Reckless TM

[theforkguy 0]

A tandem Master at Skydive Delmarva was reported to the DZ management as well as the USPA for working while intoxicated, harnessing his students improperly, regularly using the drogue to get stable, wrestling his passengers throughout freefall instead of outflying them and grabbing their tits on opening.
As a result, the video flyer was fired.
The USPA, after reviewing the evidence, deemed his actions to be safe enough and appropriate.
After receiving a complaint from one of his female passengers concerning the way he touched her, the USPA called her to let her know that she was blowing it out of proportion and that the way he grabbed her boob was totally appropriate.
I'd like to know what you think. A few examples of his 'totally appropriate touching' have been included.

[theforkguy 0]

Also, this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8YHduVeOWk

[piisfish 135]

so you are the video guy ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[yoink 321]

What was the reasoning given to the videoman for his termination?

[peek 20]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but that looks like a Strong Dual Hawk with the student drogue release handle placed on the student harness main lift web near the chest strap, and is being operated by the instructor.

If so, it is a rather poor location for the drogue release. Sooner or later he could expect to be accused of groping a student.

The instructor's leg position looks rather odd.

[theforkguy 0]

I'll try to answer everyone, though it may take a couple of tries. Yes, I was the video guy. The reason given for my termination was that I do not get along with some of the staff and funjumpers. The people I do not get along with are the ones who are huge accidents waiting to happen. After 'being cool' and trying to talk 1-on-1 with them a couple of times I usually develop an attitude out of sheer frustration. Also, talking to the management about my safety concerns goes nowhere and only adds to the 'troublemaker' image.
The drogue release handle is not attached to the chest strap, he simply does not let go of it before he goes for the boob.
The USPA addressed the touching but none of the other complaints before concluding their 'investigation.'

[Krip 2]

Also, this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8YHduVeOWk

FIFY

One Jump Wonder

[theforkguy 0]

Here are some of the drogue shots, as well. They're not even the best examples, which are stashed on my other computer.

[bigbearfng 9]

I looked at the pics/then the video.
A complete jack ass at minimum.
If the girl in the vid was my family there would be charges filed. The DZ are idiots for putting up with his bullshit-the waiver doesn't include sexual assault-which is exactly what it falls under.
We already know USPA is weak on dealing with idiots.

Ca. PC243.4
(c) Any person who touches an intimate part of another person for
the purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, or sexual abuse,
and the victim is at the time unconscious of the nature of the act
because the perpetrator fraudulently represented that the touching
served a professional purpose, is guilty of sexual battery. A
violation of this subdivision is punishable by imprisonment in a
county jail for not more than one year, and by a fine not exceeding
two thousand dollars ($2,000); or by imprisonment in the state prison
for two, three, or four years, and by a fine not exceeding ten
thousand dollars ($10,000).


With all the video of him out there it would not be a difficult case to make.
DZO-are you paying attention?

[theforkguy 0]

Who is better at it?
The end result I am looking for is to prevent him from being able to hurt someone, which, sadly is going to happen in a big way.
Nobody is looking to make a profit on it. Litigation seems more profit oriented than prevention oriented. Prevention is what we're going for.

To the other person who said "one jump wonder," I am wondering what you mean by that. He did sitfly this tandem and, upon landing, bragged about how awesome he was until a few of the other staff told him never to do it again.
He'd been told in April of 2012 that he would be let go if he ever grabbed another boob. The freeflying stopped but grabbage went on for the rest of that season and whole next one.

[theforkguy 0]

Also, this is the kind of stuff he'd been posting to his twitter account. Both the USPA and Strong have seen it.
What does a TM have to do to get drug tested? Do they have to break someone first?
(See attached photo)

[normiss 622]

I can't imagine why you had problems with your coworkers dude.



Jokes on the internets proves nothing.
Drug testing? Where's your search warrant?

What exactly do your drogue pics show?

How does one grab a tit with a closed fist?

[kcjen24 0]

Rather odd? That's all you can say about that?

Some stranger rides me like that in freefall then PURPOSEFULLY grabs my boob - you can damn well bet I would be notifying someone.

C'mon Gary... you can do better than "rather odd"

[theforkguy 0]

The father of one of his female students found the twitter feed and didn't think it was a joke.
In order to get a Strong tandem rating you have to agree to a drug test whenever they decide to give you one. That's better than a warrant, that's a stipulation of your contract with Strong.

[bigbearfng 9]

normiss

I can't imagine why you had problems with your coworkers dude.



Jokes on the internets proves nothing.
Drug testing? Where's your search warrant?

What exactly do your drogue pics show?

How does one grab a tit with a closed fist?

Come on Mark, it's pretty obvious the guy is going for a feel. If any of those girls were your daughter, I would think your take on it would be quite different.

[jimmytavino 16]

so, i watched the video..
any reason WHy they only had , under 35 seconds In freefall???

Unless a particularly LONG canopy ride was requested I'd be more upset by the " C 182 length skydive..."
What WAS the exit altitude???

You run into self centered people Every Where..... Every day......Not surprising
I suppose,, to find That On a Dropzone.....
You have your Good Ones,,,, and you Have you Not-So-Good Ones....
Horsing around with a Tandem Client should always be discouraged and Groping, ANY of them,,, seems to me, like grounds for dismissal

seems like a classic case Of "shooting the messenger "

[rtroup 1]

Have any deployment pictures of when the student is male? See if there is a difference in hand placement.

(insert philosophical quote here)

[normiss 622]

I just don't see that.

I see a closed fist in the pics, middle of the chest (unless she's from Mars with three boobs), hand on the chest strap...I just don't see a grope. Which makes me think the DZ and USPA saw a lack of clear evidence too.

[theforkguy 0]

I agree with the sentiment on altitude. Normally they exit at 13,500 unless the ceiling forbids it or it is a slow day and there are only 2 tandems on the load. I'd like to add that freeflying speeds thing up a bit, so that may have been the cause of the 182 freefall times.
He does grab the males in a similar fashion. But let me ask you this: If you went out in public and grabbed 50 male chests and then 50 female chests, is it a fair argument that grabbing the females was not inappropriate?
In addition, what happens if he has to cut away and his hand is trapped underneath the students arm? It's feasible that you can get away with not pulling your reserve handle (because of the Cypres and RSL) but what happens if you can not reach your cutaway? Best case? Two out when the Cypres fires.
In certain situations (like bringing his best friends sister for a tandem) he reached his arm under and grabbed her gut instead of her boob. There are a few photos of him not grabbing the student anywhere from the day after he was told not to ever grab boob again. The day after that he went right back to the boob.

[billvon 2,396]

>But let me ask you this: If you went out in public and grabbed 50 male chests and
>then 50 female chests, is it a fair argument that grabbing the females was not
>inappropriate?

Definitely. But if you're a tailor and you do it to all your customers, you'd have a pretty good argument that "I'm not doing it to just grope women." It would still be wise to tell him to cut it out.

He may think he has a valid reason to do that - maybe it's to "hold them in the harness" or "reduce opening shock" or some other such nonsense. If that's the case, and he's doing it to both men and women, then his problem is lack of understanding, not a desire to grope women. Still a problem, but a problem that requires a different solution.

[normiss 622]

This is what I expect to be the case as well.

I recall noticing I was doing something similar on opening when I first jumped Strong tandems.....thankfully I realized it was of no use and I made a mental note to stop.
So I wouldn't be in this position.


Narcing out a DZ for being fired for being a PITA should help you secure a good slot as a vidiot at the next DZ, that's for sure.

[theforkguy 0]

It seems that most people agree and one does not. Par for the course.
Should I mention (who cares, I'm going to) that one of the funjumpers I had a problem with was someone I saved more than once. I stopped him from getting on the plane three separate times with his chest strap either misrouted or not routed at all. Once with his reserve handle obscured by his MLW. On that jump someone else told him at altitude that his flexvision goggles were on upside-down because he hadn't noticed himself. Huge, sweeping S-turns on final while other jumpers were behind him were his specialty.
On another occasion he grabbed a staff members mamba 109 (or 119) off of the rack (he normally jumps a 200+sqft canopy) without permission and damn near killed himself with it.
Yes, I was a huge PITA to that guy. I was not the only jumper at the DZ who reported him to the management. He was not spoken to about any of these occurrences. The incident that finally had him banned from the DZ sent the other jumper involved to the hospital in a helicopter. The other jumper was eventually able to walk again.
Oh, and don't expect to see that one in Parachitist. It happened in June of last year and I never saw it in the incident reports, since I suppose they never filed one.

[normiss 622]

Sounded like the DZ and the USPA didn't see it your way either though.

[NWFlyer 2]

theforkguy

It seems that most people agree and one does not. Par for the course.

How many people who agree with you are tandem instructors or are otherwise qualified to speak on the quality of tandem instruction? How many people on this thread just asked clarifying questions? (Hint: asking questions <> agreement)

I'm not a tandem instructor (hell I've never even done a tandem) so I'm going to refrain from providing an opinion. (Hint: that doesn't mean I agree with you. It also doesn't mean I don't agree with you. It means I try not to form opinions on things I'm uninformed on, and/or for which I've only had one side of the story presented.)

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Scrumpot 1]

Holy dirty-laundry, batman!

...I've looked over the pictures, and now watched your video (as linked) too... and full disclosure - also happen to know, or at least be acquainted with all the (apparently) involved parties. That said... and as entirely objectively of a perspective as I can personally possibly muster the energy to impart here now on the subject:

1. As a fellow outside-video & freefall photog - has anyone ever discussed with you...

You know what, never mind - I can not I don't think, actually muster all the restraint and tolerance I feel I need to yet, in order to "objectively" fully respond. I think some peeps (just look at the experience levels of the responding posters, to determine whom you think may actually KNOW their shit, versus who may just want to be knee-jerk sensational participants) though in here - are already "getting it", and at least trying to impart it.

Hint peeps: Presuming this whole entire thread even remains here (which I know what my position would be on that if I were a mod notwithstanding) Read slowly, and carefully...

OP - Please also if you would be so kind, impart upon us your total experience, tandem procedure knowledge, specific vid-flying background, etc. - just so that we all can commensurately weight your comments here; which would only be fair of everyone to be able to do - as I note both your profile here is rather conspicuously blank, and otherwise as well, your entire posting history on dropzone.com in its totality - limited just to in its entirety, exclusively now here, just this very thread/subject.

Then as well as a result, maybe I and others can also more fully/correctly/appropriately further help you (as well as the entire reading "public") - with better direction and insight(s), accordingly.

Or maybe that is not what you are really looking for? ...And instead you are just looking to merely get your "paybacks", and sling mud / fling poo?

EDIT TO ADD: As I've only just seen it just after having composed my post... Krisanne's now above mine... as she so aptly puts it... At this point I am only ASKING QUESTIONS. Not (yet) taking any one position or the other, necessarily abjectly agreeing (or disagreeing) with you, as such - just by asking them either. Although yes - you probably can tell at least initially, which way I am leaning. So you can also take this (or not) FWIW to you.

coitus non circum - Moab Stone