Damon: Is this tempting fate? Does the person in this video have a death wish?

Tightrope walking has long been a tradition in various countries and it's also commonly associated with the circus.

Acrobats keep their balance by positioning their centre of mass directly over their base of support. In other words, they shift most of their weight over their legs, arms or whatever part of their body they are using to hold them up. 

See: Stunt plane crashes into river, caught on video

Sometimes you see the wire-walker using a pole for balance or they stretch out their arms, which distributes mass away from the pivot point.

Sounds very complicated...

An Ecuadorian highwire walker even made the Guinness Book of World Records for living for 205 days on a wire. Wow!

I saw a circus act go wrong once when the performers made a pyramid and the lady right at the top was on a chair. Someone lost their balance or slipped and the entire group came tumbling down.

Thank goodness that was in a circus ring and not 20 stories up - or over crocodile-infested water!


Is this tempting fate and does the person in this video have a death wish as he walks over a bunch of hungry-looking crocs? Madness!


I couldn't even watch...