Balconing
Balconing is a word used in the Spanish press to describe the act of jumping into a swimming pool from a balcony or falling from height while climbing from one balcony to another, recently popular among foreign turists during holidays. [1]. The term was formed through a combination of the Spanish word "balcón" (balcony) and the English sufix "ing", a sufix that most Spanish asociate to English culture and English people, to reference the origin of most "practicioners". A spate of injuries attributed to "balconing" by the Spanish press occurred among tourists in the Balearic Islands of Ibiza and Majorca in Spain in 2010 and 2011. Videos of people jumping into pools from balconies were posted on video sharing web sites such as YouTube, which were alleged to have played a role in the diffusion of the phenomenon.[2]
Injuries and deaths
In 2010 in Spain, there were six deaths and 11 injuries in falls from balconies which were identified as relating to "balconing" in the Spanish press. Most of the casualties were young British and German tourists with traces of alcohol in their blood, and the incidents occurred between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.[3] In the same year, hotels were reported to have raised the height of hotel railings from 1.05 to 1.20 metres to reduce these incidents.[4] In Mallorca 3 tourists died in 2017 in falls from balconies identified as "balconing" incidents in the Spanish press.[5] Between 2010 and 2015 it has been described up to 46 injured to this practice.[6]
Statistics
60% of people involved in balconing are British. German and Spaniards are less numerous.[7].
The balcon is a a median high of height meter, and the people have a median age of 24 years.[8].
Preventive measures
In 2018, the Foreign Office teamed up with Spanish surgeon, Dr. Juan José Segura-Sampedro to run a campaign of video messages to British tourists heading to the Balearic Islands during the Summer.[9] RTÉ also made a special program where the doctor participated from Mallorca.[10]
2018
In 2018, six victims have had balconing crash (British, Irish, and one French). Three of them have been killed by the crash. This is more than during the years 2016 and 2017[11]. Nonetheless, some case might not be due to the practice of balconing, but might have other cause.[12].
References
- ^ Segura-Sampedro, Juan José; Pineño-Flores, Cristina; García-Pérez, Jose María; Jiménez-Morillas, Patricia; Morales-Soriano, Rafael; González-Argente, Xavier (2017-03-28). "Balconing: An alcohol-induced craze that injures tourists. Characterization of the phenomenon". Injury. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2017.03.037. ISSN 1879-0267. PMID 28377264.
- ^ Giles Tremlett in Madrid (2010-08-11). "Spanish authorities warn holidaymakers of 'balconing' dangers | World news". London: The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "La siniestra lista del balconing suma y sigue | Baleares". elmundo.es. 2010-08-22. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
- ^ El 'balconing' como fenómeno social de drogas, alcohol y juventud in elmundo.es
- ^ Tres muertos por ‘balconing’ en menos de un mes en Mallorca in ultimahora.es
- ^ Segura-Sampedro, Juan José; Pineño-Flores, Cristina; García-Pérez, Jose María; Jiménez-Morillas, Patricia; Morales-Soriano, Rafael; González-Argente, Xavier (2017-03-28). "Balconing: An alcohol-induced craze that injures tourists. Characterization of the phenomenon". Injury. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2017.03.037. ISSN 1879-0267. PMID 28377264.
- ^ https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2311279-20180721-espagne-baleares-balconing-fait-nouveau-victimes-parmi-touristes
- ^ https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2311279-20180721-espagne-baleares-balconing-fait-nouveau-victimes-parmi-touristes
- ^ Madrid, Graham Keeley (2018-05-12). "Spanish surgeon warns holiday Britons off fatal balcony stunts". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
- ^ Watch Prime Time online, retrieved 2018-07-07
- ^ https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2311279-20180721-espagne-baleares-balconing-fait-nouveau-victimes-parmi-touristes
- ^ https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2311279-20180721-espagne-baleares-balconing-fait-nouveau-victimes-parmi-touristes
External links
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