Bumper skiing, anyone ever do it?

[reitz]

For those of you unfortunate enough to live in areas where 2+ feet of snow in a day is nothing to make a big deal out of, it refers to the practice of grabbing on to the rear bumper of passing cars or trucks and sliding down an icy road.

When I was in middle school and the first year or two of high school, we could make a night out of it. We had it down to a science: two kids would stand in the middle of the road and pretend to fight, stopping the car and focusing the driver's attention ahead of him instead of behind him. The rest of us (usually two or three other kids) would run out of hiding, lay down on the road, and grab on to the rear bumper. There was always a contest to see who could ride the furthest; my best ever was a little better than a quarter of a mile, and I only let go because the car was turning onto a busy road.

Looking back, I can see how dangerous it was, but it was so much fun (though at times I am amazed I made it to adulthood with all of my limbs intact). Anyone ever hear of it?

 

[optoman]

Yep, we use to do that. We called it skitching. Never was any good at it. I don't think the youth of today will ever experience it because all the bumpers are molded plastic. No where to grab onto.

 

[Napalm381]

It's fun to do stupid stuff when you're young! In high school I enjoyed jumping on my friends hoods and riding as they drove through the parking lot. Stupid? Hell yeah.

 

[reitz]

Napalm, I know what you mean. My brother and I once "surfed" on the roof of our friend's car at 45 mph. Dumb, dumb, dumb...

 

[Napalm381]

I still relish the idea of putting the ski rack on the truck, attaching the skis to it, and then attaching me to the skis. I figure if I wear enough safety gear it's foolproof...

 

[reitz]

What happens if the driver needs to make a sudden stop?

 

[Napalm381]

That's what all the ropes are for

And, I should add, why I'd want to do it at 3 AM on a little traveled road.

 

[reitz]

Make sure you get nice and liquored up before you attempt the stunt...alcohol is a great pain killer

It sounds like a hell of a plan, though.

 

[cxim]

I liked going down ski slopes at night after the rest on top closes, on a food tray. This gives one plenty of time to be well lubricated.

lights other than flares are verbotten. blind drunk gets new meaning on a mountain, in a snowstorm, at night, oh yes, best practiced above the treeline.

 

[BiB]

Just last winter in the heart of my city I saw a guy in a jeep pulling his friend around the streets on skis after a snow storm. It was funny to watch because I'm not sure the cops would have been very impressed

 

[desy]

We used to call it bumper shinning.
Did it to the school bus every day the driver knew we were doing it but he'd get out and walk around the bus but we would stay ahead of him ringing around the bus by looking under it to see where he was and when he gave up and got back in we'd latch on!!

 

[Rastus]

We called it hookeybobbing.

 

[zodder]

We call it skeetching in Rochester, NY! I haven't done that in years. Big parking lots were the best!!