Daredevil Bikes Over Texas Bridge in Unconventional -- and Illegal -- Way

Daredevil Mat Olson gave riding a bike over a bridge new meaning Saturday when he pedaled precariously on top of the six structural arches of the West 7th Street Bridge in Fort Worth, Texas.

“It seemed like I was on top of a mountain,” Olson told The Star-Telegram about riding on the 24-foot arches. “It was all windy and crazy when I was up there. It was pretty exhilarating, that’s for sure.”

Mat Olson's stunt across the bridge was illegal, but he said police let him off with a warning. (Image source: YouTube)

Watch some of Olson's ride:

Why would he do such a thing?

“I figured this would be another way to get my name out there,” Olson told the newspaper.

The local police department did show up to Olson's illegal ride because a crowd had gathered, but the BMX bike rider said he was already halfway across.

Olson warned that this stunt is not for everyone. (Image source: YouTube)

“They were more astonished than anything: ‘I can’t believe you’re alive right now. Are you kidding? Why are you doing this?’" he told The Star-Telegram.

This footage captures the ride at various camera angles:

Olson admitted that he got a warning from officers, but only because he "kind of smoothed them over."

“They said: ‘To be honest, we’re glad you’re alive. We don’t want to see that on our watch. Tell your friends we’ll be watching out for this and we won’t be lenient the next time,'" he recalled.

Here's a look at Olson's perspective from the top of one of the arches. (Image source: YouTube)

In order to safely complete the stunt -- as safely as it could be done -- Olson told the newspaper that he did have to  make a couple temporary modifications to the bridge, adding wood boards over the points where each arch met at a sharp angle.

(H/T: KHOU-TV)

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