Police are investigating a dangerous stunt on Vancouver’s SkyTrain that went viral on social media.
The video, posted to Instagram a week ago and shared by several accounts with large followings, depicts a man standing between two SkyTrain cars as he travels between the Main Street-Science World and Stadium stations.
In an email, Metro Vancouver Transit Police said they were investigating the incident.
“Acts like these may give rise to social media viewers/followers, however they are extremely dangerous and could result in life-long injuries or death,” Const. Travis Blair said.
“Riding, standing or holding onto the exterior of a transit vehicle is an offence punishable by fine or charges could be pursued criminally.”
Matthew Johnson, director of education at digital literacy non-profit Media Smarts, said videos of this nature are typically driven by the desire to get attention.
“To seek clout, to get followers, to have a video go viral,” he said.
“It’s entirely possible they have some idea of making money from sponsorship or advertising down the line.”
But Johnson said the hunt for clicks and views can have dangerous consequences, both for the person pulling the stunts and their audience.
“There is a lot of evidence that risk-taking in media can inspire risk-taking among viewers, particularly young viewers,” he said.
“An influencer like this might be pushed to take greater and greater risks, and similarly, people who are imitating them might be pushed to take greater and greater risks,” he added.
The account to which the video was originally posted also shows someone jumping on top of a moving industrial train, climbing the cables of a construction crane in Vancouver and standing on top of one of the Lions Gate Bridge’s towers.
It’s not the first time SkyTrain “surfers” have raised the ire of local authorities.
In 2021, two people were spotted riding atop the Canada Line in Richmond, prompting a police investigation.
And in 2019, a man was slapped with a $115 fine for riding between train cars between Main Street-Science World and Commercial-Broadway stations.
Other similar stunts have also landed so-called “urban explorers” in trouble.
Two U.S. men were arrested and charged with mischief in 2017 after climbing atop the Lions Gate Bridge for a selfie. One was handed a conditional sentence, while the other saw his charges stayed under an ‘alternatives measures’ agreement.
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