Man loses leg on 'Drift Trike,' vows to ride again
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ROSEBURG, Ore. -- A popular sport in New Zealand is making a splash here in Douglas County, but as KPIC News found out, "Drift Triking" can be very dangerous.
Just a few weeks ago, Chris Martin was doing what a group of people do every weekend: speeding down the hill on a drift trike.
The machine is essentially a homemade tricycle.
Martin crashed his homemade trike, and he lost a part of his leg.
But Chris says that in spite of losing his leg in the crash, he would like to get back out there. "I'd be lying if I said I'd never try it again," Martin said.
He says he learned about drift triking on YouTube.
Martin says he was on Callahan Mountain when he slid off the road and fell over forty feet, landing on his left leg.
Martin's friends say they had to lift him up over the bank with a rope.
One drift triking enthusiast says that just like any other sport, he takes every precaution he can. "We all wear helmets and some of us wear knee pads, so I don't think it's any more dangerous than anything else that anyone else could be doing, like snowboarding," said the man who identified himself as "Super Chris."
The other Chris says he will be more cautious in the future. "It's just going to be a matter of being a little more cautious and knowing you can get yourself in certain situations," he said.
Martin says it's simply a fun activity, and one he's not willing to give up any time soon.
Looks like a lot of fun but I recently had a problem with a few kids "drifting" into a street with little regard for traffic. That said, I think it is great that they can come up with new ways of having fun other than doing meth and becoming teenage parents. They just need a little common sense.
In*
Word
I drive race cars over 100mph and I feel just as safe if not safer than I'm a professional built roll cage
I'm sorry some folks thinks its idiotic or stupid, but I guess drift trikers could be doing something else besides fabricating a piece of equipment that they can ride down a hill with a big smile on their face. Like sitting at home watching tv, or trolling news stories calling people stupid because they have a different sense of enjoyment. At least the people sitting at home will be safe.... Rather than learning how to.weld and design a bike frame, put it to use, and maybe get hurt having the time of their life. I'm sorry, but I would rather leave this world too young with a smile on my face and no regrets than grow old and pass away wishing I would have taken more risks and experienced more stuff.
I think somebody's about one unplanned spin-out away from getting smoked by an oncoming vehicle, like a big 4-wheel drive truck that never even saw you cuz you're so low to the ground.
I like the way someone says something on here and then gets a raft of crap from the others posting on here!!! Still think its idiotic!!!
how fast do you go?
You are such a stud my bud!!!!!! Glad you stand up for something you all enjoy to do. So great to see Chris Martin doing so well and telling everyone his story and how he feels about it. You are a great bunch of guys!!!!!Â
I know with 4/5 hours on a Saturday I could make a simple but efficient "emergency brake" for one of these, that you pull WSHTF.
Yes o yes we r gonna build one
Aaron Brown has a trike and he loves it
That's just like saying there better not be someone walking in front of me f there is I'm gonna push em down.
I think everyone on a trike would agree with you. Don't swerve, treat the riders just like deer. Slowdown or stop never swerve.
Ha well here another local hero.
Better be careful your not in my lane when i am driving i wont swerve and put my family over the bank.
Have and will! Many local back roads and with a pilot car in front and or behind the trike group traffic is more aware, less of a problem
If you stay in the correct lane oncoming tragic does not conflict
Just curious, what about oncoming traffic? It's obvious that this is done on public roads.
I think it's pretty cool:)
Keep on trikin on!
Others have no right to judge people's choice of recreation. He's wearing a helmet and eye protection. There are people who do more extreme sports in much much less... Live is short and we only live it once so why not enjoy it the way we choose to?
O yeah that's cool
I mean Cautious, Courteous and Careful!
No it would make us look bad
Dare I use the "C" word here?
Thank you for telling it how it really is. They are not nearly as uncontrollable as most people believe.
Thank you but we are not idiots!
It isn't any more dangerous than mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing... Stuff just happens. Unfortunate and not always avoidable even with the best of "protection".
People walking down the street can be just as dumb. With this being out now it's prob going to cause more people to be against it. Either way I'm still tricken on
IDIOTS
Not at 55 lol
I did it with a Big Wheel when I was a kid. hahaha Sure. It looks fun and we could get hurt walking down the street. Racing is a great sport. They should make sure it is as safe as possible though. Pads and tracks if possible.