JohnRich 4 #1 February 14, 2011 This is a pet peeve of mine that drives me crazy. I see it so often it's ridiculous: Whuffos visiting the drop zone for a tandem jump or to watch a friend make a tandem jump, walk through the parachute packing area, and never even think twice about stepping all over parachute lines. In doing so, they're grinding dirt and grit into the lines, shortening their life span, which could lead to premature breakage and a malfunction. So what is it in the psychological makeup of a whuffo, that makes them think it's okay to walk on parachute gear, upon which the lives of skydivers depend? Why does it never occur to them that this is both expensive, and life-saving equipment that should be respected, not trod upon? Why don't they think to go AROUND instead of over top of parachute gear? If they were visiting scuba divers, would they walk all over their breathing hoses? What's wrong with these ignorant whuffo bastards? Someone please explain this to me, because I don't get it... I'm thinking of putting up big signs on posts that would surround the packing area, telling them NOT to step on parachute gear. I would think such respect would be obvious, but it isn't. Maybe we skydivers should go out into the parking lot and walk across the tops of their cars! Rant over and out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anvilbrother 0 #2 February 14, 2011 Its not just Whuffos, its about 40% of everyone where I jump. I take the time to step completely over, or walk all the way around rigs out of respect. Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
format 0 #3 February 14, 2011 QuoteI'm thinking of putting up big signs on posts that would surround the packing area, telling them NOT to step on parachute gear. I'm thinking of Security guards.. girls.. cheerleader typeWhat goes around, comes later. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VideoFly 0 #4 February 14, 2011 When I was an avid climber, stepping on ropes was forbidden because we used kernmantle rope and it is possible to damage the core while the sheath still looks okay. This was especially true when we wore crampons. Even on night ice climbs, we always paid close attention to not stepping on ropes. I can even remember throwing what appeared to be good ropes away or only using them for hauling gear after being stepped on. Later on, in the skydiving arena, it has always amazed me that people don’t think twice about walking on gear and lines. I explain to people that it is unacceptable to walk on gear and they usually get the message. I think that talking about it is about the best we can do. It might be a good topic of discussion during the upcoming Safety Day. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #5 February 14, 2011 I cannot explain the behavior. However, Skydive Dallas is organized in a manner that inhibits this behavior very well. In our large packing area the hangar floor is concrete. Rather than carpeting the entire floor, only the various packing areas are carpeted. Between these carpeted areas are concrete pathways. This naturally channels the non-jumpers away from the canopies. It works really well.The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #6 February 14, 2011 QuoteWhuffos visiting the drop zone for a tandem jump or to watch a friend make a tandem jump, walk through the parachute packing area, and never even think twice about stepping all over parachute lines. They were following the dogs.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #7 February 14, 2011 Quoteit has always amazed me that people don’t think twice about walking on gear and lines. I explain to people that it is unacceptable to walk on gear and they usually get the message. I think that talking about it is about the best we can do. Sure, we politely explain to them not to step on the gear, and then they stop doing it. But 10 minutes later new whuffos show up and start doing it all over again. You almost need a full time employee just to educate the whuffos about proper etiquette around parachute gear, during their brief visits. And it's nice if drop zones have big enough spaces to segregate the whuffos from the packing area. But not all of them have this luxury. Many DZ's are small spaces, and the same common floor space has to serve packing, manifest, lounge, etc. Whuffos conducting their normal business enter the packing area by default. They walk over gear to take pictures of their friends gearing up for a tandem, to get to a TV screen to view their tandem video, to see the manifest big screen monitor, or whatever. It just can't be avoided, it seems. And people are naturally lazy. Rather than walk around the perimeter of the carpeted packing area to get to manifest, they'll cut straight across, walking all over the lines along the way. They seem to possess enough sense not to step of the rigs themselves, but for some reason the lines don't get the same respect. And I don't really want the packing area to be completely separate. It's nice for the whuffos to be able to see how parachutes are packed, and to be amazed by the array of gear. Then they ask questions, and we get a chance to educate them about the sport. I don't want to cut that off. But I'll cut off their feet if they keep stepping on my gear! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #8 February 14, 2011 because it's one of things that DEFINES them as a whuffo that and tossing their cigarette butts onto our SODDED front lawn out front of the manifest office....( members and regulkars KNOW what the butt cans are for... but whuffos never seem to figure it out!!!) it's a beautiful area of thick plush lawn.. so the various tandem entouragges lay out a blanket or some lawn chairs and then leave litter and debris,,, half finished drinks in cup and cans,,,, as if as though they were in their own unkemp back yards..... as for gear.... i will be sure to inform people, (pleasantly) when they STEP.... in the wrong place.... Our Dz has a number of large table like areas where we can lay gear or jumpsuits etc,,, i once walked by to see some people using the table as a sofa. and this guy was laying down!!! using My javelin!!! as His pillow!!!!!!... whoa Whoa WHOA!!!!!... at that point i was NOT so pleasant,,,, and made it clear, that they could MOVE... to some other area of the DZ.... I always thought it would be best to Charge such visitors a couple of bucks each as a spectator fee... could have paid some bills around the club....at least covered the trash pick up fees.... but no one ever agreed with me.... so now i watch my gear very carefully and almost never leave it stretched out unpacked, for ANY length of time...anymore... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrumpot 1 #9 February 14, 2011 Quote It might be a good topic of discussion during the upcoming Safety Day. Unfortunately, whuffo's don't attend Safety Day. coitus non circum - Moab Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #10 February 14, 2011 Create a cattle run that whuffos have to walk through to get to manifest. Line the entire length with signs that include pictures instructing them to stay off the gear. Include a warning that those that don't obey will be tasered. They most likely won't follow the instructions, but at least they can't say they weren't warned once they get tasered.50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #11 February 14, 2011 around here, people usually DO respect gear and dont walk over it; but for some reason, they think it's ok to smoke a cigarette 3ft away. they will be told to please smoke next to an ashtray then.. only time someone walked over my lines was actually another jumper. and of course THAT guy that thought it was ok to rest his dirty shoes on my rig.. a jumper, too. “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyflower_bloom 0 #12 February 14, 2011 Quote around here, people usually DO respect gear and dont walk over it... Granted, at my home dz/club, the tandems/whuffos don't go anywhere near the packing area, it is separate from the gear-up room and kinda back out of the way, but I've visited a couple other dz's and never noticed someone walk on the lines. That said, one of the packers, on the day of my FJC (at another, smaller dz I started at)- politely informed me that if I told a child that it's probably not a good idea to "step on those ropes" again I would get my ass laughed off the dz and that the correct term is "lines." Lesson learned. But, see, even then, FJC student, I knew and was telling a child (who wouldn't know) that it's potentially not smart to step on any piece of parachute equipment.. so idk, maybe the ones that do it are just a bit oblivious in general? Or I guess maybe all wired up from making/watching/getting ready to make a tandem? But really, I would indeed be dumbfounded if I saw any person over the age of, say, 10 or so, obliviously walk through a packing area stepping on lines and who knows what else. It's a common sense kind of thing in my mind... *shrug* Quote Quote I'm thinking of putting up big signs on posts that would surround the packing area, telling them NOT to step on parachute gear. I'm thinking of Security guards.. girls.. cheerleader type *raises hand* I'm a girl! I'll do it as long as I get a sexy outfit, a paddle, and free jumps for life! blue ones, skyflower"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ridestrong 1 #13 February 14, 2011 You must jump at one of them there drop zones down south like... *I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.* ----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #14 February 14, 2011 Quote You must jump at one of them there drop zones down south like... Go ahead...say it! My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #15 February 14, 2011 Totally agreed. Dumbass idiots. Even worse is the other jumpers who do it and think it's no big deal. I make them understand it's NOT OK on my gear. Saturday I had to tell a wuffo woman to get off the canopy she was standing on. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #16 February 14, 2011 Re: tasering can i be the Taser-Master?????? you can franchise the idea,,,,, and become a hero and skydiving legend..... Oh wait.... you ALREADY are!!!! jt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #17 February 14, 2011 jt, I figured I would franchise the idea. You can be my first franchisee. It is free, but you have to buy the replacement cartridges from me. I'll be rich. [evil villain laugh]50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #18 February 14, 2011 rich AND notorious excellent.... sure , i'll buy the cartridges from you..... just as long as i don't LOSE them...right??/ jmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #19 February 14, 2011 QuoteQuoteI'm thinking of putting up big signs on posts that would surround the packing area, telling them NOT to step on parachute gear. *raises hand* I'm a girl! I'll do it as long as I get a sexy outfit, a paddle, and free jumps for life! Please respond with an application for the position, to include a photo of yourself in a sexy outfit, and details of your experience with paddling. If these are deemed acceptable, then we can negotiate on the number of free jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackwallace 3 #20 February 14, 2011 I've had wuffos with scissors think they can take a souvenir on demos. They think you throw canopies away after every jump and you "GO UP on opening. "THEY"RE WOOOOOOFFOS!"U only make 2 jumps: the first one for some weird reason and the last one that you lived through. The rest are just filler. scr 316 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #21 February 14, 2011 Our kids all grew up at the DZ. First they learn to walk, then next they learn to step over lines. It's easy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #22 February 14, 2011 One of my pet peeves as well. Kids to tend to listen better than adults in my experience, especially some adults with cameras don't seemt to care about anything but getting their shot, even when politely asked to not step on lines. Other related pet peeves of mine include: letting kids roam free playing with creepers, or jumping on the big mattress, that usually has gear on it, this is how my camera helmet got jumped on and no kid/parent in sight to pay for the EUR 1100 videocamera that was split in 2 . Also, kids using our big TV to watch cartoons then bigmouthing me when I put in a tandemvideo, man I wouldn't have dared to do that when I was a kid! And the parents give me glares like ""you're being mean to my kid" Also grown-ups (tandem family) using said TV to watch soccer/skating/racing and sometimes almost get violent when you put in a tandemvid, what's up with that. Seems like it's a general attitude problem. "I'm the customer here so I/my entire family should be able to do anything I want here as I'm paying for it". Hmz. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #23 February 14, 2011 Why are whuffos in the packing area at all? Fence it off and put up signs 'SKYDIVERS ONLY PAST THIS POINT' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #24 February 14, 2011 Quote Why are whuffos in the packing area at all? Fence it off and put up signs 'SKYDIVERS ONLY PAST THIS POINT' Would be nice. In the summer and with good weather, we have the tandem briefings and gear outside. But now, the gear and mock-up is on the wrong side of the hangar ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Airviking 0 #25 February 14, 2011 Being a whuffo doesn't automatically make a person stupid, just ignorant about all things skydiving. I would suggest posting some very conspicuous signs stating some simple rules that apply in the packing area. Most whuffos are interested in learning stuff about skydiving, so if you give them a little reading to do about the badness of grinding dirt into the lines, most will probably adhere to the rules. If the problem persists, then add a sign stating that unescorted whuffos are not allowed in the packing area.I believe you have my stapler. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
