# The 2-man luge---what were they thinking? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 23, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462 "2005-11-23T19:43:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/21 "2005-11-25T05:25:09Z")
Biathlon isn’t totally pointless – it derives from [url=http://www.biathlon.net/intro.htmlhunting and winter warfare. If you think about it, running a physical race and then having to stop and do something requiring exactitude and precision is a real challenge. But two-man luge? I got nothin’. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/22 "2005-11-25T05:26:32Z")
Well, phooey. Fixed link: [Getting it right this time](http://www.biathlon.net/intro.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/23 "2005-11-25T05:27:55Z")
> [@chaoticbear](#): > > Ok, can someone post a picture of this? I am having problems visualizing what could be SO horrible about two men in a luge. [Picture](http://www.maziarz.com/maziarz/uop/bob01-1003.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/24 "2005-11-25T18:12:55Z")
But they’re just laying on top of each other. ::shrug:: ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/25 "2005-11-28T13:20:19Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > [Picture](http://www.maziarz.com/maziarz/uop/bob01-1003.jpg) Eek! It looks like a Royal Marines training exercise! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/26 "2005-11-28T14:00:38Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > [Picture](http://www.maziarz.com/maziarz/uop/bob01-1003.jpg) I’m more disturbed by the lycra. I can’t even call that homoerotic because most gay people I know wouldn’t be caught dead in that either. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/27 "2005-11-28T14:56:17Z")
You guys don’t watch enough Robin Williams stand up. He already covered this: [Robin Williams] What drunk german gynocologist came up with luge? [german accent] Ya! I want to stick an ice skate up my ass and go balls first down an ice chute! Ya! That sounds like fun! [/ga] …and don’t even get me started on the two man luge. Boys get a room is all I’m sayin’… [/RW] From “Live on Broadway,” I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/28 "2005-11-28T15:36:05Z")
Seriously, why a 2-man luge? What’s next? 2-man ski jump and speed skating with only one pair of skis or skates, the other guy just goes piggy-back? (Actually, I might want to see either of those) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/29 "2005-11-28T20:11:31Z")
Three-legged speed skating. Imagine the possibilities. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/30 "2005-11-28T21:22:48Z")
**The 2-man luge—what were they thinking?** Hmmm, some cold dude laying motionless on top of you while you sled near out of control down a large, icy _Crazy Straw_… it’s like if necrophiliacs hosted the X-Games. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/31 "2005-11-28T21:47:21Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > But what I really want to know is - why the hell did anybody invent the 2 man luge? I dunno, but I got a whole list of people, who, if I ever meet them, are going to get a swift kick to the crotch. If you want, I’ll slip the 2-man luge inventer in there between the guy that originally thought that small car parking spaces were a good idea, and the guy that designed my vacuum cleaner. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/32 "2005-11-28T21:55:58Z")
I have two theories. Theory number one The two many luge was invented by the first guy to do the one man luge and realized that he was both freezing and there was no padding to cushion a crash. A guy laying on top of him would fix both of those problems. Theory number two The two man luge was invented by a gay man who liked the idea of really in shape guys in spandex laying on each other. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/33 "2005-11-28T22:42:08Z")
> [@Boulter's Canary](#): > > Eek! It looks like a Royal Marines training exercise! :eek: 😕😕 What in Og’s name do England’s marines do that require neon yellow one-piece spandex suits? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/34 "2005-11-29T00:13:24Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > 😕😕 > What in Og’s name do England’s marines do that require neon yellow one-piece spandex suits? And do we really want to know? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/35 "2005-11-29T00:28:04Z")
I too would like to know what advantge/purpose the 2 man luge has along w/ those 2 extra bobsleaders. > [@csharpmajor](#): > > Hee hee hee. I suspect they’re there for the same reason most things in winter sports are there - for no apparent reason whatsoever. I mean, look at the _other_ sports at the Winter Olympics - curling. **Biathlon**. Biathlon pointless?!?!, only to a modern day liberal, this is most likely the game that is most in line w/ the orginal Olympic games, an event that is very closely related to warfare. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/36 "2005-12-07T17:21:21Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > 😕😕 > What in Og’s name do England’s marines do that require neon yellow one-piece spandex suits? Well, most of the time they don’t bother with the spandex. Or any clothing at all: [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17394812-401,00.html?from=rss](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17394812-401,00.html?from=rss) :eek: (Don’t worry, it’s worksafe. No naked marines pictured) ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/37 "2005-12-07T20:38:46Z")
> [@Boulter's Canary](#): > > (Don’t worry, it’s worksafe. No naked marines pictured) You disappoint me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/38 "2006-02-20T20:37:26Z")
I’m bumpin’ this thread, 'cause it’s relevant, what with the the Winter Olympics going on right now. Besides, I **still want to know who thought up the idea of adding a second guy to the luge**. It’s a silly enough sport to begin with–but why 2 at a time? ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/39 "2006-02-20T22:11:45Z")
Did you see Roker and Lauer do the 2 man luge last week? Laffs all around… Invariably, the Tonight Show last night played a clip of it, overdubbed with appropriate music, and interspersed with the too-easy joke title “Brokeback Mornings.” [http://www.gawker.com/news/al-roker/index.php](http://www.gawker.com/news/al-roker/index.php) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462/40 "2006-02-20T22:29:28Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Biathlon pointless?!?!, only to a modern day liberal, this is most likely the game that is most in line w/ the orginal Olympic games, an event that is very closely related to warfare. :rolleyes: Biathlon is not pointless, but it is pretty crazy when you step back. I know it evolved from military stuff at the beginning of last century, but then you step back and _it’s skiing a shooting a gun_. Imagine an Olympic sport where you swim 400 meters with a waterproof bag, then you have to jump out of the pool, open the bag, pull out and assemble a gun, then fire at a target. Not _pointless_, but hella weird. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2-man-luge-what-were-they-thinking/332462.md?page=3)