[imagesource:twitter/arrivealive]

A tragic video has been doing the rounds of a ‘car surfer’ losing his balance and his life as South Africans seem to be tempting death in search of thrills.

Following the public outcry in recent years around so-called ‘train surfing’, the recklessness has moved to our public roads with people ‘surfing‘ on the roof of their cars.

Sometimes, these pranks have tragic consequences as is evident in this video, and the AA now hopes that this viral video would teach people that standing on the roof of a car while moving is not just stupid, but deadly.

The tragic 25-second video was taken by someone following a Volkswagen Polo, and as they film a man can be seen climbing barefoot onto the roof of the Polo before throwing his hands in the air in an apparent triumph of his achievement.

Car surfing involves riding on the roof while another individual drives the car and has resulted in numerous deaths and serious injuries since the craze began in the 1980s.

At first, it appears as if he finds his balance, but then slips and somersaults backwards off the roof onto the road.  He lands on his neck after which he lays still, and the car filming behind him has to brake hard to avoid hitting him.

The driver in the car behind can be heard saying: “I don’t know what this oke is doing. He’s lost his mind, lost his mind.”

After the fall, the person can be heard saying “I was waiting for that.”

According to reports, the man suffered a broken neck and died on the scene. You can watch the video below, but be warned, it is shocking.

[Not for sensitive viewers] When we are asked about the high road fatality rate in South Africa…consider these types of behaviour. 🙁 https://t.co/RDbvK5BKLz #ArriveAlive @kakspotter pic.twitter.com/CGBBbW5AV1

— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) April 15, 2023

As predictable as the outcome of such foolishness is, the response from people who saw the viral video was perhaps sadly also predictably unsympathetic. Arrive Alive hopes that the released video, although shocking, will deter people from taking chances in the name of thrills.

Not just a South African problem, it is estimated that 58 car surfers passed away and a further 42 suffered serious injuries in the US between 1990 and 2008.

Can’t people just stick to ice bucket challenges?

[source:sapeople]