Cyclist's Disastrous Attempt At Selfie Is Caught On Live TV

The difficulties of live television are well known, with randomers always wanting to get their fifteen seconds of fame. But it didn't go too well for a hapless cyclist when they tried to photobomb a news report recently. Watch below:

During a live report for MSNBC in Santa Monica, California, a person can be seen riding past in the background on their chopper.

However, as they take their hands off the handlebars to video themselves waving at their camera phone, they lose their balance.

And despite their best efforts to stay on their seat, they come tumbling off, bruising their bottom as well as their ego as they hit the concrete.

Since the fall was spotted, people online have shared their thoughts on the unfortunate series of events.

One viewer said: "It's the little wave to the camera that gets me."

MSNBC

Another joked: "The no-hands bike selfie timed as the news crew is positioned behind you is not for amateurs."

A third quipped: "It's funny cause he fell and the newscast is about nurses and now he needs one."

While another rightly pointed out: "Imagine being on national TV falling flat on your ass because you tried to selfie while riding a bike.

"They're never going to live that s**t down and it's going to still be circulating in gif format in like 2035."

But while some may think lapping it up when someone else stacks it is a touch cruel, it's completely natural.

Schadenfreude is a well-known term that describes experiencing joy at another's expense.

Speaking about the psychology behind it all, Professor Wilco van Dijk, who is an expert in this particular field, told LADbible: "I consider schadenfreude as an atypical kind of joy.

MSNBC

"It concerns being pleased about an event that is undesirable for someone else, whereas 'typical' joy usually concerns being pleased about a desirable event for oneself."

So does it make you a bad person?

"To experience schadenfreude might be considered as a 'bad' thing," he said.

"But from a psychological perspective we can understand why sometimes we cannot escape the feeling.

"We have a strong desire to feel positive about ourselves. One [way] to feel good is to compare ourselves to those who are less fortunate.

"If another person is doing less well, we, by comparison, are doing better which is pleasing and this also can explain why we sometimes enjoy the misfortunes of others."

Topics: Viral, Bike, Funny, Fall, Social Media, US News, Twitter, california

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

@SmithersDom