Richard
12th July 2004, 06:57 AM
See the firewalking in NZ, some burnt feet plus my
take on what went wrong at the end.
http://www.users.on.net/~ct/skeptic/videos/
firewalking_nz.wmv
also, from Steve Roberts, another Australian Skeptic...
I agree with Richard's assessment. Having been badly burned with 30
blisters from a similar firewalk myself (although emerged completely
unscathed from 3 others) I found this very harrowing viewing. The coals
are far too mushy and fluffy, the fire walkers sort of splash into the pit,
and the feet go in right up to the ankle, which is quite unnecessary.
Also there were patches of flame still on the go - they should have let the
coals burn down further. Not many flames on the surface but there appeared
to be flames going just underneath. Would have been wiser to wait another
30 minutes with the pit in that state (I know the crowd would have been
waiting 2 hours already, but that is what physics requires)
Other criticisms:
* It's held during the daytime, the pit does not glow much (far more
spectacular at night)
* The walkers are in a state of semi panic when they get to the pit, and
some of them are running, which causes them to jump in harder. Should have
been told to walk at a nice steady pace and be at ease.
* Sometimes the firewalkers got quite close together. When that happens,
if someone just leaving the pit stumbles, the next walker could fall over
them. Much harder to get 2 bodies than just 1 body out of a pit of burning
coals.
* No need for a paddling pool at the end. For cartoon characters only.
* Mushy coals could have led to someone falling over - should have been
burned down to a firmer base
* NOBODY with boots on standing near the pits. There were probably some
such people near the cameraman and not in shot, but nobody was close enough
to be able to wade in and pick up somebody who fell over
* Nobody taking photos (unless you count the TV film crew) - what souvenir
did the firewalkers have when they'd done it?
They probably had not rehearsed it with the same wood they were using.
However it was nicely staged, in a place where lots of people could see it
.... God only knows how they got any insurance (or if they will get sued)
Also, the walkers were well marshalled to come out of a channel without
disturbance from the crowd.
It shows that we have to be very careful when trying to demonstrate
something. Might end up demonstrating the opposite!
Steve
take on what went wrong at the end.
http://www.users.on.net/~ct/skeptic/videos/
firewalking_nz.wmv
also, from Steve Roberts, another Australian Skeptic...
I agree with Richard's assessment. Having been badly burned with 30
blisters from a similar firewalk myself (although emerged completely
unscathed from 3 others) I found this very harrowing viewing. The coals
are far too mushy and fluffy, the fire walkers sort of splash into the pit,
and the feet go in right up to the ankle, which is quite unnecessary.
Also there were patches of flame still on the go - they should have let the
coals burn down further. Not many flames on the surface but there appeared
to be flames going just underneath. Would have been wiser to wait another
30 minutes with the pit in that state (I know the crowd would have been
waiting 2 hours already, but that is what physics requires)
Other criticisms:
* It's held during the daytime, the pit does not glow much (far more
spectacular at night)
* The walkers are in a state of semi panic when they get to the pit, and
some of them are running, which causes them to jump in harder. Should have
been told to walk at a nice steady pace and be at ease.
* Sometimes the firewalkers got quite close together. When that happens,
if someone just leaving the pit stumbles, the next walker could fall over
them. Much harder to get 2 bodies than just 1 body out of a pit of burning
coals.
* No need for a paddling pool at the end. For cartoon characters only.
* Mushy coals could have led to someone falling over - should have been
burned down to a firmer base
* NOBODY with boots on standing near the pits. There were probably some
such people near the cameraman and not in shot, but nobody was close enough
to be able to wade in and pick up somebody who fell over
* Nobody taking photos (unless you count the TV film crew) - what souvenir
did the firewalkers have when they'd done it?
They probably had not rehearsed it with the same wood they were using.
However it was nicely staged, in a place where lots of people could see it
.... God only knows how they got any insurance (or if they will get sued)
Also, the walkers were well marshalled to come out of a channel without
disturbance from the crowd.
It shows that we have to be very careful when trying to demonstrate
something. Might end up demonstrating the opposite!
Steve