A hilly Spanish town’s attempt at a quick trip from top to bottom has come to a stop, at least for now as it proved a tad too fast and a bit uncontrollable.
Estepona, on the Costa del Sol, opened its new 38-metre slide, Spain’s longest with a bit of fanfare, followed by residents whooshing in seconds to the bottom of the hill—and then somewhat beyond for many, as the speed proved too much for quick stopping. The slide has a gradient between 32 and 34 degrees.
After complaints and minor injuries began piling up, city hall called a halt to the project, but emphasized that it doesn’t think the slide is at fault, saying that people who had problems weren’t following instructions which include sitting up and keeping arms tucked in close to the body. And waiting for the person in front of you to finish.
The official statement reminds that “More than a thousand people used the slide correctly [on Thursday] and without incident. However, given the situation, the council has requested new checks to provide maximum guarantees for users.”
