why do men pursue dangerous activities?

[BladeVenom]

Because it's fun, and because of testosterone.

 

[highland145]

At 44, I definitely have developed a finer sense of my own mortality and have experienced enough wear and tear to make the recovery from "thrilling" activities painful and laborious. Yet, I am building a single speed coaster brake only mountain bike to take to the local trails so they seem more thrilling (i.e. sphincter tightening adrenalin rushes).

Why? As Dave the Nerd said, "Because it's awesome"

The wife insisted we go to Charleston, Saturday morning in the AM, about 3" of rain....her car, her problem...

:biggrin:

 

[Imp]

I shit myself so much about the risk afterwards that I usually don't anymore -- so not because it's dangerous, but because I want to shut my inner-voices up.

 

[QueBert]

This applies mostly to Caucasian males from my experience. I have tons of black male friends and I couldn't get them to do shit that was even semi dangerous. There are exceptions sure, but there is a reason you only see white males on Jackass type shows.

 

[_Rick_]

I don't ski, because I ride a road bicycle up the mountains in summer.
I'm aware, that this is semi-suicidal, but skiing is full-on suicidal.
I don't do fast descents by bike either, I don't go beyond topping out in the 40-50 mph on the straights, and apply brakes well before the turns.

Thing is, brake failure means you go go into the cliff face, or over the edge. Had a front tire pressure loss last year, either right before a switchback, or even during cornering. Wiped me right out, in the middle of the road. Luckily no car was following, or worse, coming the other way. Still wear the scar.
Once rode "with no handlebars" - slipped off the pedal, front wheel twisted, and I fell and ruptured a tendon in my shoulder, which led to it dislocating until surgically fixed. To this day, it still feels unstable at some extension angles..

Also playing the comparably gentle volleyball has led to sprained ankles, and a ruptured tendon in my right ankle - that one also hurts now, depending on the weather.
My prognosis is, that if I were to ski, I'd fuck up my knee within two years.

I do still drive like an idiot on public roads at times - but I try to stick to my lanes in unsighted corners, or make sure no traffic is in the way. I can't even drive fast on a wet highway anymore, simply because I know that aquaplaning isn't a myth.

Experience is such a fun-sucker.

 

[tcsenter]

Yeah, its some kind of evolutionary sense of gratification or accomplishment from cheating death. e.g. I just fell down the mountain, ruptured my spleen, lost an eye, and broke 16 bones. I can still wipe my own butt through the body cast hole and get to wear an eye patch. Hellz yeah!

 

[stargazr]

It makes you feel more alive. As you get older, you tend to think more about staying alive and take fewer risks