I flew two metres and the police started to laugh.”

She also posted pictures of her grazed elbows, adding: “I’m not putting up one of my arse, which is worse.”

On Friday, the council said it had ordered the company that built the slide to carry out a thorough check.

But it also said that people needed to follow the instructions posted on the slide, such as riding it sitting up rather than lying down, keeping arms in and not using it at the same time as other people.

Sure, because people are really good at following instructions.

Here’s a video showing some slide users doing things by the book, with a rogue human bullet shooting off at the end:

Check out the speed generated by this person:

Finally, here’s the view from the top:

As many have pointed out on social media, you’d love to be a doctor or dentist operating nearby.

The local council has requested a new check to provide maximum guarantees and safety for users, with the slide remaining closed until further notice.

Sheesh, almost makes one miss Ratanga Junction.

[source:guardian]