Opening for "buddy" @ 10k

[divertech 0]

I have/had a friend that started jumping with me and we did our 100th jump together, after getting me in trouble with the CI a couple of times I thought I would teach him a lesson and opened his shoot for him @ 10 000ft as a joke/payback. I informed everyone on the load including the pilot of my plan (not the safety officer - she would have stopped me). On the ground I told him strait away what I did and why, I bought a couple of beers and off we went. Now he is not returning my calls and still moans about it when at the DZ. I really feel bad about losing a buddy - is he justified in staying angry at me for so long (8 months) for what I consider a joke?

[JackC1 0]

I think you got off light. I'd have been considerably less understanding.

[divertech 0]

I think he probably whould have if he could, but after that whould you stay mad?

[JackC1 0]

divertech

I think he probably whould have if he could, but after that whould you stay mad?

Not mad exactly, but I wouldn't jump with you again.

[divertech 0]

JackC1

***I think he probably whould have if he could, but after that whould you stay mad?

Not mad exactly, but I wouldn't jump with you again.

Not even if I offered to pay your slot and promised to keep my distance - for all I care he can jump with anyone ells, I want my buddy on the ground back.

[JackC1 0]

That depends. If I thought you were the sort of person who made a mistake, recognises it and won't make it again, I might come around. If I thought you were likely to pull some other equally stupid stunt in the future, not a chance.

[divertech 0]

JackC1

That depends. If I thought you were the sort of person who made a mistake, recognises it and won't make it again, I might come around. If I thought you were likely to pull some other equally stupid stunt in the future, not a chance.

This is something you only get away with once then you are on warnings and what not - if I want to keep on jumping this cant happen again or Ill get banned (not that I would want to do it again). From a danger standpoint in my mind it seemd like a fairly harmless prank.

[rifleman 61]

divertech

From a danger standpoint in my mind it seemd like a fairly harmless prank.

How would you feel about your harmless prank if because of the uppers your friend was blown way off the DZ, had to land out and seriously injured himself.

Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation

[divertech 0]

rifleman

*** From a danger standpoint in my mind it seemd like a fairly harmless prank.

How would you feel about your harmless prank if because of the uppers your friend was blown way off the DZ, had to land out and seriously injured himself.

It was a wind still and cloudless day, not our first jump of the day (a bit cold), but yes that would suck.

[davjohns 1]

I jump for the freefall time and really don't care as much for canopy time. So, I probably would have told you that you owed me another lift ticket. Other than that, I don't think I would let it bother me.

I see someone pointed out the possibility of getting blown away from the DZ. I hope you took the winds into consideration. They would have to be pretty rough to actually do this. Otherwise, I can't think of any real dangers.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[JackC1 0]

davjohns

Otherwise, I can't think of any real dangers.

Meat bombs?

[davjohns 1]

???

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[JackC1 0]

Where I jump it is highly likely that a few minutes after you get dumped out at 10k, there will be another plane full of skydiver getting dropped on your head. I'd consider that a real danger.

[HighJB 0]

Sounds funny to me
Pulling for someone else on 'celebaration ' jumps is not uncommon here (But lower because after pulling, you're alone on your jump). Nevertherless i might be concerned by your ability to do it totally safely given your low experience.

ça passe ou ça frotte

[divertech 0]

HighJB

Sounds funny to me
Pulling for someone else on 'celebaration ' jumps is not uncommon here (But lower because after pulling, you're alone on your jump). Nevertherless i might be concerned by your ability to do it totally safely given your low experience.

I asked the senior jumpers what to look out for and how to do it, the same guys that moved us to the back of the plane to ensure no one els was impacted.

[jimmytavino 16]

hmmmm
'freelancing' has it's place
Basically you burned BOTH yours AND His skydive...
( what did YOU do, after his deployment ?? )
Maybe i'm old school,, but If " payback is fair play ".. then I might have pulled YOUR ripcord.... RESERVE !...
On the ground, after returning to the DZ...and maybe while you're geared Up for your NEXT jump...
Surprises are all well and good,, but I follow the "plan the dive, dive the plan " approach...
did you see the thread here about the Heads Up guy.... on the heads DOWN Dive????

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

divertech

I think he probably whould have if he could, but after that whould you stay mad?

You violated another jumper's TRUST. I don't care that everyone else on the load was "in" on the "joke". I'd never jump with you again. And I'd tell everyone why.

There's quite a few people I won't jump with or get on the same load with them because of 1) past personal jumping experiences with them, 2) hearing from others they're a douche bag on jumps or under canopy by way of recklessness, 3) knowing what they were doing the night before (drugs, alcohol, etc.).

What you perceive as funny could've seriously effed your friend up.

Not cool, not funny, not smart.

Always be kinder than you feel.

[BIGUN 1,053]

These kinds of pranks can also escalate into a leap-frogging of rivalry that can lead to bad things in this sport.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[pchapman 261]

Wow, I didn't expect this much negative reaction. Interesting!

Dumping a buddy out is a really old school trick, and I'm sure happened a bunch 20+ years ago.

Boohoo, someone who is open high might get cold and land off and get a little mud on them. (The issue of not having another plane dump on them was already taken care of in the OP's case.)

But admittedly these days if someone is dumped out, what I've seen (very occasionally in the last 5 years) it would tend to be at the end of an RW jump. Close to breakoff, as long as nobody is overhead, the jumper gets a surprise by being dumped out.

But these days that's maybe better for intermediate level jumpers but not those with small crossbraced canopies. Don't want someone complaining that they lost their gear because the canopy spun up when then deployed shoulders not level.

It has also been acceptable to "waste a jumper's whole jump", as long as everyone is buddies or among a group where goofing around is appreciated. You don't normally screw up a jump for someone, but a trick I recall (but haven't seen done personally) is to have an exit where the jumper being tricked leaves on "go!" but everyone else stays with the plane and launches an appropriate time later.

Another trick was to give someone a really bad spot and see if the sucker goes for it. Easier in a C-182 of course than with a full Otter load.

Maybe it hearkens back to days where DZs tended to be surrounded by fields. Landing off wasn't seen as some terrible danger that could kill. One could argue that while one wouldn't spot a buddy a mile into subdivisions or swamp or freezing water, at many DZ's a bad spot isn't the end of the world and won't destroy neighbour relations. Plus jumpers should be responsible for being able to land their own damn parachute safely enough, away from manicured DZ grass and windsocks.

The particular issue with one buddy may fit in Bonfire, but the topic of "what kind of screwing around on a jump is acceptable these days" could well go into one of the regular forums.

It's an interesting issue, trying to find a balance between:
a) "Any deviation from standard parachuting practices is an unacceptable increase in risk and cannot be tolerated in today's skydiving world"
vs.
b) "Suck it up cupcake, you've got to be ready for a little bit of shit going wrong, have a sense of humor, and be able to land your parachute in any open space."

I might just try a Safety & Training thread later some time...

[CSpenceFLY 1]

HighJB

Sounds funny to me
Pulling for someone else on 'celebaration ' jumps is not uncommon here (But lower because after pulling, you're alone on your jump). Nevertherless i might be concerned by your ability to do it totally safely given your low experience.

I have a friend that was seriously injured on a jump like this.Fractured sternum and ribs from the opening because the person that was holding on to her when someone pulled for her sank out and caused a really bad body position during opening.

It's a bad idea, I've never liked it, and I would kick someones ass if they did it to me.

[skydivecat 3]

I'm with Spence. I am friends with this jumper also and after seeing the stills/video, any thoughts of this being a "funny and harmless prank" have left me. Viewing of it should be made mandatory for anyone who thinks this sounds like a fun idea.

I don't want anyone touching my gear unless I ask you, or unless some sort of emergency calls for it.

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

Quote

It's a bad idea, I've never liked it, and I would kick someones ass if they did it to me.

+1 I'm a docile person but if it ever happened to me you can bet there'd be a problem in the landing area between me and the other "friend".

Always be kinder than you feel.

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

Quote

I don't want anyone touching my gear unless I ask you, or unless some sort of emergency calls for it.

I don't even like when someone wants to do a pink check before jump run.

Always be kinder than you feel.

[pchapman 261]

I have made a Safety & Training thread in case anyone wants to discuss skydiving pranks in general. Nothing wrong with this thread though, for discussing the issue between the OP and his not-so-friendly-anymore buddy.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view&post=4565290


@lucky:
Nice typo:

Quote

I don't even like when someone wants to do a pink check before jump run. Unimpressed

Hey girls, want a pink check?

[skymama 35]

I've never hit anyone out of anger in my whole life, but I think I'd have to punch you if you did that to me.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon