Street Luge

Street lugers lie supine on a wheeled board and descend paved roads at speeds that regularly exceed 100 mph, with no engine, no brakes, and only leather as protection from the asphalt. The sport evolved from skateboard downhill racing in California in the 1970s and was popularised by the ESPN X Games from 1995, where competitors reach speeds of over 70 mph on closed courses. Unclosed public road descents in the Santa Monica Mountains and Swiss Alps have produced speeds of 130+ mph; the margin of error at those velocities means a single pebble or vehicle can be instantly fatal.