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obelixtim

Darwin award candidate...brain switched off...

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Not just a candidate. You can see from his entire behaviour that he'll get an entry in the BFL sooner rather than later. The only question is whether a wingsuit will be involved or if he'll manage to go in before even that.
"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

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well, it would seem from the audio that the guy chewing him out is 'in charge' of what is going on... "Go home, Get off this fucking bridge..." etc

So if you are in charge of, or at least participating in, what looks like at least some semi-organized thing going on involving many people....how it is that this guy managed to get over the railing without someone else (perhaps someone in charge) giving him a gear check on a base jump?

Appears there were many 'brain dead' people there that day, not just that guy.

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Guy was not involved in any course, and reportedly has taken multiple first jump courses from different people.

Even if he was actively in a course, if an instructor needs to tell you "you have to put on the harness for it to work", youve got some serious knowledge gaps that started back in AFF, or perhaps, its time to admit that base jumping just isnt for you.

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I thought it was a classic example of how people who get caught up in the moment can do the most mind blowingly stupid things. This applies to skydiving.

The failure to do up chest straps properly is a classic example, and there was a case a few years ago when a tandem rider undid their leg straps in the plane (snap hook attachments) because it was uncomfortable...was caught when moving to the door.

Not so sure if the "organiser" as you put it was actually an organiser at all, seems like it was just casual jumping off the bridge, and the guy just climbed over the rail while the others were focussed on the action.

I'm sure everyone learned a lesson though.

I am sure the words of advice to get off the bridge were well meant!!!
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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tkhayes

well, it would seem from the audio that the guy chewing him out is 'in charge' of what is going on... "Go home, Get off this fucking bridge..." etc

So if you are in charge of, or at least participating in, what looks like at least some semi-organized thing going on involving many people....how it is that this guy managed to get over the railing without someone else (perhaps someone in charge) giving him a gear check on a base jump?

Appears there were many 'brain dead' people there that day, not just that guy.



From the guy "in charge":

Chris "Douggs" McDougall
12 hrs ·
Just for the record...... This muppet with no leg straps on was NOT one of my students!! I was looking after ten other people perfectly fine and this dick he'd just showed up!! He was one second away from jumping when I caught the mistake. He was NOT one of my students. On headings for me tomorrow. I will release my video angle when I get a chance!! ❤️ triple check your gear everyone!! 💥

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fair enough.... But when someone gets on the airplane at the dropzone without their gear on, or worse, climbs out of the airplane without their gear on....it does in fact reflect badly on the dropzone as well as the person who failed to do their gear up.

And as an example at Skydive City, we would absolutely take action to ensure that thing did not happen again. Because it has happened,

Keep in mind I never said it was your fault. i commented on what I saw in 1 minute of video. Lots of people doing things that are dangerous at best, yet apparently complacent all the same.

Hopefully you learned something from it as well.

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I guess I always assume that if a person chooses to participate in an activity like BASE jumping, they are taking on a certain amount of personal responsibility. When I'm preparing for a jump, or focusing on a student (as Douggs was doing on this jump) there's not a lot of extra attention left for making sure there's not a complete retard trying to kill himself next to you. It's nice to give and receive gear checks for sure, but If you need to rely on others to prevent a mistakes as basic as what was demonstrated in the video, you are not ready to be a base jumper. Period. Sell your gear. Stow your selfy stick safely in your rectum. Done.

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They were doing unpacked jumps (rollovers), meaning the entire canopy (240-300sqft usually), lines, and risers are out and usually being held around or in front of the jumper as soon as they gear up, so much of their rig is being covered up or draped in random lines. The guy also geared up at the exit point on the bridge, not before. Watch the video, he walks up and you can't see any of his rig from the front.

A closer equivalent would be gearing up a wingsuit without leg straps, which unfortunately didn't go so well the last time at Sebastian.

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If I watched it right. After Doug stops him from committing unintentional suicide. The dude puts his legstraps on and still jumps right ? :S. He didn't seem as concerned as I would have hoped >:(

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .


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I would suggest in this unstructured situation, no one has any authority to stop another person doing what they like.

Anyone can buy a rig and jump off whatever they like, at any time they like.

Telling the guy he should go home and sell his gear would be about the limit of what you could do.
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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I agree with what you said. And don't think it was anyone else's responsibility to stop the guy from going ahead and making the jump. I'm just shocked the guy didn't stand down on his own. He should have turned into an apologetic quivering mess. :S

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .


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Quote

fair enough.... But when someone gets on the airplane at the dropzone without their gear on, or worse, climbs out of the airplane without their gear on....it does in fact reflect badly on the dropzone as well as the person who failed to do their gear up.



But it's not a dropzone. It's a bridge. The nearest analogy to a DZO in this situation isn't Douggs, it's whatever highways agency owns the bridge.

Quote

And as an example at Skydive City, we would absolutely take action to ensure that thing did not happen again.



And you can do that, because you know who they are, have taken their money, have entered into a contract with them involving certain conditions and safety provisions and are in return allowing them to use your landing area, your airplane and your services -all of which you control. And none of which applies here.

So what action would you take to ensure that someone you don't know, have no business or personal relationship with, and who isn't using your business or services doesn't fuck up again on a bridge you don't own and have no authority over?
Do you want to have an ideagasm?

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keithbar

I agree with what you said. And don't think it was anyone else's responsibility to stop the guy from going ahead and making the jump. I'm just shocked the guy didn't stand down on his own. He should have turned into an apologetic quivering mess. :S



And bought Dougg beer. Lots of beer...
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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obelixtim

***I agree with what you said. And don't think it was anyone else's responsibility to stop the guy from going ahead and making the jump. I'm just shocked the guy didn't stand down on his own. He should have turned into an apologetic quivering mess. :S



And bought Dougg beer. Lots of beer... i'm sure that deserved at least a case of beer. because by God .hopefully that's the first time this dickhead .has climbed over the railing of a bridge without his leg straps on:S:o
i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .


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+1 well said. Tkhayes its not Douggs or any one elses responsibility. How about focusing on the positive which is that Douggs was on point enough to have caught this, and post something" like good job mate", instead of going negative and trying to place blame.
On an object/exit point you are responsible for your self. If your a dumbass and some one catches it, tell them thanks and yes bye them a beer or two and take some notes.

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So much for the base 'community'

What you are saying basically is that it is ok for me to stand there and watch the guy g off a cliff, not my job.

No empathy for fellow human being, accepting death as an ok outcome, disinterested in others, only responsible for myself.

Sounds like an ego driven sport to me, but that pretty much defines a large part of skydiving and related sports anyway.

EVERYONE on that bridge failed to some degree. And sure, that guy himself failed to the greatest degree of all, yes. And I agree he owes Douggie a shitload of whatever for saving his life.

However it was a mass collective failure of complacency....
And we can all do better and we all should do better and I hope everyone learned something from it.

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tkhayes


However it was a mass collective failure of complacency....



I don't agree with that at all.
I agree that it would be good if people noticed, but they're not obliged to. Everyone has to be responsible for themselves first and foremost.

It's not like at a DZ where you can be standing around at an emplaning area doing nothing for 20 minutes, all boarding the plane together and sitting down on the plane doing another 20 minutes of nothing. That's heaps of time to check gear - YOUR gear, then someone else's.

In this situation it looks like the guy just wandered out on the bridge as people were jumping.
If I was there scared and trying to focus I'd just try to ignore him too.

I always cast an eye over other people's gear while I'm standing around doing nothing - but not when I'm about to jump.

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True it is a 'community' and yes we should all look out for our fellow human beings. What I understood was that MOST of the people on the bridge were students under douggs, and were probably focused on them selves which is understandable, and from watching the video when the guy walks up with his canopy obscuring most of his harness from view UNTIL he climbs over the railing and drops his shit for a roll over and now his harness is less obscured, it is at this point that douggs noticed it. I dont consider this to be a scenario where "EVERYONE" failed.

And NO I am not saying you should stand there and not say something. Even If I dont like some one I would still point out some something I saw that might be a problem, it is the right thing to do, but I was also raised to take responsibility for my actions.

But like I said to LAY BLAME on some one cause they might not have caught some thing, or because they might have been focused on not being an ass hat them selves because they them selves are inexperienced, is not right, but that seems to be your S.O.P

Just curious have you ever made a B.A.S.E jump or stood on an object and seen what goes on? I have. Yes we do look out for each other.

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So one lesson to repeat for the skydiving community, is the importance of getting a gear check by another set of eyes, and keeping an eye on others.

I know there are people out there who don't think a gear check is important, 'because I can look after myself just fine, and I'm not an idiot'.

It doesn't matter who you are, or how much experience you have, it only takes one mistake and you are playing dice with the Reaper....
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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obelixtim

I notice the guy didn't forget to turn his camera on. Pity he'd turned his brain off a bit earlier.



For me it appears to be like a:
- it´s getting late, everyone else is already at exit
- I have to be on that "load" before the light is too low for the GoPro
- I usually jump on my own, but this is a chance to show those "students" what I can

Either mental overflow or stupidity here.

But missing gearchecks led to a couple of fatalities in the past. Pull-Up cords around a PC-Handle, misrouted bridles, etc..
Not only at solo jumps, also at multiways and groups at the exitpoint ...
So never say never, even this was obvious and easy to recognize.
Thank God that Dougs has always an open eye for everyone around and wasn´t only focused to his students....
--------------------------------------------------

With sufficient thrust,
pigs just fly well

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