Helmet cam video of scary downhill bike race on the streets of Valparaiso, Chile

[Video Link] As I watched this, I kept tilting my head up to see what was coming down the road, but it didn't work. (Thanks, Felipe Li!)

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Bevatron Repairman

Look at about 0:03-0:04. He’s wearing a pinstripe suit, too. Stylish and crazy.
- http://profiles.google.com/silberdrachi Erik Gilson
  
  Live fast. Die young. Leave a good looking corpse.
Daniel Postilnik

At 2:32, this badass laughs out loud.
- joeposts
  
  yeah, that was the best. He’s laughing and I’m nervous watching his video. The angle of the camera wasn’t the best for the downhill portions, but it was perfect for those crazy blind jumps.
- jimh
  
  It appears that he laughs after taking an optional big drop, and the crowd cheers wildly. It seems like at that point in the course, the rider can choose to go further down and take a constructed plywood hairpin, or just drop off the high wall onto the landing, which he took.
Jaunty Angle

Watch out for the dog! :35
- http://plagmada.org Tim H
  
  I poorly translate from previous year’s race manual:
  
  “And judges may introduce between one and three medium sized canines onto the track route at agreed upon previous locations. If a dog cannot be enticed onto the track at the proper point, a signal should be made to a secondary dog station down the track. It is not required that the dogs be introduced at the same point on the track for each racer, but judges should choose similar conditions at which to introduce dogs between racers. Dogs should not be introduced within twenty meters of a constructed jump. Crowds are not allowed to watch from within twenty meters of where a dog might be introduced. Dogs should be released five meters from the track and directed by handlers to cross or lie upon track.”
ieatlegos

@ :36 ”PERRO!”
GawainLavers

And oldie but a goodie.
http://www.avoision.com/ avoision

Not sure about the affiliation of the YouTube channel, but the original video is over on Vimeo.

Definitely something you should watch full-screen.
hakuin

GoPro?
bbonyx

Yeah, I just wish the GoPro had been tiled up a degree or two more. I think, like being at the front of the roller coaster, seeing what was coming a fraction of a second faster would have improved it. By the time I had the opportunity to say “Oh shit” on some of those gaps, they were already almost behind him.
- MrWoods
  
  The focus about 10 feet ahead seemed accurate to where you are looking when negotiating tricky terrain on a bike, it made me feel like I was riding it. Of course I would die on the first gap.
- jimh
  
  I think the helmet or the camera mount gets shaken down a little over the run. The visibility of the course ahead is better in the beginning- it’s not until the last quarter of the run that I found myself looking upward to see what was coming…
Jonathan Donald

Looks like a blast, but I have to wonder – how many people have died or been permanently maimed on this course???
- Bonobo
  
  Worth it.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Davies/527590617 Christopher Davies
  
  It can be very easy to hurt yourself on courses like this Jon, but mostly due to lack of preparation and bad racing lines. However, attempting it without serious track knowledge, necessary weight distribution, detailed section-related speed control or a space age bike is simply not an option. Also, the bikes are of such a calibre that they absorb tremendous impacts while carrying the rider at extraordinary speed.. again, providing the drops are managed correctly. I would love a crack at this course, particularly as it is so misleading. Even after a run or two you could easily be caught out.
  - pKp
    
    In short: don’t do this at home, kids !
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KLDXI7FI3NUHYC23SUHMGLNBCQ Tom

The crazy fun that people have when the insurance companies and lawyers don’t mung it all up.
- robdobbs
  
  One of the joys of living in anyplace but America.
bcsizemo

The cheap way of getting those Group B rally thrills back…
Shibi_SF

Every ramp and (blind) jump and turn gave me goose bumps all over my body! I basically sat at my computer involuntarily emitting UGHGHGUGHGHGAAAAAH sounds with my arm hairs standing on end for about 3 and a half minutes. That was an awesome ride!
anansi133

Google Street View, eat your heart out!
dlelash

I think having a dog on the course is required for these.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO0VLouJFNQ
- http://twitter.com/sirkowski Sirkowski
  
  The Tour de France too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3p0dmeecwE&feature=related
  - teapot
    
    I thought that was going to be this:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRx8jO9DX5c
    ^guy BMX jumps the TDF course. Money-shot at 0:16
Marktech

The internet has spoilt me. I want to see it done on a unicycle by someone dressed as Darth Vader playing the bagpipes.
RayCornwall

This reminded me of a video game level that you’d have to replay over and over again just to pass because you’d fall off your bike or slide into the crowd or miss a turn…and after the 110th try, you’d barely pass. And it’s awesome. (In other words, it’s most of my time with Jak 2 for PS2…)
- http://www.commodorecrush.com/ Commodore Crush
  
  Agreed! I kept thinking it was like some hidden 720/Skate or Die/Paperboy level!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=8834925 Chauncey Scott

More sketchy than the skiing video from Vancouver, from about 4 months ago.
http://nawel.tumblr.com Nawel

I’ve seen this before in Chilean media, but it’s nice it’s posted here =) Cheers!!
SoItBegins

Professional driver. Closed course. Do NOT attempt if you value your skin!
teapot

This one was on wins.failblog a couple weeks ago and IMO is far more hardcore (and better shot):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2y5R_MN5IA