Basejumper.com - archive

This is a bullshit poll but it's supposed to get some people thinking.

Answering these questions honestly can, in some cases, be a brutal look in the mirror!
I count 1 death every 18 days since I started base and that's just the BFL fatalities, ridiculous! Is it really worth the cost ? and if you answer "yes", like I do, then "Jump to enhance your life, not to define it" as I was taught by a very experienced jumper.

Rant over

i think being willing to die and accepting death is 2 completely different ideas. no im not willing to just die but i am willing to accept that its a very real part of the risk.

I think another good question for the poll is
"will you go off flat and stable while people are around or do you feel the need to do acro?"

I find the "willing to die" question interesting. Because I understand that I could die on any jump, and I make the jump, I must be willing to die. The same can be said for driving to the store for some yogurt. I understand I could die on the drive there. I make the drive there. Therefore I must be willing to die to drive.

This doesn't mean I WANT to die. It doesn't mean I believe I'M GOING TO DIE on this jump. It just means that I recognize it's possible, and that I have chosen to participate in the activity notwithstanding its possible consequences.

Here's what makes this possible. I don't believe in magic. I believe (know) that I can influence, if not outright control, the outcome of the jump. Whether or not I die is largely/mostly a factor of my own performance.

~ Chris

What is this "GoPro" thing of which you speak?

I'm not sure if you really meant this or not, but;

Performance is one of the smaller factors. The most important factor is judgement. The last moment in which we are in complete control of the outcome is the moment _before_ we leave the exit point.

Performance, skill, knowledge--all those things are secondary to (and sometimes necessary for) the exercise of good judgment.

I suspect that you meant more or less the same thing I said, so please don't take that as an argument over a trivial point.

Tom,

I think we meant the same thing. I mean performance in the sense of assessment, planning, preparation, and execution as a whole. I'm glad you mentioned judgement specifically. Its importance can't be overstated.

~ Chris

That's twice you've said that....

The 'With my GoPro' questions should've had a third option 'I've never flown without my GoPro, so I don't know'.

I walk away all the time. All the time.

Ive walked away quite a few times, scary downclimbing included

Narcissism only ever hurt Narcissus.
Nothing wrong with wanting acceptance from peers really, or even wanting them to bow down and worship you... Ok maybe that last one is not for everybody.
I have walked down many times. I am certain many of the people on the BFL walked down; in fact, come to think of it, I walked down with three people on that list.
I have made many mistakes and just about every jumper I know has a story about the time they should have walked down.
... Just another rant...

I think its some newfangled kind of camera Tom.

I disagree, there are always family and friends involved when someone gets hurt or worse.

Draw your own conclusions, I'm just posing some questions to think about.

Posting for likes has no relevance on the decision making in the BASE world. That's how some people make a living, get sponsorship, basically getting paid to do what they love.
If somebody flies a tighter line I like to think that it's because they believe they can make it, not because they want to post video on YouTube.
Pulling a technical jump off is awesome! The exhilaration is incredible. I don't need to tell you this because you know it very well. Having video is a bonus. Wanting to share is a legitimate feeling I think but that is not the reason for doing the jump in the first place.
Call me a cunt but I think it is arrogant to assume there are people jumping and dying for those reasons you listed.
The whole Bill Booth thing of making something safer and then seeing a rise in accidents. Human beings; Pushing the envelope since forever. The nature of the beast.
I don't think video has anything to do with this and that is something we can argue until the cows come home I guess.

I don't disagree with your comments at all, To each his own. The red light effect is nothing new and I would argue it has some very real effects on someone's motivation for jumping, both positive and negative.

And the best judgment is when you walk away before even climbing the object If there are any doubts, any at all, I'd rather go have a booze instead, not like the object is going anywhere

A lot better attitude than "let's just climb up and we'll see what happens next"

 
More like let's climb and see what its like up top but
To be fair most every time I use that line i feel good with the conditions and am just trying to get Gnirke to climb with me.

ive climbed down and walked away a number of times, i think being able to make that decision is a crucial skill in this sport.

I'm on to you