7/15/2003: Buggyrollin'

Undertoad • Jul 15, 2003 1:35 pm

French Designer Jean-Yves Blondeau demonstrates his "buggy rollin" suit at Munich's Ispo 03 Summer sports fair.

Blondeau created the suit some years ago and his looking to commercialize it.

Lawyers everywhere are salivating.

hot_pastrami • Jul 15, 2003 1:54 pm

Actually, this is a shot of Johnny Depp on the set of the sequel to Edward Scissorhands...

Hmm, wasn't as funny as I hoped it would be. Story of my life.

bjlhct • Jul 15, 2003 3:08 pm

Pothole...

xoxoxoBruce • Jul 15, 2003 6:38 pm

Looks like it would take as much time as a matador to get ready. Maybe more dangerous too.:rolleyes:

richlevy • Jul 15, 2003 10:44 pm

I first thought that anyone using a regular luge was nuts. Then came 'street luge', which is lying down feet first on an oversized skateboard and going 80+ mph on asphalt.

Now someone raises (lowers) the bar with a rolling bodysuit.

At least the thing looks like its made of some ABS plastic. All they have to do is lock the suits joints when it comes time for traction.

bjlhct • Jul 16, 2003 1:01 am

Why are there wheels on the back? Is he that stupid?

bmgb • Jul 16, 2003 1:34 am

I wonder how he stands up.

Torrere • Jul 16, 2003 4:52 am

This begs for parallels from some insanely stupid French history.

Like making personal tanks (shells that people crawled under) during World War I.

gem8936 • Jul 16, 2003 11:32 am

Makes a great Patent of the Week, too.

Here's Blondeau's:

And if you want to do it in the snow:

And • Jul 22, 2003 1:14 pm

RollerSuit=Fail.

All you have to do is hit a good bump with one arm or leg, and instead of rolling, you're sliding, possibly out of control. God help the schtoopnegle that tries to jump with it (and you know someone would).

quzah • Jul 22, 2003 9:34 pm

Originally posted by bjlhct
Why are there wheels on the back? Is he that stupid?

See the above post for the street luge. The wheels on the back, I assume, are for people who don't feel like going face first. (Which incidently seems vastly safer.)

Quzah.

tjennings • Jul 29, 2003 11:35 am

I would hope the ride isn't too exciting. Wouldn't want the central kickstand to lower itself too much during a run.

russotto • Jul 29, 2003 11:46 am

I beleive I met this guy (with a slightly different suit) during the Lausanne World Inline Festival about three years ago.

If it wasn't him, someone has a heck of a claim on prior art, anyway.