Why so much RW hatred

[bgillespie 0]

Ok.. I am preparing for 4-way meets this summer and have been doing alot of RW jumps. Lately I have been catching crap from other skydivers. I have been called that "RW" dude at the DZ. I am a decent freeflyer and am working on video too. I try to incorporate all facets of skydiving into my "regime". Just curious why if you are seen doing "belly stuff" you are hated on lately?

Ben Gillespie
D-31054
Muff Bro #4188

[rhys 0]

Don't let dickheads discourage you.

Do what you want, freeflyers that dis flatfliers are no better then the flatflyers that dis freeflyers.

It is the same in skiing and snowboarding.

There are plenty of wankers around, let them make you stronger!

All the best, be safe and have fun.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[JackC1 0]

Meh, it's just banter. I was the only freeflier on a lift the other week and copped plenty of crap for it. It was all in good fun.

Freefliers love belly fliers really, how else are they gonna find a stable 4-way base to hybrid off?

[virgin-burner 1]

we all flatfly - on pulltime!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[rnicks 0]

Hmmm,

This is quite an interesting observation. I was just talking to somebody about that. In my experience so far, it seems not that people hate RW, its just that nobody wants to do it. At my dz (and certainly from my observations on dropzone.com) many of the new jumpers only want to freefly.

I would LOVE to join a 4-way team however people at my experience level have no interest in RW. I'm usually jumping with people with many more jumps than me and always feel I am screwing up their dive.

It's unfortunate that you feel hated on for RW. To me it seems many new jumpers want to be part of the "cool crowd" so in essence want to go straight to freeflying. To each his own I guess, but I think they're missing out. Most of my friends are freefliers as well, but I LOVE RW! They never "give me crap". Do what YOU want to do and if people have a problem with it, its just that: THEIR PROBLEM.

[pinkfairy 0]

They're just envious:

See, us belly flyers can do 100 ways when we only have 400 skydives in total and limited tunnel time, catch any freeflyers being able to do a head down 100 way with that kind of jump numbers and tunnel time.



And we get to dock like straight away too. We can just get out and pick up grips in 4-way on the hill.

Seriously, though, I think that kind of division in a small sport like ours is silly. We are all skydivers, and freefly and belly have a lot more in common than some of the freeflyers think. The same principles apply.

I like doing both, but I do this to have fun, not show off, although showing off also has it's advantages.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[popsjumper 2]

"that "RW" dude"

It's a badge of honor. Wear it proudly!

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

[popsjumper 2]

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... I'm usually jumping with people with many more jumps than me and always feel I am screwing up their dive.

Two things:
1. If somebody is giving you grief for "screwing up their dive", ask them how was it that THEY got better at it as a young jumper.

2. I love to jump with the youngsters...I get to see some really funny stuff! I still remember that it was I who provided the entertainment early on.



I don't see it as hatred at all...just friendly ribbing.

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

[shropshire 0]

Jeeze - I just can't stand ...... um ... um ....intolerance

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[lippy 882]

You know I live skydiving and I love skydiving, but there are two things I really don't like about our sport:

1 - People who look down their noses or think less of somebody because of the discipline they choose to practice.


2 - Those fucking CReW dogs!

I got nuthin

[wildcard451 0]

I have done nothing but hop and pops over the last 18 months. You should see the funny looks and hell I catch when I am still in the plane after the low pass exits.

"Are you scared going up this high"
"Do you remember how to do 4-way/FF etc?"

Just a good bit of ribbing from my friends.

[diablopilot 2]

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I'm usually jumping with people with many more jumps than me and always feel I am screwing up their dive.

It's that precise feeling that causes many to shun RW and freefly instead. The point missed by many is by repetition and "screwing up a few dives" is how one gets better at it.

One difference between the two seems to be that RW sets goals for each dive and often they are not reached, but that's ok as long as something is learned. The goals are more nebulous in early freeflying.

It doesn't hurt to thicken the skin a little and be ready to listen to and accept the constructive criticism.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[airathanas 0]

Quote

You know I live skydiving and I love skydiving, but there are two things I really don't like about our sport:

1 - People who look down their noses or think less of somebody because of the discipline they choose to practice.


2 - Those fucking CReW dogs!

When I read this, I laughed out loud so loudly that some of my co-workers came into my office and asked me if I was okay!!!

http://3ringnecklace.com/

[ChrisL 2]

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Ok.. I am preparing for 4-way meets this summer and have been doing alot of RW jumps. Lately I have been catching crap from other skydivers. I have been called that "RW" dude at the DZ. I am a decent freeflyer and am working on video too. I try to incorporate all facets of skydiving into my "regime". Just curious why if you are seen doing "belly stuff" you are hated on lately?

This is like Sport bike riders dissing Cruisers, and vice versa.

It's all dumb.

Skydiving is fun, till idiots wreck with with this kind of stupid horse shit.

__

My mighty steed

[jumper03 0]

Quote

Ok.. I am preparing for 4-way meets this summer and have been doing alot of RW jumps. Lately I have been catching crap from other skydivers. I have been called that "RW" dude at the DZ. I am a decent freeflyer and am working on video too. I try to incorporate all facets of skydiving into my "regime". Just curious why if you are seen doing "belly stuff" you are hated on lately?

heh - let me know who is giving you grief...


Jump

Scars remind us that the past is real

[Amazon 7]

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At my dz (and certainly from my observations on dropzone.com) many of the new jumpers only want to freefly.

I would say from observation that what they actually achieve is not freefly but freeflail.

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Quote

... I'm usually jumping with people with many more jumps than me and always feel I am screwing up their dive.

Two things:
1. If somebody is giving you grief for "screwing up their dive", ask them how was it that THEY got better at it as a young jumper.

2. I love to jump with the youngsters...I get to see some really funny stuff! I still remember that it was I who provided the entertainment early on.



I don't see it as hatred at all...just friendly ribbing.

Yeah.. as long as you get to pour cheap beer on them after the dive

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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"that "RW" dude"

It's a badge of honor. Wear it proudly!

Pops is right! I hope that I'm secretly called that "RW chick", although there are too many amazing RW flyers in Perris and Eloy for me to be noticed. My freeflyer friends don't make fun of me, either. They all think it's pretty cool, when they see us show up at the DZ for 100-ways. (At least, that is what they say to me, haha!) I let them know that I love watching their bigway FF videos, too.
Anyway, what's wrong with being an "RW dude"? That could be said about any of the members of Airspeed, and we all know how amazing that they are. Ahhh, I love belly flying so much!

If it makes you feel any better, your title beats what I'll be called in another year...that "POPS jumper" chick! It's kind of funny, since I'm still carded on a regular basis, but someone has to be the baby POPS, right?

Bottom line:
You should be happy that you aren't one of the sheep and have a passion for something that you truly love, even if it is seen as different at your DZ.

[Bones 0]

"That RW Guy"?

Could be worse. Could be: "...those Freak Brothers over there".

Look it up. The Freak Brothers did all right. Even had their own song.

[rehmwa 2]

Don't worry - one-discipline-wonders that mock the other disciplines:

1 - normal - usually suck at the one they chose
2 - hopefullly - eventually grow up
3 - positive spin - are trying to use it as good natured mockery but aren't smart enough to find something funny so they fall back on very tired cliches and likely edit in Tom Petty music in their videos
4 - normal - usually leave the sport before they hit 1000

it's a stupid habit if they are serious - it's a weak rib if it's in jest

I think we should all do 2 or 3 disciplines when we can all just enjoy each other - my freeflying makes me a better RWer, and my RW makes me a better FFer.

IMHO - matching disciplines is not nearly as effective as matching personalities in this sport - I'd focus on whether you want to just geek around and goof around vs set some goals and get good - and then find some friends like minded and try that attitude in both disciplines and see how great it is

there are both types of people in all the disciplines (FF, RS, Wingsuit, CrW, Swooping, etc)

...
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

[regulator 0]

I dunno I don't see any of that at my dz. Of course I still don't know shit but I was taught that before you learn another dimension of flying you should get very proficient on your belly first. I want to learn how to freefly bad, but all in due time. If someone does give me a hard time...(which I have yet to encounter) then I truly don't give a fuck because I'm out at the DZ to learn more and have fun, anything else is wasting my time.


------------------------------------------------------------
Shit I remembered now...I turned 40 in October. Guess that means I'm a pooops jumper now.

[Andy0689 0]

Quote

Quote

You know I live skydiving and I love skydiving, but there are two things I really don't like about our sport:

1 - People who look down their noses or think less of somebody because of the discipline they choose to practice.


2 - Those fucking CReW dogs!

When I read this, I laughed out loud so loudly that some of my co-workers came into my office and asked me if I was okay!!!

Reminds me of this from Austin Powers.

Andy
I'll believe it when I see it on YouTube!

[tbrown 26]

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I would LOVE to join a 4-way team however people at my experience level have no interest in RW. I'm usually jumping with people with many more jumps than me and always feel I am screwing up their dive.

Is it you that feels like you're screwing up their dive ? Or are they telling you that ? It makes a difference. They should critique your mistakes, as long as they're telling you what you should be doing instead. But a lot of it can just be in your head as well. You're not going to learn to be a great skydiver - of any kind - overnight. This is weird stuff to learn.

Believe it or not, things are much better these days. "Back in the day", the local gods wouldn't have anything to do with us, so all of us noobs hung together, flailing like crazy and picking up all kinds of bad habits. Talk about learning the hard way ! Nowadays I see a huge willingness among experienced jumpers of all the disciplines to take noobs along. When I jump with noobs I expect mistakes and have a good time anyway. and when I jump with the gods, I'm grateful they tolerate my mistakes and help me get better.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[Butters 0]

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Ok.. I am preparing for 4-way meets this summer and have been doing alot of RW jumps. Lately I have been catching crap from other skydivers. I have been called that "RW" dude at the DZ. I am a decent freeflyer and am working on video too. I try to incorporate all facets of skydiving into my "regime". Just curious why if you are seen doing "belly stuff" you are hated on lately?

Want to talk about catching crap, try being the only regular wingsuiter (it's all I do). Than again, I don't care because I believe you should do what you want to do. After all, it's your time, money, and life ...

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[Flyfast 0]

Thats b/c most wingsuit fliers have bigger ego's than wingsuits.

ZC OG