Movies use stuntmen and fake sets for a good reason: many stunts are dangerous, and even in sci-fi classics such as Back to the Future, many scenes shouldn’t be recreated at home… or on a highway at high speeds. That didn’t stop one daring California man from trying anyway, as he wanted to recreate Marty McFly’s skateboard scene where he holds onto a truck for speed. The California skater found out the hard way that this stunt was dangerous.
The incident allegedly took place on a California highway in mid-April. A driver apparently spotted the skater clinging to the back of a box truck and decided to film him. It wasn’t immediately clear what the skater was planning, but as soon as the truck took off, the skater tried to skate-hitch, or skitching for short, where the skater holds on to a motor vehicle while still riding their skateboard.
Only, that’s not what happened to the skater in the video; instead of planting his skateboard firmly on the road, he got dragged by the truck, likely due to the higher-than-usual speed or the wind. Hence, the skater can be seen waving around the back of the truck like a flyer before he ultimately let go and rolled on the road.
Thankfully, it appears the skater got up and seemed fine with little to no serious, visible injuries apart from maybe a road rash or a bruised ego. The clip has since gone viral on multiple social media platforms, where some reposts even added references to Back to the Future and the movie’s soundtrack, namely Huey Lewis’ “The Power of Love.”
Social Media Questions Details Behind Viral Moment
Catching someone performing a rare feat of skitching on a highway is a rare thing, but catching someone failing? Well, likely rarer since no one would want to risk it without proper experience. Hence, viewers were both entertained by the attempt and also questioned the skater’s skills and survival instincts. The clip was even reposted in a “Why Women Live Longer [Than Men]” subreddit, turning into yet another prime example of how guys risk it all for adrenaline.
Other commenters were mocking the skater, saying, “Yea it worked better in his mind, didn’t go anywhere close to how he expected,” or turning his attempt at skitching into a Back to the Future reference, “He’s no Marty McFly.” Perhaps his attempt would’ve been successful, however, if he had chosen a shorter vehicle, as some people pointed out.
Some have praised the skater, however, since “he somehow managed to correct himself and actually get on the skateboard and then immediately fell off again.” In any case, the skater was one of the lucky ones, as skitching has resulted in deaths and life-changing injuries before; a fact that doesn’t really discourage many skaters.
