The Lawn Chair Man
08-09-2003, 09:14 PM
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The Lawn Chair Man
Not sure if this has been posted before but here's a heck of a funny (and lucky) true story.
This is the story about a guy who got a bunch of surplus weather balloons and tied them to a lawn chair. He just wanted to float above his backyard and have a beer....
The pic is just a bit to big (80K) so I put it in my photo gallery. I hope the link works...
DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!!
http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/sh...sort=1&thecat=
This is the story about a guy who got a bunch of surplus weather balloons and tied them to a lawn chair. He just wanted to float above his backyard and have a beer....
The pic is just a bit to big (80K) so I put it in my photo gallery. I hope the link works...
DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!!
http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/sh...sort=1&thecat=
Too bad this isnt RC related...
08-10-2003, 10:10 PM
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It actually did happen. He got to 10000 feet if I remember. He popped one ballon, but then dropped his bb gun. He went over LAX airspace, and I'm not sure about this but I think a police chopper had to do the rest of the shooting for him. They covered this on the TLC show urban legends, and interviewed the guys friend. The actually guy that did it is dead, I wonder why. Couldn't be from a bad decision.
08-12-2003, 02:26 PM
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It appears that the story did in fact happen, though a bit differently (details to be found here). In short, he did not bring beer along, nor did he intend to float over his lawn, but to fly to the Mojave Desert. He got tangled up in a power line instead. The whole thing happened in 1982, and the FAA tried to fine the guy because he could not produce a certificate of airworthiness for his lawn chair. He committed suicide in 1993.
08-13-2003, 01:50 AM
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There is a problem with the helicopter rescue that I can think of that would make it impossible. That would have to be one long rescue line to clear the balloons and be a couple of hundred feet above them. Also, the balloons would shoot up like a rocket after he got out of the chair and head towards the chopper. No helicopter pilot in his right mind would risk that.
08-13-2003, 06:14 PM
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I recall it as the helicopter only shot ballons aways, and let him fall back to earth. I think he landed on a roof. But again, this is all stuff that I heard a while ago, and who knows how much of it is true. But the main point here is that it actually happened!
Any word on why he commited suicide?
Any word on why he commited suicide?
08-13-2003, 09:25 PM
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Any word on why he commited suicide?
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to want to fly on your lawn chair to the mojave desert is a mad idea-who knows what was going through this guys mind and what mental problems he had?
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to want to fly on your lawn chair to the mojave desert is a mad idea-who knows what was going through this guys mind and what mental problems he had?
08-14-2003, 08:15 AM
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Snopes says there was no chopper involved; Larry Walters got tangled up in a Long Beach power line. Because he had used plastic lines for his balloons, he was not electrocuted. Firemen and utility crews managed to cut the power lines, he manoeuvred his lawn chair over a wall and stepped out.
Apparently he committed suicide because his life did not really work out - he broke up with his girlfriend, could not get a permanent job etc. So one day he hiked into the woods and shot himself through the heart.
Apparently he committed suicide because his life did not really work out - he broke up with his girlfriend, could not get a permanent job etc. So one day he hiked into the woods and shot himself through the heart.
08-28-2003, 11:48 AM
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He actually got a sex change operation and became renee Zelwigger and went on to date that other cross-dresser Jim Carrey. They broke up over a fight for a trainer bra and she went on to star in such loser films as Chicago and some other crappy films.
08-28-2003, 03:55 PM
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I did a little reasearch on the web looking for these crazy poeple and found this site for all who are interested. What some people will do for fun. 
http://www.clusterballoon.org/cluster1.htm
http://www.clusterballoon.org/cluster1.htm
09-14-2003, 10:55 PM
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RE: The Lawn Chair Man
Those might be 2 different stories. I know I heard about the guy that was spotted by a 747 and he went pretty high.
The helicopter couldn't get close because the balloons would just be pushed away from the wind.
The helicopter couldn't get close because the balloons would just be pushed away from the wind.
10-06-2003, 02:50 PM
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RE: The Lawn Chair Man
Read this on the Darwin Awards. He was in the approach pattern to LAX when reported to the tower. He was drifting out to sea when the Helicopter used its downwash to herd him back inland. He finally came cown because it cooled at night and was met by LAPD. Seems he spent some time and money on the project. Time in the slammer and money on the fines from both LA and the FAA.
In the same Darwin Award was the guy who was mad at his girl friend. Grabbed his shot gun by the barrel and swung it at the girl sitting in a car. Hit the windshield, gun went off. He's dead. Guess he showed her.
In the same Darwin Award was the guy who was mad at his girl friend. Grabbed his shot gun by the barrel and swung it at the girl sitting in a car. Hit the windshield, gun went off. He's dead. Guess he showed her.