Engineering Student Builds Giant Slip 'N Side in an Effort to Break a World Record
Since it debuted in 1961, the Slip 'N Side has been a source of summer fun, injuries, and lawsuits. Now, a college student has found a way to make the notoriously dangerous toy even more extreme. As UPI reports, Jeff Roper built his own supersized Slip 'N Slide, and his lighting-fast trip down the rig may have set a world record.
A mechanical engineering major at Brigham Young University-Idaho, Roper used his expertise when constructing the slide near his grandparents' house in Idaho. It consists of dirt trenches lined with painter's tarps and lubricated with water from a garden hose, just like a real Slip 'N Slide. Stretching 328 feet, the set up is longer than many people's backyards.
Roper's hard work paid off when he took a ride down the monstrosity. A group of witnesses, included local sheriff's office deputies, watched him zip down the tarps at top speeds of 32 mph. He covered the length of the slide in just 10.4 seconds.
Whether or not his trip broke a world record, Roper will have to wait to see. He has submitted evidence of his endeavor to the Guinness World Records committee and expects to hear back from them early next year. Until then, watch the Slip 'n Side in action below and decide for yourself if it's worthy of recognition.
[h/t UPI]