It all started in Australia, but the hype has now spread across the rest of the world via the internet: planking.

Planking requires a person to lie flat on their stomach – stiff as a plank – and preferably in an odd location. And of course a photograph must be taken.

Facebook
The hype started in Australia, where planking became popular mainly because of a Facebook page. Since then, almost 150,000 people have joined Planking Australia.

At first, it was rather a harmless hype; planking photographs were taken of people lying on top of parked police cars, dishwashers or tourist hot spots. However, to stand out from the crowd, people are now increasingly planking in dangerous locations. For instance on the top of chimneys, railroad tracks or animals.

Australia recently recorded its first planking death when a man from Brisbane fell off the railing of his seventh-floor balcony. Another victim – from New South Wales – was planking on top a moving car and went into a coma after he fell off.

Planking Day
Despite the dangers, the hype has now also reached the Netherlands, where numerous planking photographs have been put up on social sites like Facebook, Hyves en Twitter, and the end is not yet in sight as May 25th has been proclaimed global planking day.

(gsh)