Basejumper.com - archive

Not to stray off subject or rub anyone the wrong way, but I want to to ask you a question. This goes to my curiosity of people looking for information here as opposed going to jumpers they know and can actually see and speak with.

You know some good base jumpers that you skydive with, so my question is this. Why did you post this question here instead of asking them? I am just curious. I am still trying to decide whether or not I think this forum is a good thing and just wonder why people choose to ask thier questions here instead of asking jumpers they know in "real" life. Now i understand that not everyone has access to qualified jumpers to ask questions to, but you do, so why come here??

Russell,

Here's my take (even though you didn't directly reply to me). I generally lurk this forum just for general info, right or wrong, just basically to keep my "ear on the rail". At this point, I'm not ready (finacially or otherwise) to start BASE jumping, but in a while (year or so, maybe more), when I'm more ready, I'll be talking to the jumpers I personally know for direction/guidance/etc.

I was just thinking about this today, actually. The forums should definitely be used as a backup source of information--a tool for gathering different opinions and experiences. I would hope it is only common sense to first seek advice from the people who are familiar with your jumping abilities, and then to come to the forums for additional perspectives. When they're used this way, I think they're definitely a valuable (or invaluable? ) resource.

I have spoke to all of them on several occasions, I believe a person would be foolish though not to get all the information that is available.
Hell all you have to do is ask
so why not take advantage of what's available fom everyone.
Different people do things different way's and for different reasons.

I've detached this discussion into a separate thread, as it looks (a) valuable, (b) interesting and (c) reasonably unrelated to the original "First Jump" thread.

i would hope it is more a an 'in addition to' as it is with nearly everything asked about skydiving. a forum is just another means of getting information and so why not ask??

Why does anyone ask skydiving related questions on the skydive boards? I think it is just an affirmation of information.

I personally don't plan my next BASE jump by what I read on any board. That just don't make since. And while I, for one, value any information I get from any BASE jumper, be it face to face or message board, I don't take it as the Golden Rule.

And yes your right, not everyone has access to experienced jumpers. Some of us have to wait until they get back home from their exotic BASE vacations, or, we just decide to go huck stuff alone. (But never without a driver)

Rod

I only have two bridge jumps, etc... I can talk to people at my DZ and people that I know BASE... This board is just another place to get information and opinions, on something I know very little about. Will I go out by myself armed with what I read here? No. But here, I can get more than 3-5 opinions, and I don't have to feel like the AFF student that is getting into skydiving, and I can ask all my "stupid", whoffo-BASE questions without seeming like a tool to the people that I will soon trust my life with again...

This was kind of my point on this thread. You will trust your life to these guys. You will trust them to give you guidance and the knowledge you will need in order to survive in this sport. Will they be your only source of info.....no. Should you go out and seek other advice.....OF Course. But, if you feel self conscious about asking them any questions, then maybe these are not the right teachers. This forum should not be where you go to ask the questions that you feel too stupid to ask your instructor/mentor. That was kind of what I was getting at in my first post. If you are not 100% comfortable with them or have doubts about the stuff they are teaching you, then they are not right teacher for you. I know I have replied to alot more than you actually said, and it may not all apply to you, and if it doesn't, then ignore it. I just felt that I needed to say it. I know it seems all of the posts I make are usually lecturing or complaining, and I am sorry, I just have some concerns about information mediums like these and I would rather address them when they are not needed than risk ignoring them when I should have said something about it. Thanks.

Right. There are plenty of people at my DZ that I know are in the inner-clique of BASE out here. I know that if I ask the person that I went to the bridge with, he will answer my most basic, "stupid" question to as much detail as I am patient for. I know that the others won't think any less and all that, and I know that I can ask them questions. The thing is that since BASE jumpers have gone through AFF and beyond, they see new AFF students with a level of distance, since the experienced skydivers have seen the interested 20-jump wonders who fade away all the time. When people with 15-20 jumps ask me the questions, or even my opinion, you can't help but help, but also wonder why they didn't teach the pros and cons of RSLs etc, in third grade. Same way I feel in BASE. I know 425+ jumps worth of knowledge in skydiving, but very little about BASE. Sucks having to walk back in and admit that you have no idea what is going on, and it is much easier to ask the RSL type questions here, and not seem that ignorant to the BASE mentors. Not that they are going to laugh in your face, but it is simply easier here... Simply, I trust them with my life, and I feel they are the right teachers. Just don't want to seem stupid...