this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2026
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Rollie Free breaking speed records on a motorcycle, positioned and clothed to minimize wind resistance, Utah, USA, 1948 (infosec.pub)
submitted 6 days ago by PugJesus@piefed.social to c/historyphotos@piefed.social
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[–] 7EP6vuI@feddit.org 51 points 6 days ago (2 children)

if you think "at least he wears a helmet" you are wrong:

[W]hen his leathers tore from early runs at 147 mph (237 km/h), he discarded them and made a final attempt without a jacket, pants, gloves, boots, or helmet. Free lay flat on the motorcycle wearing only a bathing suit, a shower cap, and a pair of borrowed sneakers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollie_Free#Biography

[–] zakobjoa@lemmy.world 18 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The fuck kind of Temu ass leather tears from wind at that speed.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 16 points 6 days ago

I think he may have fallen down and torn them that way. Which only highlights how insane this is.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 8 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I dunno, that’s a super shiny rounded shower cap with a little bevel around it.

[–] LordMayor@piefed.social 8 points 6 days ago

Falls in the shower are no joke. People die from that. Always wear a shower cap.

[–] anomnom@sh.itjust.works 6 points 6 days ago

That’s totally a helmet. It’s probably mostly just there to hold his brains in during an accident, but it’s not a fucking swim cap.