The 'Planking' Craze

[Mikaze]

it's not just about lying somewhere imitating a plant, it's about being creative with how you do it... it's not a sprt, it's a hobby...

some guy got arrested for planking on top of a police car

the challenge eventually becomes planking in a new way/spot that no one else has

yes, it's a little stupid, but no worse than any other similarly stupid trends i've seen

Stupid and kind of hilarious to watch. Friend of mine is looking for someone that is >7 foot 3 inches to plank one of the bridges at uni side to side.

OT: It's just a cheap way of amusing both yourself and the large internet audience who also think it's funny.

 

[Merkavar]

Reminds me of this ^^^ Its not an australian thing its a world wide retarded practice. seems its as old as 2003.

It is an Australian thing only I think (for the time being anyway), it is retarded but worth a laugh.

If you missed it on the news a guy died from this: http://www.news.com.au/national/fatal-balcony-fall-linked-to-planking/story-e6frfkwr-1226056214322

looks like the australian thing started in the UK. not sure why it poped up in australia after all these years.

Yeah no... That is not the same thing at all. This is pretending to be a plank of wood on bizarre objects, not lying at different angles and playing dead

Similar though, if it had been recognised before it would not have exploded like it has

They may have different names but they are the same thing. especially the UK lying down game, the asian playing dead one is just similiar.

Spoiler: images of planking and lying down game. which are which?

 

[Engarde]

Meh, it bothers me for one extreme reason. They made a fancy word for lying down.

It will die at soon as all things of its kind do, however.

 

[Nouw]

Heh read this in my paper today, they say it's coming to NZ as well.

It was about why it should be done more safely and telling people about the dangers of planking because 1 person died doing it. From a tall building. Personally I don't mind as long as it doesn't disrupt anyone else and it's done safely.

 

[havass]

I heard about the dude who died from a 7 story building after slipping while planking...personally I think it's just the crazy kind of fad that people like to do once in awhile.
Ah, Aussies, you'll have to do better than that if you want to beat the Japanese in WTF-ery.

 

[BGH122]

Should it be Stopped?

If it gives obvious cause for concern detrimental to the function of society. This has been going on for a few years here in the UK and a while back some NHS personnel were fired for 'planking' on a gurney. The rationale was that their act of 'planking' could have forced to other doctors to attempt to attend to them as a sick patient (potentially harming them through attempted resuscitation).

If people are just being right little plankers, but not causing any potentially life threatening harm, then I've nothing but bafflement for the activity.

 

[Mr. Fancy Pants]

At first I thought planking related to balancing horizontally on your hands, which is pretty fun. This is just people lying down though. Maybe this is what happens when humans experience mind-bending boredom.

 

[FamoFunk]

Not something I'd do, but hay ho, it'll stop when the new thing to do comes along...

 

[Kaymish]

planking looks pretty stupid and the guy who died should be nominated for a darwin award because that is true stupidity there

 

[Colour Scientist]

People did this a few years a go under the name "Extreme Face-Down" or something.
It seems to go by many names, I suppose it's not really a unique, out there idea.

 

[General_Potatoes]

Hey guess what? Today...... I planked on my bed. So that makes me awesome?

 

[Flare Phoenix]

It's a little silly but we let people do a lot of dangerous things without so much as a second glance (bungie-jumping, mountain climbing, skiing etc...). We just think the reward of those things outweighs the risk. Yes, someone died while doing it, but nobody is really focusing on the fact he was drunk at the time.

 

[badgersprite]

Wasn't there already a similar fad several years ago in some other country? I don't know, countries have loads of weird internet memes. I thought there was some common thing in either Japan or Korea where people would take pictures of themselves playing dead in weird places or large numbers.

 

[Offworlder_v1legacy]

Everyone is crazy about it at my school (Aussie btw) and now it's banned cos some guy died whilst doing it and another got arrested for doing it on a cop car. Pretty crazy. I've thought about doing a bit myself but I could't come up with anything original. I prefer Extreme Ironing myself.

 

[similar.squirrel]

I've read about it in a few places. It seems like very lazy version of parkour. And the rules, dare I say it, are far more rigid. Zing!

 

[Pegghead]

As long as people don't get themselves killed in the process then by all means plank on. I've seen some genuinely funny pictures of planking so I guess I encourage it, this is the internet after all so I hardly see how a daring yet somewhat clever form of jackassery is any worse than My Little Pony or Rule 34 of Wheatley.

 

[LostTimeLady]

Is this the new 'exteme ironing'?

Hummm... I can understand how this can get out of hand (as it could with 'extreme ironing') but I'm not sure about the appeal. I find that pose not particularly comfortable...

Anyone for a round of sleeping lions?

 

[Dapsen]

GOT. TO TRY THIS.
I have got to go planking with my mates, soon!
Spreading this to Denmark will be an honour. *proud*

 

[MrSean]

Since when was the "Lying down game" called "Planking"?

 

[jonyboy13]

How bored and stupid must they be to do this?...
Well, now I wanna hear about the people who fell