Motorcycle daredevil Alex Harvill dies in crash practicing for world record jump

[Stevicus]

Motorcycle daredevil Alex Harvill dies in crash practicing for world record jump - ABC News (go.com)

Daredevil motorcycle rider Alex Harvill died in a crash Thursday while practicing for a record jump.

Harvill, 28, was practicing at the Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington, when the accident occurred, according to the Grant County Coroner's Office.

The record jump was set to take place at the Moses Lake Airshow on Thursday morning, but he was fatally injured in a warmup jump prior to the record attempt. It was the first scheduled event of the three-day show.

Harvill was attempting to break the distance record for longest motorcycle jump, set at 351 feet by Robbie Maddison in March 2008.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to Alex's family, friends and loved ones," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

An autopsy was set to be performed on Friday, according to the Grant County coroner.

"We regret to report today at our first event of the airshow -- the Guinness World Record Jump Attempt, Alex Harvill was injured during his warm-up before the jump and has been taken to the hospital," the Moses Lake Airshow said in a statement on its Facebook page. "We do not have more information at this time regarding the incident."

Harvill, who lived in Ephrata, Washington, was married and had a son, Watson, just last month. He also had an older son named Willis.

Maddison posted a remembrance for Harvill on Thursday evening, saying he was "shattered" by the news.

"[He] was out to set a new world record today when he paid the ultimate price," Maddison wrote on Instagram. "My heart is broken for his family. Sending our love To Jessica, Willy and Watson."

Sad story. I sometimes wonder about these daredevil stunts and wonder if they're really worth it.

 

[Aupmanyav]

A waste of life. Same about mountaineers, climbers, etc. They should retreat when thing start going wrong. They leave pain behind. Listing of such events also should be outlawed - Guinness Book of records - How many glass bulbs did a man eat?

 

[Debater Slayer]

I'm undecided for only one reason: if these stunts are outlawed on the basis of the danger they pose to the lives of the people voluntarily engaging in them, what about something like smoking? It's not like the world's leading cause of preventable cancer deaths is any less harmful than these stunts, yet it's not outlawed. Where do we draw the line?

Other than that specific issue, I'd probably lean toward outlawing the life-threatening stunts, perhaps with some exceptions on a case-by-case basis. I realize the line between an acceptable but dangerous voluntary activity and a completely unacceptable one may sometimes be very blurry, though.

 

[Stevicus]

As a kid, I grew up when Evel Knievel was really popular, and there was even a film where George Hamilton played Knievel. A lot of other kids thought he was really cool. (Awful Knaufel was not quite so cool.)

Evel Knievel - Wikipedia

I recall the last part of the movie with a brief monologue by Knievel:

Important people in this country, celebrities like myself — Elvis, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne — we have a responsibility. There are millions of people that look at our lives and it gives theirs some meaning. People come out from their jobs, most of which are meaningless to them, and they watch me jump 20 cars, maybe get splattered. It means something to them. They jump right alongside of me — they take the bars in their hands, and for one split second, they’re all daredevils. I am the last gladiator in the new Rome. I go into the arena and I compete against destruction and I win. And next week, I go out there and I do it again. And this time — civilization being what it is and all — we have very little choice about our life. The only thing really left to us is a choice about our death. And mine will be — glorious.

 

[Kooky]

In a capitalist system, there will always remain monetary and societal invenctives for people to put their bodies in the line like this, regardless of what the law might say.

If it was outlawed, I would expect them to find a way to do it despite the law, and reap their rewards illegally; this happened in the past with many 'outlaw' sports and borderline-illegal outsider activities that would later become legitimized in the face of lucrative sponsorship, so I don't think my prediction would be implausible.

Personally, I would err on the side of liberty, but would also like to make sure that these people could find a way to peddle their trade safely and without fear of financial destitution once they stopped putting their bodies on the line; perhaps a kind of retirement fund, to be extracted from the profits of sponsors and event organizers.

 

[Aupmanyav]

While I do not deny what you say, would not it be better if they got the retirement fund by doing something else, something safer.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

No. They know what the risk is. They do it because they're thrill seekers and enjoy it. It would be a useless law.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Sad story. I sometimes wonder about these daredevil stunts and wonder if they're really worth it.

Outlawing them is the wrong way to outlaw them. Sometimes let wisdom be the law that is against certain things. As you can see most people do not become motorcycle jumpers, and employers cannot force workers to become motorcycle jumpers. There are enough laws that it doesn't become a problem.

In favor of motorcycle jumping: it is thrilling, and maybe this person knows something about it that we do not. Take into account that this person has their own mind, and don't patronize them.

Why? Because there are many millions of activities, all of which could be regulated by laws, but we can't keep track of all the laws that exist. The laws that exist become outdated and nonsensical as time progresses. The law is a practice not a final solution to any problem.

 

[Mock Turtle]

It's mostly a freedom of expression issue as I see it, and as such people should be allowed to do what they want as long as it doesn't harm others. Those who have commitments, like partners and/or children should probably not be doing potentially lethal things like this incident though, or the more extreme activities. I knew the risks involved in all that I did, and obviously tried to minimise such, and no doubt so did all my friends, such that if anything did occur then we knew we were the ones to take the blame for whatever might happen. I would never do all-or-nothing things like this though - just too risky.

 

[Subduction Zone]

People do this sort of thing without monetary incentives. Often just for the thrill of it. If it is organized the risk may be minimalized. When people realize how much prep is needed for a world record jump or other such record you won't have every yahoo that has had one too many beers trying for it on one's own.

 

[SigurdReginson]

I'd say no. As long as we go into something knowing the risks, and it doesn't harm others, and we are of sound mind, then it's our life to live. We can only do so much to protect people from themselves, and honestly, some hobbies are just dangerous. Climbing Mount Everest and skydiving comes to mind...

 

[Twilight Hue]

Motorcycle daredevil Alex Harvill dies in crash practicing for world record jump - ABC News (go.com)







Sad story. I sometimes wonder about these daredevil stunts and wonder if they're really worth it.

I agree with @SigurdReginson .
Let's just say people go in knowing the risks.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

A waste of life. Same about mountaineers, climbers, etc. They should retreat when thing start going wrong. They leave pain behind.

I say let them do it. We don't know how they would externalize their expression if they couldn't do any of those things

 

[Aupmanyav]

My view won't stop such people to endanger and loose their life, but I do not consider it right. The person was just 28 year old. He could have had a long happy life.

 

[Stevicus]

I'd say no. As long as we go into something knowing the risks, and it doesn't harm others, and we are of sound mind, then it's our life to live. We can only do so much to protect people from themselves, and honestly, some hobbies are just dangerous. Climbing Mount Everest and skydiving comes to mind...

I guess it would depend on the circumstances and the overall chances for survival. Most people who skydive end up surviving. I don't know about the stats for climbing Mount Everest.

I suppose the question is, where do we draw the line? Gladiatorial games are clearly (and justifiably) outlawed, yet one could use the same arguments that, as long as they do it of their own free will, go in knowing the risks, and it doesn't harm others, then it's their life. Just like Evel Knievel being compared to a "gladiator in a new Rome."

Of course, combat sports have also been criticized, such as boxing and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. I've never been a fan of those sports anyway.

 

[SigurdReginson]

I guess it would depend on the circumstances and the overall chances for survival. Most people who skydive end up surviving. I don't know about the stats for climbing Mount Everest.

I suppose the question is, where do we draw the line? Gladiatorial games are clearly (and justifiably) outlawed, yet one could use the same arguments that, as long as they do it of their own free will, go in knowing the risks, and it doesn't harm others, then it's their life. Just like Evel Knievel being compared to a "gladiator in a new Rome."

Of course, combat sports have also been criticized, such as boxing and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. I've never been a fan of those sports anyway.

Hmmm... I think a distinct difference between something like climbing Mount Everest and blood sports like gladiatorial combat is that blood sports require hurting someone else. For me, that's the main lynch pin.

There is a sort of level of voyeurism in watching people doing something you know can potentially hurt them with the expectation that you might see them get hurt, too. Doing something that involves viewing suffering in a very public way might be another lynch pin for me...

Kind of reminds me of TOOL's song, Vicarious. It covers this subject in a thought provoking way.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I guess it would depend on the circumstances and the overall chances for survival. Most people who skydive end up surviving. I don't know about the stats for climbing Mount Everest.

I suppose the question is, where do we draw the line? Gladiatorial games are clearly (and justifiably) outlawed, yet one could use the same arguments that, as long as they do it of their own free will, go in knowing the risks, and it doesn't harm others, then it's their life. Just like Evel Knievel being compared to a "gladiator in a new Rome."

Of course, combat sports have also been criticized, such as boxing and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. I've never been a fan of those sports anyway.

Gladiators were slaves and criminals trying to win their freedom. They weren't doing it for fun or because they wanted to. People box and fight in MMA because they want to.

 

[Stevicus]

Gladiators were slaves and criminals trying to win their freedom. They weren't doing it for fun or because they wanted to. People box and fight in MMA because they want to.

What if there were gladiators who wanted to do it?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

What if there were gladiators who wanted to do it?

Setting out to kill people would be murder, so obviously it would be illegal. They're not trying to kill each other in boxing or MMA. There's rules and regulations.