mdrejhon 8 #126 February 24, 2006 QuoteThen he told me he'd made a skydive that lasted half an hour. Wish I'd asked him what altitude he jumped from...About 1 meter altitude. ...In a SkyVenture windtunnel. (I can't believe none of you thought of this up to now.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #127 February 24, 2006 Wuffo - "how many skydives do you have" skydiver - "about 500" {this is the standard answer) "why not talk about something interesting instead?" anything over 1000 they'll think you're lying, 500 sounds like a lot to a wuffo, but believable ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACMESkydiver 0 #128 February 24, 2006 I've heard stories about people running into people like that, but never actually met one myself... It just blows my mind that people would actually attempt to perpetuate a BS story KNOWING full-well that they are talking to a skydiver!! Just goes to show you that the general whuffo population really believes there is nothing to it but falling out of an airplane with a parachute attached to you somehow. -I mean really, I guess driving a race car *looks* simple, but you're not gonna walk up to Dale Earnhart Jr (or whatever, I don't watch) & tell him all about your races if you've only gone for a fun ride in a stock car once...~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #129 February 24, 2006 QuoteIt just blows my mind that people would actually attempt to perpetuate a BS story KNOWING full-well that they are talking to a skydiver!! Unless they're assuming that the other person is equally full of shit and they can pull one over on them. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACMESkydiver 0 #130 February 24, 2006 QuoteI had a homeless guy come up to me at a gas station one night at 1:00am. He saw the USPA sticker on the back of my SUV. He went on the explain that he "went in" and that was the root of his problem. Two seconds later a load blast from the PA system told him to step away from my truck and be on his way.... they were not going to tell him again to leave the area or they were going to call the police. The brief conversation I started with him showed he had no clue as to the license, rating system in place. I'd asked him whether he had a D license.... he had no idea what I was talking about.... He'd bounced and walked away from it but living with the trama had ruined his life. It was a sad life that person must lead. He wouldn't have known about 'ratings' if he was military. Many homeless are vets that did suffer in the military, war or otherwise. Your USPA sticker may have reminded him of airborne wings, they look similar, and it's pretty obvious they are both about jumping out of an airplane. He may have been reminiscing about that. That or he could have just been BS'ing.~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chaoskitty 0 #131 February 24, 2006 Quote "You know, I thought about calling that DZ to see if they allow experienced jumpers." Dude.. you didn't tell them how you jump a snowboard?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #132 February 24, 2006 I had a musician try to pull that shit on me. Oh, god, the restraint it took to not abjectly humiliate him. He was a friend of a friend for whom I was fixing this amp the faker had blown the input stage on. When the guy found out I was a jumper he tried telling me he was, too... Then basically he gave me a verbal text rendition of the scene from point break, totally unaware that that clip is perpetually joked about among real jumpers due to its inaccuracy. "Where did you jump?" "this friend has a plane and took me up." "Well theres only 3 dropzones within 100 miles of here....which one was it?" "I don't remember." "really? What altitude did you get?" "I don't know... I was too scared, I just jumped and pulled my ripcord when the needle on my gauge got in the red area." "Uh huh. How many jumps do you have?" "10." "Tandems? Or did you start AFF? Get licensed?" "No, my buddy just gave me a rig and we jumped..." "Funny, that simply doesn't happen. There are training structures in place... Can you tell me what rig you jumped? What canopy? What aircraft? So far, your jumps sound just like out of that movie we all laugh at....." I needled him enough to make damn sure I knew he knew that -I- knew he was full of it, but declined to do a full-on "you're full of it and here's why".... I figured being THAT much of a loser, I should show the poor bastard some mercy. God knows the planet wouldn't. But I let the friend who introduced me to him know that his buddy was full of it and I had no use for him whatsoever. I never saw him again....I think he knew better than try to go for round 2. Does EVERY poser out there think Point Break was real? Its like the gold standard for liars and idiots. Personally I'm glad such posers exist. They remind me that I'm the real deal with a Sabre2 and a wingsuit parked in my living room that I actually know how to use without dying, and that that is extraordinary. Sad sacks like musicboy can only ever experience the faint shadow of the real thing through their imaginations and attempts to steal thunder from the real. Poor guy doesn't understand you can't steal REAL thunder, it belongs to whoever created it by creating such experiences for themselves. I DO think its kind of cool to have thunder thats worth trying to steal, though. I've started not hiding exactly, but omitting mention of skydiving to people who don't already know I do, just because after awhile the oohing and aahing and wowing and questioning gets old...its like having people discover you're a celebrity and having to explain why, every time. Over and over again. After awhile I just want to put my thunder back in its case and hide it so people don't all gawk at me for having it. I'm ordinary! Really, I am! Honest! I think its giving me a Batman/Superman complex...walking the streets I'm Clark Kent with a secret identity, because when it gets out that I'm really Superman, the demands for autographs and shit just get to be too much.Live and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #133 February 24, 2006 Quotethe demands for autographs and shit just get to be too much Can I have your autograph? - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
L.O. 0 #134 February 25, 2006 I can't believe these people attempt to continue with the stories after you tell them you are a professional skydiver with thousands of jumps and a small biz on the side doing video. I told a taxi driver that I was a jumper and he proceeded to tell me how he used to do 3-4000 thousand jumps a year with the Golden Nights. He wasn't a Night he just helped then and got to jump with them for free. It was so cool, He jumped every day 10 times or more and didn't have to do anything. He didn't know what kind of equipment and was very ambiguous about where. He couldn't remember any names. He said they jumped round chutes. This was about 5yrs ago. I know they jump some antiques but not rounds unless a special event. I asked how they flared and got no response. He must not have heard me. Wow, some people are so desperate to be someone. It's amazing, and sad as hell.HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buff 0 #135 March 6, 2008 I ran into my 1st one of these guys last night. A little place by my house where I went to get a powerball tix & a beer. So the bartender tells some guy I jump from planes and this guy come over all, "hey man I jump too!" I think I said that's cool and then just waited.... "I got 643 jumps but my knees can't take it anymore." "My last jump was 10 year ago in the Gulf War." Um yea I was ARMY ATC during that pal & I don't remember any combat drops. "My old lady wants me to take her on a tandem but my knees again." I didn't try to call the guy out or anything, I just sat there kind of dumbfounded and let him ramble and then gave him a card to the DZ here in Wichita. I guess I won't see him there.It's called the Hillbilly Hop N Pop dude. If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough. That's fucked up. Watermelons do not grow on trees! ~Skymama Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piratemike 0 #136 March 6, 2008 QuoteI ran into my 1st one of these guys last night. A little place by my house where I went to get a powerball tix & a beer. So the bartender tells some guy I jump from planes and this guy come over all, "hey man I jump too!" I think I said that's cool and then just waited.... "I got 643 jumps but my knees can't take it anymore." "My last jump was 10 year ago in the Gulf War." Um yea I was ARMY ATC during that pal & I don't remember any combat drops. "My old lady wants me to take her on a tandem but my knees again." I didn't try to call the guy out or anything, I just sat there kind of dumbfounded and let him ramble and then gave him a card to the DZ here in Wichita. I guess I won't see him there. That's probably a better way to deal with that situation. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting one of these people yet. I like to think that my insecurities won't make me behave differently than you. We will see. And yes, you most likley won't see theguy around the DZ. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #137 March 6, 2008 Quote Quote I guess I won't see him there. That's probably a better way to deal with that situation. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting one of these people yet. I like to think that my insecurities won't make me behave differently than you. We will see. And yes, you most likley won't see theguy around the DZ. Maybe we will see his wife there though.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #138 March 6, 2008 Quote Maybe we will see his wife there though. Not if she see's you first (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #139 March 6, 2008 Quote Quote Maybe we will see his wife there though. Not if she see's you first I'll hide and all that.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futuredivot 0 #140 March 6, 2008 Quote Quote Quote Maybe we will see his wife there though. Not if she see's you first I'll hide and all that. You'll want to hide downwindYou are only as strong as the prey you devour Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maxmadmax 8 #141 March 7, 2008 Had guy at a party tell me that he did a static line from 17,000 ft. I was impressed......just listened to his lying ass. And on the other hand met a DJ at a strip joint that had jumps. He was very cool guy, sent us table dances all night long. Go figure. Don't go away mad....just go away! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baksteen 84 #142 March 7, 2008 Could've been cross country Student at our DZ did a SL from 13500. EDIT: As to the stupid people: [suitably awed voice] "You're a skydiver? Wooooow... Can I interview you about it?" Ask them progressively difficult/BS questions on camera and post it on Youtube "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #143 March 7, 2008 You are being optimistic! "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
