The Traffic Mimes of Bogotá

Re:The Traffic Mimes of Bogotá by chasil on Monday February 09, 2026 @01:50PM (#46949217)

I have photographs from the Poblado district of Medellín, Colombia of a man who had strung a tightrope between two lightpoles of a side street, and tightwalked them carrying hoops and bowling pins that he juggled while cars passed below.

Anyone trying this in the U.S. would be arrested, so it was surprising to see. I wonder how the insurance works.

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Re:The Traffic Mimes of Bogotá by xyos on Monday February 09, 2026 @02:45PM (#46950075)

Insurance is not a term we use a lot in Colombia

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Re:The Traffic Mimes of Bogotá by donkey_brains on Monday February 09, 2026 @03:21PM (#46950632)

Too true. I remember when I visited it took me a while to get used to this. I would ask my friend questions like “what happens if I fall off this campero/get bitten by one of these street dogs/clock somebody in the head playing rana/twist my ankle on this busted-out sidewalk? Who has the liability here?” and he would say “we don’t really have that here man”. Honestly it was a great time.

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Re:The Traffic Mimes of Bogotá by marssaxman on Monday February 09, 2026 @06:16PM (#46952977)

What a civilized attitude!

US liability culture is mean, grubby, and boring.

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