Until we bleed (DO NOT try this at home)

"Until we bleed" was a game played by some friends at university. Whatever you do, DO NOT try this at home.

The game was played every Friday. The activity and setting would vary, the rules were simple: the game continues until someone bleeds.

One fatal evening the game took place on a hill. The group took turns to race a mini-scooter and a go-kart down the slope.

It was all very organised, with cones, high-visibility vests, a camera crew, and a car waiting at the bottom to drive the competitors back to the top of the hill for their next race.

As the evening progressed there had still been no blood. It was growing darker, and the lads were going to have one more race before going home.

The final two competitors - let's call them Andy and Jimmy - prepared themselves at the top of the hill, while the rest of the lads waited at bottom. As they watched, Andy climbed into the go-kart, and in a moment of madness Jimmy suddenly undressed, right down to his boxers. He leapt onto the mini-scooter and the race began.

Up to this point, the go-kart had won every race. I'm told this was because the mini-scooter drivers had tended to err on the side of caution, and had been dabbing the brake for most of the descent.

As this final race begin, it started as all the others had, with the go-kart pulling quickly away into the lead. But as they watched, the stark white figure of Jimmy caught up and overtook the go-kart. This time Jimmy was not dabbing the brake.

It was pretty tense. Everyone knew what was going to happen. Inevitable really. Just turn the key words over in your head. Mini-scooter, high speed, semi-naked scooter driver, gravel.

The scooter began to shake. You know, the kind of frantic shaking and bobbling of something that is going to fast and is just about in control, but only just. Jimmy appeared to be having difficulty steering the thing. It was swinging to the left, to the right, hitting a bounce, back to the left.

The lads all remember the next bit. It happened in slow motion. Jimmy losing control and tumbling to the ground, sliding and rolling across the tarmac.

For a moment he lay there still. And then, stumbling to his feet, he staggered a few defiant steps and raised his arms victoriously. The lads at the bottom cheered.

They all went with him to the hospital. Jimmy was OK. A bit bruised and cut up, but OK nonetheless. When the doctor asked what had happened the camera crew were able show him the video.

The next time they played "until we bleed" Jimmy decided to stay at home. He wanted "a quiet one", he said.