Baldwin Street - The Steepest Street in the World — Attraction in South Island

My Aunty once lived on this street (maybe she still does. Perhaps I should call and see). And we (by that, I mean my rugby mates and the blokes from the rugby team) used to run up this bloody street for footy practice back in the day when we weren't carrying about an additional 20-kegs of what we now refer to as 'winter conditioning'.

What can you say about Baldwin? It's steep, and for anyone here who says it's not the steepest street in the world, then you'd better get on the horn and call Guiness, 'cause they seem to think so. Fact is, it's the steepest residential street in the world that's over a certain distance (forgotten what that distance is) and that remains open and available to the public.

Some things to remember about Baldwin: a few years back one of the local University students tragically lost their life on the street, as they were 'carting' down it inside one of those large, dark-green plastic wheelie-bins they'd laid on its side (obviously, the wheels were pointing downhill). From the accounts of the accident, their chariot got up a hell of a lot of speed, lost its course and went into, and under, the back of a trailer that was parked on the side of the street. Don't need me to paint the picture of what happened.

And, back in the olden days you'd get a hell of a laugh hearing about the number of people in those small mini-vans that'd drive up Baldwin, make it all the way to the top, do a tentative 3-point turn up there, then drive back down. Sounds harmless enough, eh? But, on their way down, they'd get a bit more speed than they'd planned, slam on their breaks (front breaks) and.... the van would go arse up. Never heard of anyone really getting injured in one of those accidents, but they can't have been too nice.

Anyway, enjoy the walk up - and for the really keen among you, get out your joggers and run it. Your legs will, eventually, forgive...

#3 NZMustCB4WW3. On the left hand side is a one way travelator for going up, usually need to scan disability pass but it was rolling when I went. At the top there is a long coil of rope on an emergency water hose type wheel, labeled "geared descent" for handy cappers to roll down the hill at fast, med, slow, though med and slow were crossed out. We were fortunate enough with our timing to get to the top just as the care giver, of wheel chair bound cerebral palsy sufferer, ended her count down with a grunt and push of the chair which whirred as it went over the edge too slowly causing loads of slack in the rope trailing the chair, despite the slack it putted very slowly down. The rider looked absolutely mortified, due to his condition, and was unable to hold on... to anything with his fingers and arms twisted and bent at odd angles. If they were making a sound I could not hear as the electric chair they were riding was whirring with an increasing pitch and smoke billowed from it, like a vapist, then something in the chair SNAPed and the chair bolted forward and I literally...

Quirky is characterized by something peculiar, unexpected trait or aspect.

This 350-metre stretch of road in Dunedin, New Zealand is recognised by the Guinness World Records as the world's steepest street.

Its official maximum gradient is 19 degrees (though there are little bits that are 21 degrees) with the ground rising a metre for every 2.86 metres you cover horizontally.

A double entendre is always used in a funny way, and is not meant to hurt or offend anyone. Usually risque that lends itself to more than one interpretation.

The people living at Baldwin street must be very fit and healthy which reminds me of a popular Olivia Newton-John song  - Physical.

"I'm saying all the things that I know you'll like Making good conversation. I gotta handle you just right you know what I mean. I took you to an intimate restaurant Then to a suggestive movie. There's nothing left to talk about less it's horizontally. Let's get physical physical - I wanna get physical let's get into physical Let me hear your body talk your body talk Let me hear your body talk. Let's...