this post was submitted on 23 May 2026
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Microblog Memes

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[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 4 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

You can stop if you don't like it, but you definitely won't like how. (just jump out)

[–] horse@feddit.org 2 points 40 minutes ago

Jumping out of a hot air balloon can not just kill you, but also everyone else in the basket.

[–] Noodle07@lemmy.world 11 points 4 hours ago

I just did a hot air ballon ride, it's wild, somehow I made it out

[–] SethTaylor@lemmy.world 6 points 3 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Snowcano@startrek.website 1 points 4 minutes ago* (last edited 4 minutes ago)

And Ben Böhmer did a whole DJ set in one.

https://youtu.be/RvRhUHTV_8k

[–] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 54 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (3 children)

I feel like these guys severely skew balloon safety statistics.

[–] hitstun@feddit.online 12 points 3 hours ago

Team Rocket are actually great pilots! The spots they can get that balloon into and out of are absurd. They can take it seemingly whatever direction they want, with people and critters jumping into and out of the balloon at random.

They could be professional aeronauts, but their boss keeps making them chase a living high voltage hazard and his balloon-wrecking friends.

they blew up all the budget for tools, travel and hotels in a giant balloon shaped like their pet.

Lots of questionable choices, but cant deny their dedication to camp.

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 2 points 5 hours ago

They weren't the only members of team rocket to use balloon travel.

We have no idea how it averages out.

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 77 points 7 hours ago (3 children)

From my walk this morning. Buncha crazy mofos up there.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 10 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

Looks like two of them are about to collide. Do they gently bounce off eachother like in a cartoon, or do cables get caught and twisted and everyone falls to their death?

That looks like a nice apartment complex next to a huge park. Nice neighborhood.

[–] bedwyr@piefed.ca 14 points 4 hours ago

It depends on if they are racing or not, which if they are they put those racing spikes on all sides just in case, you know like the Chariots with the blades on the wheels.

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

They occasionally do bump off each other, usually during mass ascent at the Balloon Fiesta.

Those are houses. About 2500 sq. ft., two floors, no basement.

It's the biggest park in the neighborhood, mostly grass, plus a dog run area, and a small playground. The three smaller parks get many more visitors than this one. It's a waste of space and water, IMO, because people don't use it very much. Maybe there just aren't many kids near it?

I dunno if you can find the video online, but many years ago, when I was on a balloon crew, a balloon (not "my" balloon) was up when it was too windy, and the envelope collapsed partway, the throat, where the fire shoots up, was closed, and the balloon was falling. Near the end, the pilot in desperation, burned, and snapped half of the cables holding the basket. The basket tipped, and they all fell to their death. So, yeah, like any transportation method, there are dangers.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver@lemmy.world 39 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I love watching them (safely, with my feet on solid ground)

[–] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 9 points 3 hours ago

Took a ride in one once.

You can steer. Just raise and lower the craft until you catch right air currents.

[–] TheFresh16@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Is this near Point Mallard by chance?

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago
[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 41 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (2 children)

They are quite safe and you can land pretty quickly if need be, but yes steering is nigh impossible.

[–] TheRtRevKaiser@sh.itjust.works 6 points 4 hours ago

Depending on how things go, you can land very quickly indeed.

[–] tias@discuss.tchncs.de 22 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Not impossible if you know what way the winds are blowing at different heights

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 47 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

Yeah thats why i said "nigh". Its not really steering because you cant freely decide, its more like choosing from a limited set of directional options.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 55 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

omg, life is just a hot air balloon ride

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 6 hours ago (1 children)
[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 23 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

Just depends how high you are

[–] WhoIzDisIz@lemmy.today 3 points 6 hours ago

"Depends. For those times when you're too high to make it to the bathroom."

(For the non-aware, "Depends" are an American brand of adult diapers.)

[–] Canopyflyer@lemmy.world 10 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (2 children)

I have taken off in a hot air balloon a dozen times or so....

Not once did I land with it. Even good landings seem to leave some things to luck.

Edit: added forgotten T.

[–] knobbysideup@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

When I skydived I always wanted to do a balloon jump but never had the opportunity.

Lots of aircraft I've never landed in though.

[–] I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world 23 points 6 hours ago (4 children)

You never landed? You’re still up there?

[–] Canopyflyer@lemmy.world 16 points 5 hours ago

I jumped...

Some say I'm still falling to this day.

In all seriousness, balloon jumps are a unique experience in skydiving... Because you go from dead silence to the rush of air at terminal velocity. Sure you can jump a helicopter that is hovering, but they are louder than airplanes.

Exits from a balloon also tend to catch less experienced jumpers off guard, because you can't fly your body till the speed builds up. First timers tend to flail a little. By the second jump they do just fine.

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 10 points 5 hours ago (3 children)

My guess is skydiving.

Or, tightrope walking?

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 2 points 4 hours ago
[–] Canopyflyer@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago

I never walked a tight rope. I don't think I could even in my prime.

I exit using a line that was connected at the top of the balloon to swing out and do multiple flips. The rope was really long so you would get a huge amount of speed and fling off the end.

[–] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I wanna know what their game plan is when one of the balloons suddenly loses altitude.

[–] turtlesareneat@piefed.ca 1 points 1 hour ago

The balloons were moored down.

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 8 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

10 points to anyone who gets this reference

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 hours ago

"Moooodddyyyy!!!!"

I've been waiting to post this the entire thread

[–] WhoIzDisIz@lemmy.today 5 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Better still, how does taking off in a hot air balloon while you're still in another one work?

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

I saw you like hot air balloons...