Landing out... A Farmer McUpset story

[BigMikeH77 0]

So over this beautiful holiday weekend, I took full advantage of the weather and knocked out quite a few coach jumps as I progress through my student program. Lots of firsts… including my first out landing.

I’ve gone over the situation in my head time and time again and have identified a few things that should have been done differently and could have possibly changed the outcome. But what’s done is done and fortunately everyone is safe. What I wanted to share though is what happened once I knew that I wasn’t going to make it back to the DZ:

I identified plan B and plan C. located hazards near both and planned patterns accordingly. Plan B – not going to happen. Looks like I’m landing in that farmer’s field, plan C. Power lines behind me, a barbed wire fence to my left, and a big ol’ ditch in front of me… It was going to be a challenge but if I stuck to the pattern, based on my rate of descent and the wind, I should land right in the middle. And that’s exactly where I landed. And a stand-up landing at that!

But now wasn’t the time to start patting myself on the back – not just yet. I was in someone’s field, and although it wasn’t growing anything of value it didn’t change the fact that I was trespassing. “Don’t worry about getting everything pretty” I thought.. “just get your canopy together and get out of there!”

That’s when I saw the car pull up. It was an old beater Trans-Am, and some guy just got out. Standing there on the other side of the barbed wire fence with his arms crossed, I could tell he wasn’t exactly a part of the local welcome wagon committee. And so I walked toward him… And as soon as I was within earshot I said:

“I’m sorry for landing in your field..”

This guy was clearly upset – and rightfully so. I have my own opinions about property rights, but now was neither the time nor place to get into a debate. He muttered some incomprehensible jibber jabber and then said “You gonna be REAL sorry if you try to cross dat dere fence. Dat’s a hot line and now I gotta shut it off.”

I decided to take the humble route. I apologized, was empathetic and understanding of his frustration, thanked him for shutting the power to the fence off while I crossed it, apologized again, and wished him a good holiday weekend. He responded by threatening to chase future skydivers off his property.

He was complaining about others landing in his fields and knocking the fence down and his cows getting out, which may or may not be true, but the way I see it this guy pulled up in his car the MOMENT I landed. That means his sole purpose in life, at least today, was to sit on his porch and watch for stray jumpers landing in his fields. His demeanor indicated that nothing would have made him happier than for a skydiver to get mouthy and give him a reason to go all Farmer McNasty on them.

By apologizing, being empathetic, and taking responsibility I’d like to think that I didn’t afford him that opportunity. In fact, it probably drove him nuts.

[wmw999 2,120]

The only thing I could add to what you did (which was exactly right from what you said) would be to send over a case of beer, or something else (in case he doesn't drink any more), as a thank-you-and-sorry from the dropzone.

But if they've done that in the past, it might be that they just don't want to go there again.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[BigMikeH77 0]

I seriously considered it... On my own and independent of the DZ. I just decided to leave well enough alone.

[obelixtim 100]

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The only thing I could add to what you did (which was exactly right from what you said) would be to send over a case of beer, or something else (in case he doesn't drink any more), as a thank-you-and-sorry from the dropzone.

But if they've done that in the past, it might be that they just don't want to go there again.

Wendy P.

Agree. A case of beer is a good sweetener.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[jumpinjackflsh 0]

I'm in as well.

Wendy, very thoughtful and the right thing to do.

You can't guess whether others have offered, I'd just go for it. If he doesn't accept it (doesn't drink?) you can take it to the dz as prepayment for a "first".

In that case, I'd show up a day later with a turkey, or something similar for his freezer/family.

That's the best you can do and you never know, it may go a long way towards changing his feelings on the subject.

[pchapman 261]

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That means his sole purpose in life, at least today, was to sit on his porch and watch for stray jumpers landing in his fields.

We had a Lady McNasty who was so focused on sticking it to the skydivers, that she collected wind drift indicators, rolled them up again, and collected them on a shelf in her garage. It must have given her great satisfaction!

(One or two free bags went missing too. Nobody ever told her about the value of a used wind drift indicator, and she has recently sold the house & moved.)

[airtwardo 6]

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By apologizing, being empathetic, and taking responsibility I’d like to think that I didn’t afford him that opportunity. In fact, it probably drove him nuts.

I had a similar thing happen once, guy was PISSED and talkin' shit...pretty nasty things regarding what he was going to do to both me AND my mother.

I took off my gear and laid it on the ground inside the fence, jumped the fence and then pulled my gear over setting it down again...The guy calmed down pretty quick after seeing I was a foot taller & 80 pounds heavier than he...I was red faced & covered in sweat, I'd of been wary too!

I apologized sincerely and asked "what can I do to make this right?"

He told me I could stay out of his field and keep 'all them other assholes out too, every one of ya tramples down 20 dollars worth of beans likes it's nuthin' "

I told him I couldn't help landing there, but I could help with the damage I caused & handed him 40.00.

He switch 180 degrees...gave me a ride back in his truck and handed me a beer from the cooler on the front seat.

I don't think anyone had ever considered HIS concerns and talked to him like 'an equal' not a wuffo...he's probably a pretty nice guy, I know I'd get tired of losing money because of someone elses mistake.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Eagleeye 0]

He could have been a real jerk by not turning the fence off but telling you that he did! Did you check that der fence before you crossed it? I probably would've taken him for his word and then got zapped. One to remember.

[BigMikeH77 0]

He could have, but that would have opened him up to liability issues. Independent of the fact that I was trespassing, had I zapped myself he would have been liable. Just another thing for him to be upset about. I can totally understand his frustration.

[popsjumper 2]

BigMikeH77

I can totally understand his frustration.

Unfortunately, you'll find many who do not understand that and fewer still who accept it. You'll many posts about Farmer McNasty and many posts calling him an asshole for bothering us about landing on his property....like we are Gods who have no responsibilities to land owners.

I have had to stand down angry skydivers talking shit back at a property owner...not a good situation and one that only makes it worse the next time.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

Third-party liability insurance comes with membership. All USPA individual members, regular or temporary, have coverage for property damage and bodily injury liability insurance in accordance with all the terms and conditions of the policy. The third-party liability insurance does not cover medical benefits to the member. This insurance is valid for skydives made in accordance with USPA's Basic Safety Requirements and the Federal Aviation Regulations. Most drop zones assure that jumpers have this type of insurance by requiring current USPA membership to jump there. All claims must be brought in the U.S. or Canada. To report a claim, call (866) 585-4590.

Kudos if you can memorize that and repeat it verbatim to property owners who approach you with complaints. And also the FAA guidelines on seatbelt use, so you can sing along with the flight attendants on commercial flights.

Once you get your A I'll take you on some tracking jumps and show you my private spot, so you don't land on the wrong side of Airport

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[BigMikeH77 0]

Very funny :-) One of the mistakes I made was tracking to the south instead of north. We can chat about that sometime, there's more to the story.

I know that to the north is Zwick's farm, and landing there is like landing in a pot of hot cheese fondue - You're gonna get skewered no matter how nice you are. I wasn't sure about the neighbors to the southwest, and that's where I ended up. My priority really was landing SAFELY, avoiding those power lines/fences/ditches/roads.. Worry about the important stuff first, then the consequential things once I'm able to do so.

[BigMikeH77 0]

There are nondescript lines of civility. Not just in skydiving situations like this but in life.

I've seen threads about jumpers being run down with trucks, chased at and threatened with guns - and although I certainly don't agree with that or think it's acceptable in ANY situation where someone lands out, I said that when the day came for me to land out I would be as humble as possible so as to maybe avoid such nonsense. Who knew that would be just a few days away?

[brucet7 0]

Eagleeye

He could have been a real jerk by not turning the fence off but telling you that he did! Did you check that der fence before you crossed it? I probably would've taken him for his word and then got zapped. One to remember.

And the zap from an electric fence is not that bad. I have been zapped a number of times growing up on the farm. (Then again, that may explain a thing or two.)

POPS #10623; SOS #1672

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

I was just telling the ladies up front the other day Frank should buy out one of the neighbors who's always complaining about us and set up a vertical wind tunnel there. If someone put a wind tunnel in Longmont, I'd never have to leave the city. If they managed to eliminate a landing hazard in the process, that'd be a heaping helping of awesome sauce.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[BillyVance 34]

brucet7

*** He could have been a real jerk by not turning the fence off but telling you that he did! Did you check that der fence before you crossed it? I probably would've taken him for his word and then got zapped. One to remember.

And the zap from an electric fence is not that bad. I have been zapped a number of times growing up on the farm. (Then again, that may explain a thing or two.)

Just as long as you don't pee anywhere near the fence.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[monkycndo 0]

Fighting a Farmer McNasty is a losing battle. Always better to try and get to a point where you can get off the property as soon as possible with minimal damage or recover cut away gear.

If climbing over the fence is the problem, ask if you can install a ladder of some type that will prevent damage to the fence. I know of a DZ that the cost to come on the property to recover gear is 2 cases of beer. Luckily, the owner likes cheap beer.

It is always in the best interest to try and keep neighbors happy. The next time there is a DZ BBQ, invite all the neighbors. Once they realize they can get free food and beer, they might not be such a pain in the ass.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[BigMikeH77 0]

brucet7

And the zap from an electric fence is not that bad. I have been zapped a number of times growing up on the farm. (Then again, that may explain a thing or two.)

I'm scared to death of electricity. When I was five, I plugged in an outdoor fountain with an extension cord in my backyard and got zapped with 120v A/C. And to this day, I still have nightmares about being executed in the electric chair. I'd prefer NOT to find out how painful an electric fence is

[BigMikeH77 0]

FlyingRhenquest

I was just telling the ladies up front the other day Frank should buy out one of the neighbors who's always complaining about us and set up a vertical wind tunnel there. If someone put a wind tunnel in Longmont, I'd never have to leave the city. If they managed to eliminate a landing hazard in the process, that'd be a heaping helping of awesome sauce.

I have to point out the obvious here... building a 75 foot tall wind tunnel within spitting distance of an airport might not bode well with the powers that be, and definitely WOULDN'T be eliminating a landing hazard

Wishful thinking though. I'm lucky. I live somewhat in between SVCO and the DZ.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

BigMikeH77

I have to point out the obvious here... building a 75 foot tall wind tunnel within spitting distance of an airport might not bode well with the powers that be, and definitely WOULDN'T be eliminating a landing hazard

Wishful thinking though. I'm lucky. I live somewhat in between SVCO and the DZ.

Nah, I don't think any of those guys' houses are in a direct line on either side of the runway. I don't think it'd disrupt air traffic at all! SVCO looks to only be about three stories high, and the planes are well past that by the time they cross the street!

SVCO's always booked solid for at least a week and sometimes two whenever I try to book some time down there, I don't think two in the area would even seriously impact each other's business! Totally wishful thinking on my part, but would still be pretty nice to have both right here (Sorry, all you guys who have a several hour journey to the nearest one.)

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[normiss 622]

Dammit VillyBance!
That's how you teach the FNG's whether or not the fence IS actually energized!
"Just pee on it - you'll know if it's plugged in."

[popsjumper 2]

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Just as long as you don't pee anywhere near the fence.

I've seen it done. Funny as hell to me, to him, not so much.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[davelepka 4]

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One of the mistakes I made was tracking to the south instead of north

Not to offend your tacking abilities, but that wasn't part of the problem. At best you tracked a 100 ft or so, and that distance does not make the difference between landing off or on. An opening that is 1/2 second longer, or a change in wind speed by 1mph can easily erase a couple hundred feet of extra altitude or distance you might gain by tracking one direction or the other.

Two things to keep in mind when landing off, the one is the USPA third party insurance (as mentioned). It's there to protect non-skydivers from skydivers doing damage to their property. If a non-skydiver is claiming that you damaged their property, encourage them to document the damage and contact the UPSA to file a claim. Offer them your name and USPA number for their documentation.

Next, you were not trespassing. You did not willfully venture onto his land, you ended up there as the result of a airborne 'emergency', and you have the protection of the FAA on your side. You are not at risk for any sort of criminal prosecution.

I'm not suggesting that you be an ass and throw this shit in his face, but the fact of the matter is that just being annoyed is not an actionable situation. You have insurance to cover property damage and federal laws to protect your actions. By all means try to be as polite as possible, but if he tries to take it any further than just copping an attitude, he is in the wrong and has no legal ground to stand on. Truth be told, he may end up breaking laws if he tries to take it any further.

Again, not that I'm suggesting you do anything but be nice and try to remain 'neighborly', but it's good to know where you really stand.

Oh, in case nobody mentioned it, if you do land in a planted field, walk in between the rows of crops and do your best to not to damage one single plant. Even if it looks to be bare, there may be seedlings down and you should stay in between the rows and take the shortest route out of the field even if it means you have to walk the long way around the edge to get to the road.

[chuteshack 4]

the old Applegarth NJ dropzone used to pay like 20 bucks to the farmers when jumpers landed there. (or so i have heard)it worked except for this one .then one nite that particular farmer decided to plow the pea gravel target under.one of the other farmers saw it and called the NJ State Police.one of the responding Troopers turned out to be Joe Imbriago, an Applegarth jumper...

[GoneCodFishing 23]

BillyVance

Just as long as you don't pee anywhere near the fence.

Wish somebody had warned me of that before i did...