Bum Steer at Running of the Bulls

eannie

July 11, 2005—Putting a whole new twist on the term \"bum steer,\" a calf rear-ends a reveler at Pamplona's running of the bulls yesterday. (No word was available as to whether the man was injured.)
Since at least the 14th century the northeastern Spanish city has celebrated the Festival of San Fermín, which each year runs from July 6 to 14. The revels kick off at 8 a.m. daily, when bulls are released from their pens and charge down the fenced, half-mile (800-meter) route to the city's bullring—along with hundreds of adrenaline junkies from around the world.

With a grand total of four gorings, today's run was the longest (five and a half minutes versus the usual two) and most dangerous in the festival's history. The carnage came about when a few of the animals decided to go their own way. Bulls, if not humans, are less dangerous when they run in packs.