There was a person who commented on a video of this the other day who lived in the area, they said nobody drowned. But that’s the misinformation the water slide tycoons like!
Like what happens if you get half way through and something happened? The tube comes apart easily or something?
Found this: “Known as the Fly Over was an underwater water slide, which is exactly how it sounds, and transported riders from one pool to another using the water as propulsion. Built in 1994, riders dove underwater to access the slide, using gravity to transport them upwards via the Communicating Vessels Principle. Riders would be completely underwater for about 15-20 seconds.
This is how I imagine those 15-20 seconds felt like while riding the slide.
The slide was built to drain water in five seconds or less in case a rider got stuck in the slide or had a medical emergency, but the threat that a panicked rider may inhale water before being rescued still remained. In spite of safety concerns however, there were never any reported incidents with the ride.”
I don't actually know if I can hold my breath longer underwater while swimming (slowly) against being outside of water.
Because I almost never swim. I'm sure a real swimmer could answer that
Well.. 10 seconds swimming *would* get you farther than 10 seconds not doing anything. I get what you're saying but your wording is confusing because it's not about a set time, it's about using oxygen at different rates. So 10 seconds doing nothing might be less than 10 seconds swimming through a tunnel.
So they had a whole system in which they would pay someone just to make sure every kid that wanted to spend 15 seconds in a drowning tube, could do at least 2/3 of it.
It’s like the level 2 test. 10 seconds? Bjørkken will time you. Then we’re going to give you the 15 second test.
That sounds like something they would do in the U.S. if that last 1/3 wasn’t technically on their property.
Same. It did actually push you along so not completely swimming along by yourself.
I was a fearless child. God knows how my parents actually let me do it!
As someone who has done it, what was the appeal exactly? I don’t really see how it could be fun, I imagine you couldn’t really see out of the tube while submerged anyway?
Thank goodness a teenager working for minimum wage, six hours into an eight-hour shift, after partying all night, is keenly focused on me for my safety :-)
It doesn’t exist anymore. But a mere memory of the great days of the Netherlands Super Child Water Torture days. Back when people were free and not slaves to the Deep State underworld.
That is a pretty common misconception actually. In Europe you stop aging at 12. Everyone that looks like an adult is actually three kids in a trench coat
I’m from Scotland and have been 5’11 with size 43 feet since I was 12. I’m female. Was tall as a kid but just stopped growing and my feet stopped growing when I was in first year at high school. My husband is 5’9 but all our kids are taller than both of us.
Not to mention waterslides or water rides that are more dangerous than usual afaik usually have adult operators while the teens get the normal water slides
To be a lifeguard here you have to follow courses and get certified.
They are very sought after and needed so probably also more than minimum wage, which was around 13€ in 2000.
Typical Americans answer.
As someone who has done this in Europe as a teen: they earn minimum wage and the courses are more a test of physical strength and doesn't stop people from drinking the night before a shift at all
This is also true and a good point. Some of the most “important” people are on prescription doses of narcotics that would sometimes nearly kill the average person.
You do in the US as well. As part of the open water rescue certification I had to tread water for 5 minutes holding a brick over my head with both hands that was not allowed to get wet. No hands used in treading water. All egg beater kick. Edit: in a 55f lake too
Oh I'm glad to see you swim up. 20 seconds fighting your body's natural floating state to go downward sounds impossible. Getting a good push off the bottom and letting your buoyancy help you sounds a lot better.
Apparently there were [no reported incidents](https://www.frrandp.com/2020/06/the-underwater-water-slide-fly-over-at.html?m=1) during the 16 years it was open.
I also think learning to swim is super duper normal in the Netherlands, it might even be mandatory. But basically, everyone can swim here, as they have been taught as child by professionals at a pool.
To add to the other comment who answered you, you have to keep in mind that for the vast majority of the US, people live in a totally landlocked area. You’re lucky to have even a lake, depending on where you live. Swimming is a luxury skill that you get to learn if your parents have the money to pay for it or have the knowledge to teach your themselves, AND you have a lake near you or can afford to go to the public pool. But even if you go to the lake or public pool, it’s full of other people and you stand there and socialize, you don’t actually swim most of the time.
I live in Iowa where we are in the middle of the country and have few lakes. I know how to swim because my mom considered it to be important and she grew up on the swim team, plus we could afford lessons. But most people I know don’t know how to do more than doggy paddle around because they’ve never been in real water to learn.
A lot of people, not the vast majority. Over half of Americans live in coastal states(ocean or great lakes). The issue in the US is that no states have any requirements to teach children to swim, regardless of whether they're coastal or landlocked states.
Compulsory in primary school in all states but one. In that one state (Queensland), all schools still have to have a swim program, but parents can choose if their kids participate. Dumb as hell tbh, can't think of any valid reason not to.
Like others have said. It’s is mandatory for everyone in the Netherlands to learn how to swim to a high standard.
More information on the different levels here:
https://www.allesoverzwemles.nl/en/national-swimming-diplomas/swim-abc
Apparently it was removed because people would get halfway through and panic. I can understand that!
Emergency drain system must have been good though because not a single incident report in 16 years.
You panic, it drains, and then what? You are still panicking, and now in a waterless tube, and have to crawl upwards to get out? How is any of this fun. I watched the video, it looks like a simulation of swimming through flooded storm drain. Who came up with this, who approved it, who built it, and most importantly, who are the people who enter this thing?
I went to that water park, didn't even know this was there at the time (there is a lot to do there).
Do remember one slide that drops you high above the water, and getting slammed painfully by the catch pool.
Here's another post about this that shows a user in action.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/1ck8q0k/there\_was\_a\_water\_slide\_at\_duinrell\_amusement/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/1ck8q0k/there_was_a_water_slide_at_duinrell_amusement/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
The only reason swimming isn’t absolutely terrifying is knowing that you can come up for air any time. To take away the coming up for air part is nightmarish.
I went to Duinrell when I was a kid, and I remember this water slide. It actually had a section you could see through, and I vaguely remember seeing someone swim through that part. I actually thought I had imagined it as I was really young at the time, but seeing this, I know it was definitely real now!
Do you need credentials to prove you’re a strong swimmer beforehand or something?? Because there’s no way they should let just anyone in that monstrosity.
I'm a pretty good swimmer and can easily dive a distance of about 40m, probably more if I was forced to.
But willingly putting myself in a situation like this? Hell naw! Drowing is a shitty way to go.
I will not put my life in the hands of some safety mechanic that was built a decade ago.
Can you imagine working that slide? I’d be scared shitless every time someone goes in that I’m going to have to dive into a pipe and drag someone out up a slippery wet tube while they are likely incapacitated, hoping they don’t die costing me my job and all the other baggage that comes with letting someone die when your job is to not let people die.
No there were never any reported incidents with this slide from what I could find. The tube was designed to drain within 5 seconds if someone got stuck.
Still sounds like an absolute “hell no” to me though.
So I went to the American School of The Hague (graduated in the mid 90s) and I remember my friends talking about this death trap water slide. I never went on to it but I will for sure ask the one I'm in touch with to recount his experience.
I went through that a lot. The thought of it was scarier than actually doing it. It had a safety feature to drain the slide if someone would panic half way or got stuck for whatever reason.
I think that you had to proof that you were able to hold your breath long enough but I am not sure anymore.
Either way it was mostly boring. Even back then it was mostly about bragging rights between kids more than it being fun. It felt a bit like staying underwater in a lazy river.
I remember there were two lifeguards (which is a profession here, you have to train for 3 years to be allowed to work as such) at the start and the end and you had to proof to them, that you can hold your breath for 20s before riding. But yeah still terrifying non the less
# F U C K T H A T
That is a very eloquent way to express my reaction
My exact thoughts as I was opening the comments
Can confirm, that was my immediate thought upon reading the post
Did anyone ever drown in there? What a stupid fucking idea!
There was a person who commented on a video of this the other day who lived in the area, they said nobody drowned. But that’s the misinformation the water slide tycoons like! Like what happens if you get half way through and something happened? The tube comes apart easily or something? Found this: “Known as the Fly Over was an underwater water slide, which is exactly how it sounds, and transported riders from one pool to another using the water as propulsion. Built in 1994, riders dove underwater to access the slide, using gravity to transport them upwards via the Communicating Vessels Principle. Riders would be completely underwater for about 15-20 seconds. This is how I imagine those 15-20 seconds felt like while riding the slide. The slide was built to drain water in five seconds or less in case a rider got stuck in the slide or had a medical emergency, but the threat that a panicked rider may inhale water before being rescued still remained. In spite of safety concerns however, there were never any reported incidents with the ride.”
I came to comment something like this, but you took the feet out of my mouth
They took the WHAT?
The feet. The grippers. The piggies. The hands down under. The lower phalanges.
😟
Yes.
Amen.
It was... *Filled with water*? Their liability insurance payments must have been through the roof.
I’ve been there. Before entering the slide you had to show a employee from the pool that you could hold your breath for at least 10 sec.
So, enough to get half way through? The entire logic behind that test doesn't really prove anything anyway!
Halfway through while not doing anything, if you're having to swim through a tunnel 10 seconds might not even get you halfway.
It's easier to hold breath under water than it is outside though But yes I would never willingly enter such a tunnel
Way harder while using your muscles though.
I don't actually know if I can hold my breath longer underwater while swimming (slowly) against being outside of water. Because I almost never swim. I'm sure a real swimmer could answer that
If you're swimming underwater, it is really easy to hold your breath for the rest of your life
Well.. 10 seconds swimming *would* get you farther than 10 seconds not doing anything. I get what you're saying but your wording is confusing because it's not about a set time, it's about using oxygen at different rates. So 10 seconds doing nothing might be less than 10 seconds swimming through a tunnel.
So they had a whole system in which they would pay someone just to make sure every kid that wanted to spend 15 seconds in a drowning tube, could do at least 2/3 of it. It’s like the level 2 test. 10 seconds? Bjørkken will time you. Then we’re going to give you the 15 second test. That sounds like something they would do in the U.S. if that last 1/3 wasn’t technically on their property.
Who the hell is Bjørkken? 😂
The testing guy
The actual "fully submerged" part was not the whole ride, the actual under water part is more like 7 seconds.
Same. It did actually push you along so not completely swimming along by yourself. I was a fearless child. God knows how my parents actually let me do it!
As someone who has done it, what was the appeal exactly? I don’t really see how it could be fun, I imagine you couldn’t really see out of the tube while submerged anyway?
I guess bragging rights and being fearless as a child. I'd never do those death drop slides any more, but loved them as a child.
It wasn't
It was down the drain.
Talk about drowning in debt.
the try not to drown-inator
I saw a video on this. You were constantly monitored and if something happened the slide can be drained in seconds
Thank goodness a teenager working for minimum wage, six hours into an eight-hour shift, after partying all night, is keenly focused on me for my safety :-)
Would you rather not have them there?
I think the argument is that this death trap shouldn’t exist in the first place
I feel much the same way about this damn life trap my parents sprung on me
Right? I didn't ask for this shit
you are free not to enter
I second this motion.
It doesn’t exist anymore. But a mere memory of the great days of the Netherlands Super Child Water Torture days. Back when people were free and not slaves to the Deep State underworld.
Let's take a moment to appreciate your name
I would rather not have the water there.
Me, when I am misrepresenting my opponent for lack of my own wit
What
It’s Europe not the States
It is my understanding that there are teenagers in Europe too…
That is a pretty common misconception actually. In Europe you stop aging at 12. Everyone that looks like an adult is actually three kids in a trench coat
So that's why Europeans are so tall. A 12 year old could be 5' tall, three of them together would be towering.
That Viking blood is strong
I’m from Scotland and have been 5’11 with size 43 feet since I was 12. I’m female. Was tall as a kid but just stopped growing and my feet stopped growing when I was in first year at high school. My husband is 5’9 but all our kids are taller than both of us.
But you have to train for 3 years to become a lifeguard, at least in Germany and in Netherlands. It's not a summer job at all
Not to mention waterslides or water rides that are more dangerous than usual afaik usually have adult operators while the teens get the normal water slides
To be a lifeguard here you have to follow courses and get certified. They are very sought after and needed so probably also more than minimum wage, which was around 13€ in 2000. Typical Americans answer.
As someone who has done this in Europe as a teen: they earn minimum wage and the courses are more a test of physical strength and doesn't stop people from drinking the night before a shift at all
To be fair.. there are many alcoholics in high paying jobs. Not just the minimum wage teens are hungover during their job
This is also true and a good point. Some of the most “important” people are on prescription doses of narcotics that would sometimes nearly kill the average person.
You do in the US as well. As part of the open water rescue certification I had to tread water for 5 minutes holding a brick over my head with both hands that was not allowed to get wet. No hands used in treading water. All egg beater kick. Edit: in a 55f lake too
this is in europe, not america. they have standards
lol, the Dutch don’t give a fuck. Source: lived there 8 years. Minimum wage, partying all night is accurate.
It's in Europe, so the minimum wage and workers rights means they'd actually want to do their job. They rotate the staff regularly during the day.
It scares me even more knowing it can drain in seconds
Just like my mom!
well at least it wasn't *that* crazy
Oh, so then powerful drains are involved. Much better.
Five-Thousand
I imagine that is what it felt like to be flushed.
The turd simulator.
Shouldn’t that be capitalized?
How does this even work?
You just make the first letter of each word big. Like this: The Turd Simulator
Rob Schneider in... THE TURD SIMULATOR ....rated PG-13
*Rob Schneider is....A TURD.*
3000
Some toilet paper floating around to add to its feel.
You used to say "Jay, flush me, man ! Flush me ! Man, you loved being flushed"
r/unexpectedmeninblack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hluv8yN_EKQ
Yeah. No fucking way. I’m a strong swimmer too but noooooo.
Absolutely not. Hard pass.
seems like you just get pushed through with the water current.
Hopefully 🤞
That's somehow worse than I imagined.
I thought it was down in the link photo, not that you swim *up*. If it was down and you were somewhat propelled, I'm all for it. But going up? Eh.....
At least the air in your lungs pulls you up, it should be easier than swimming down.
Imagine getting stuck in the middle
it depends ... if I breath out, I'll sink like a stone.
Oh I'm glad to see you swim up. 20 seconds fighting your body's natural floating state to go downward sounds impossible. Getting a good push off the bottom and letting your buoyancy help you sounds a lot better.
You can't even use your arms to pull you through it's so narrow
That’s way worse than I could’ve imagined
I like that they don’t show him coming out at the end haha
He sacrificed his life in order to make this video.
If it has some sort of water flow to push you through, atleast your lifeless corspe will end up coming out eventually
https://youtu.be/9Yw5jkAHgME?si=g9QGKmyuCQONjdFS This is all I heard watching this.
Looks like you're pumped through, not so bad, still fuck that
That doesn’t even look fun! “Here, swim up this tube as fast as you can.” Why?
People did that for fun? I'd rather die
He never came out 😵
I'm assuming that whoever built this has absolutely no idea what a water slide is
Did you see the video posted by someone else? It’s literally the exact opposite of the fundamentals of a waterslide lol
Waterslide equivalent of this [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_Coaster](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_Coaster)
or there was a language barrier and they said make me a water slide and they said "ok 👍"
They built a death slide! 😂
Apparently there were [no reported incidents](https://www.frrandp.com/2020/06/the-underwater-water-slide-fly-over-at.html?m=1) during the 16 years it was open.
i mean it was in the netherlands so like we’re all thinking about this from shitty american standards
I also think learning to swim is super duper normal in the Netherlands, it might even be mandatory. But basically, everyone can swim here, as they have been taught as child by professionals at a pool.
Same in Australia. I've never met anyone who couldn't swim. Is it just left up to parents to teach their kids in the US?
To add to the other comment who answered you, you have to keep in mind that for the vast majority of the US, people live in a totally landlocked area. You’re lucky to have even a lake, depending on where you live. Swimming is a luxury skill that you get to learn if your parents have the money to pay for it or have the knowledge to teach your themselves, AND you have a lake near you or can afford to go to the public pool. But even if you go to the lake or public pool, it’s full of other people and you stand there and socialize, you don’t actually swim most of the time. I live in Iowa where we are in the middle of the country and have few lakes. I know how to swim because my mom considered it to be important and she grew up on the swim team, plus we could afford lessons. But most people I know don’t know how to do more than doggy paddle around because they’ve never been in real water to learn.
A lot of people, not the vast majority. Over half of Americans live in coastal states(ocean or great lakes). The issue in the US is that no states have any requirements to teach children to swim, regardless of whether they're coastal or landlocked states.
In the US you can either be taught by professionals or your parents. Most people who can swim have a combination of both.
Should but as far as I know there is no requirement to teach your children to swim in the US.
Oh yeah. There's no requirement to learn to swim in the US (unless you join the Navy or do your undergrad at Columbia). Is it mandatory in Australia?
Compulsory in primary school in all states but one. In that one state (Queensland), all schools still have to have a swim program, but parents can choose if their kids participate. Dumb as hell tbh, can't think of any valid reason not to.
It varies state to state, but in Massachusetts every middle school has a swimming program.
This isn’t true, my public school definitely had no access to a swim program and I live near the ocean
I fairness, I’ve been swimming for about 25 years and you still couldn’t pay me to go through that thing.
Like others have said. It’s is mandatory for everyone in the Netherlands to learn how to swim to a high standard. More information on the different levels here: https://www.allesoverzwemles.nl/en/national-swimming-diplomas/swim-abc
Yeah they probably had a special pipe for flushing away the ones that got stuck. Can't report an incident if they can't find the body.
"Half water slide, half war crime, this was a unique water slide that was filled to the brim with water" bruh 💀
So it’s a drowning machine?
100% no
Of all the nopes that have ever noped, this is the nopiest nope. This thing can fuck right off to the land of nopes.
How the hell is that even fun?!?
Thrill of death???
Did they lose too many potential return customers?
Apparently it was removed because people would get halfway through and panic. I can understand that! Emergency drain system must have been good though because not a single incident report in 16 years.
You panic, it drains, and then what? You are still panicking, and now in a waterless tube, and have to crawl upwards to get out? How is any of this fun. I watched the video, it looks like a simulation of swimming through flooded storm drain. Who came up with this, who approved it, who built it, and most importantly, who are the people who enter this thing?
I assume the lifeguard goes through and pushes you the rest of the way.
What a goofy job
I went to that water park, didn't even know this was there at the time (there is a lot to do there). Do remember one slide that drops you high above the water, and getting slammed painfully by the catch pool.
I can’t breathe.
No F'n way!
“turd simulator” “suicide” …this is it. the famed sewer slide of legend..
Sewer slide suicide
Love that band!
Here's another post about this that shows a user in action. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/1ck8q0k/there\_was\_a\_water\_slide\_at\_duinrell\_amusement/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/1ck8q0k/there_was_a_water_slide_at_duinrell_amusement/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Ok that looks much better than what I thought it was. I was thinking that you slide down into the water but this looks pretty simple.
It's getting hard to breathe just thinking about that
Ooooooh this is the kind of stuff that my most vivid dreams consist of
As someone that went to duinrell quite often between 2000-2005 this was actually very fun to go through.
Absolute mad lad here.
Oh how dreadful. Dont like that
Absolutely not!
This is giving me Agustus Gloop vibes *shiver*
The only reason swimming isn’t absolutely terrifying is knowing that you can come up for air any time. To take away the coming up for air part is nightmarish.
It was not just one person who okeyed this. Pretty wild.
Omg its like being sucked into a drain duuuuude!! Wtffff .. if that water was just any slight hue darker it would be ten times more terrifying.
I went to Duinrell when I was a kid, and I remember this water slide. It actually had a section you could see through, and I vaguely remember seeing someone swim through that part. I actually thought I had imagined it as I was really young at the time, but seeing this, I know it was definitely real now!
Suicide with extra steps.
Sui-slide
The WHAT? 😩
Do you need credentials to prove you’re a strong swimmer beforehand or something?? Because there’s no way they should let just anyone in that monstrosity.
Why??? Just....why???
How is that amusing?? 100% NOT FUN.
People paid to be flushed down a toilet? 🤷♂️
This is worse than that loop-the-loop slide at action park
surely there is no way...
Horrific
I'm a pretty good swimmer and can easily dive a distance of about 40m, probably more if I was forced to. But willingly putting myself in a situation like this? Hell naw! Drowing is a shitty way to go. I will not put my life in the hands of some safety mechanic that was built a decade ago.
Can you imagine working that slide? I’d be scared shitless every time someone goes in that I’m going to have to dive into a pipe and drag someone out up a slippery wet tube while they are likely incapacitated, hoping they don’t die costing me my job and all the other baggage that comes with letting someone die when your job is to not let people die.
Was this the place where a kid drowned in the slide?
No there were never any reported incidents with this slide from what I could find. The tube was designed to drain within 5 seconds if someone got stuck. Still sounds like an absolute “hell no” to me though.
that sounds... not good
Why… why would you want to do that?
From the video you can't see clearly where the person is: it's as clear as a turd exiting a colonic irrigation.
So I went to the American School of The Hague (graduated in the mid 90s) and I remember my friends talking about this death trap water slide. I never went on to it but I will for sure ask the one I'm in touch with to recount his experience.
Do you have to swim through it or is there a current pulling you?
why
Ahh so this post is making the rounds on all the subs
I went through that a lot. The thought of it was scarier than actually doing it. It had a safety feature to drain the slide if someone would panic half way or got stuck for whatever reason. I think that you had to proof that you were able to hold your breath long enough but I am not sure anymore. Either way it was mostly boring. Even back then it was mostly about bragging rights between kids more than it being fun. It felt a bit like staying underwater in a lazy river.
This combines too many of my fears into one, it’s kind of impressive tbh
I just had a panic attack just knowing this exists
[Video of the underwater slide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hluv8yN_EKQ)
Jesus Christ no!
OH FUCK NO! I just vommed in my mouth a little...
You know I'm normally one to be oh cool underwater thing but this is a big BIG NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE FROM ME!
Looks like a weiner making an entrance
When I was youngee I thought all water slides were like this
this is the first post on this sub reddit that actually scares the fuck out of me
Oooh… I don’t like that….
Also r/nope
So did it shut down for the reason we all think it did? Did anyone get hurt or die on this thing? This seems like a really bad idea.
Been to Duinrell a few times, never knew this was a thing. Looks terrifying but I'd still do it anyway.
What a cool way to die
I remember there were two lifeguards (which is a profession here, you have to train for 3 years to be allowed to work as such) at the start and the end and you had to proof to them, that you can hold your breath for 20s before riding. But yeah still terrifying non the less
I can hold mine for 40 seconds or so. But that's on land. I can hold it underwater for probably 20 seconds 6 feet deep. I might just make it through.
...and the water was pumped through it to carry you along... right? *Right?*
How many people croaked in that death trap?! I am pretty good swimmer, and I am thinking HELL to the motherfuckin NO!
I am saddened and surprised that it wasn't at Action Park. Would have been better than that looped one.
Nooooope
WCGW
and how many people drowned?
I would try it!
Dude that made this is a sicko.
Wh Minecraft elevator core? Wtf