shaiziel 0 #1 June 5, 2006 So you read the fatality reports and other stories told by the long-timers in the sport. But I can't help but wonder what makes people, with plenty of experience mind you, make what to me seems to be a simple mistake, requiring conscious effort to do, and getting killed/severely maimed as a result. Specifically thinking of low toggle turns for the purpose of avoiding a tree or other fixed object, or to avoid landing down/cross wind. Am I not correct in my assumption that more effort should be made after being under good canopy to make your approach safe and clean? If you have a mal/cutaway which subsequently totally blows your approach plans is one thing, but I'm guessing this is not always the case. Also, would you say that there is a general predisposition among people to do everything they can to not PLF the "subpar" landings when a PLF would be appropriate? If one has to choose between jacking up your rig or jacking up your skeleton, I'm taking the former. I dunno, this is just part of my frequent contemplations of the sport.---------------------------------------- 6.8% - Almost there! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tr027 0 #2 June 5, 2006 I feel it has a parallel with the old joke about the last thing to go through a bug's mind when it hits the windshield... Therefore, when you're in those situations, keep/pull your head out of your #ss and you'll be fine. "The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. " -John Galt from Atlas Shrugged, 1957 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #3 June 5, 2006 Hang around awhile and you will see it happen all the time. As to why, we can speculate, but the reasons could be a varied as skydivers are.My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #4 June 5, 2006 Thought 1: This is going to be So cool! Thought 2: Oh Shit. Thought 3: Get you Ouija Boards out kids...Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,478 #5 June 5, 2006 >what makes people, with plenty of experience mind you, make what to >me seems to be a simple mistake, requiring conscious effort to do, >and getting killed/severely maimed as a result. They do it because they think they have the altitude to do it. While Jack C was manager at Perris, one of his sayings was that "they all thought they had it." Beware of trivializing such decisions by describing them as "deciding to make a mistake." You may find yourself in a similar situation one day. On that day, the only thing that will keep you safe is enough experience and skill to make good decisions - not just a philosophy of not making bad decisions. No one goes in because they choose to make bad decisions; they go in because they think they are making good decisions - and are wrong. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GravityGirl 0 #6 June 5, 2006 Don't be so quick to assume you won't make a mistake in this sport. Everybody makes small mistakes every day. Most get away with them. Skydiving is not very forgiving. Sometimes you pull it off. Sometimes you don't, Try not to make mistakes, but never fool yourself that you are imune. We are all imperfect. We are all mere mortals. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikki_ZH 0 #7 June 5, 2006 I guess a lot of the time they think: First thought "I can clear this, I can kick it out..." Second thought "OK, this won't clear, I'm going to chop, this way I have a fighting chance..."Michi (#1068) hsbc/gba/sba www.swissbaseassociation.ch www.michibase.ch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
