The Wall of Death is a kind of freak show using motorcycles normally found at fair grounds. It was first introduced as a show at Coney Island in the early 1900's. Basically it is a cylindrical shaped arena lined with wooden planks with a diameter of around 10m. In it's heyday there were over a hundred of these arenas across the States in the 1930's.
Today though there are not that many around and noticed that the Indians have gone one better by using cars as well as motorcycles. The trick even though you are literally at a 90 degree angle is to maintain the right speed which creates the friction for the tyres to stick to the walls. This trick uses the centrifugal force created by the movement to stay up and nothing else.
We have heard that a Formula One car could drive upside down in a tunnel if it was travelling at the correct speed. That uses the down force generated by the aero dynamics and doubt we will ever see it as who is brave enough to even give it a go. I am sure one of these guys would as it must take nerves of steel driving a car meters off the ground knowing a mistake could kill you or a serious injury at best.
I would say that is probably what draws the spectators to view this kind of stunt as things could be catastrophic for spectators and stunt drivers if something goes wrong. The uniqueness of this type of show as motorbikes is not daring enough as they have multiple cars running at any one time including motorbikes.
The things people do to earn some money by doing death defying stunts is unreal. We would never see this in Europe as the health and safety would shut it down and the carnival or fair wouldn't have an entertainment licence with this show. I do understand poor uneducated would be drawn to this as who else would even try it out.
The stunt is known as the wall of death for a reason as unfortunately people do die when things go wrong. Three years ago a motorcyclist riding underneath the car above him was crushed as it slipped off the wall. This not a sport I would go and watch with the cars as it is just too crazy to comprehend ,but I would watch the motorcycles as that doesn't sound so stupid.
