WATCH: Alarming Forklift Gymnastics Trend Has Spread To Idaho

Anyone who has ever operated a forklift (including myself) will tell you just how dangerous these work vehicles can be.

There is a dangerous trend of people using these machines to entertain themselves in ways that can prove fatal in the blink of an eye. As a former licensed driver myself, I learned just how easy it is to severely injure yourself while behind the wheel of one.

In 2022, I began working as an events manager for a vineyard out west. One of my mandatory trainings involved getting forklift certified. We needed to use these vehicles to move tables, wrap pallets of wine, and to carry out many other duties on-site. Forklifts are nothing to mess around with.

Dangerous Forklift Gymnastics Trend Has Spread To Idaho

Forklifts should only be used to move heavy objects. Standing on the forks is something no one should ever do. The risk for serious injury or death is very real when a forklift's engine is running. Driving backwards when carrying loads down an incline, honking when turning corners or entering a warehouse, and properly balancing loads are all things you learn when getting certified.

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I recently came across many videos tiled, 'Forklift Gymnastics', where people are doing insane things on these 8,000 pound machines. People are uploading these videos on sites such as YouTube. One guy can be seen doing a handstand atop the forks, while another person is raised onto a wall and dangles 30 feet in the air.

A recent YouTube short uploaded by an Idaho farmer's daughter shows her swinging and performing various moves on the forks inside a barn; the video has racked up over 600 views. These actions are extremely dangerous and should never be attempted by anyone.

WARNING: The actions in these videos should never be attempted and could prove fatal. 

Please use extreme caution when operating a forklift.