You Might Need a New Sport

Initial reaction upon hearing the news of yesterday evening’s Ravenel Bridge rescue: “Oh my gosh! What happened?!?”

Reaction upon hearing there were two guys dangling from the bridge: “Wait, huh? How?”

Reaction upon hearing the two guys dangling from the bridge were doing it for sport: “……….”

Yes, as we now know, these two adventure-seekers were scaling the 200-foot bridge all in good fun. Though both had at one point been seen hanging over the Cooper River on the outer part of the bridge, one had managed to pull himself back up. Unfortunately for the other… he couldn’t quite make it. Aaaaaaand cue the crane, fire trucks, police cars, and 30-minute two-lane closure on 17 North just in time for 5:30 traffic.

According to a Live 5 News Web Staff report posted on Fox 6 WBRC, following the rescue by Mount Pleasant firefighters, the 18-and 21-year-old men told officials that they “[did] things like this for fun,” adding that the sport “was called parkour.”

Parkour—sounds intriguing. Merriam-Webster defines it as: “The sport of traversing environmental obstacles by running, climbing, or leaping rapidly and efficiently.” Urban Dictionary gives a bit more insight: “Parkour (also called Le Parkour, PK, or free running) is a quasi-sport in which participants attempt to clear all obstacles in their path in the most fluid manner possible.”

Too bad for these stellar atheletes, they were neither efficient nor fluid and have both been arrested, charged with disorderly conduct, and each face a $262 fine. 

Photo credit: Brandon Geier/WCIV

Lead photo credit: Live 5 News