skymama 35 #26 September 24, 2004 That reminds me of when I severly sprained my ankle earlier this year, I told my insurance company that I did it by running in the grass. It was true! They didn't need to know I had just finished a skydive, had a canopy over my head and was running out a landing at a dropzone. I was just running, really I was. She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpinfarmer 0 #27 September 24, 2004 ***QuoteQuoteShe actually had the nerve to tell me that I DESERVED to get hurt since I was crazy to skydive to begin with A skydiver who paralyzed himself jumping at my dropzone was treated badly by the staff at a major rehab center. He managed to stand up and walk months after the doctors told him he would never walk again. The staff at the center actually told him that he was no hero because he had hurt himself "screwing around" and it was the people who hurt themselves working or in car wrecks that were the real heros. I can't believe that they would act that way. When an injury like that happens it is life-changing regardless of how it happened. Would it have been any different if he had done it in a car wreck driving to the dropzone? Yeh like the drunk drivers and kids screwing around in there cars are real heros. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheenster303 0 #28 September 24, 2004 QuoteWelcome to the world of skydiving. Almost every non jumper you meet will tell you to your face that you are nuts to do it. Your injury just validates their point of view (in their minds!) You will also here every "cute didn't open" horrror story known to man, which generally happened to someone's neighbor's cousin's friend's son. Enjoy! And I hope you're healing up OK! It is amazing how many of the nurses and doctors in the hospital came up to me and asked me if my parachute didn't open. I was like um people, I only broke my leg. If my my chute didn't open, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. After awhile I gave up with that answer and ended up saying yeah it didn't open. Amazing huh? Then they would go and tell their little doctor friends about the girl whose chute didn't open. I'm the reason stupid stories like that get around. I'm so funny I crack my head open! P.M.S. #102 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #29 September 24, 2004 QuoteQuoteInstead, now everybody who sees me hobbling around is thinking that skydiving is so dangerous. Dude. Skydiving IS dangerous. The quicker you accept this, the safer you'll be. _Am Agreed. As long as your close relatives and friends can accept it (and they will after time), then you're fine. Who cares what the clowns at the office think? They're going home every night to their boring lives. What fun is that? FYI Neosporin rocks I kept it in my bag while when I was a student jumper and jumping in shorts. It also worked great when I got drunk and plowed into the asphalt @ 2001WFFC (ON A BICYCLE) and road rashed up the whole right side of my face like hamburger meat, too (at least it felt good when jumping... cold unpressurized air feels great) ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racer42 0 #30 September 24, 2004 I broke my leg a few years back...after awhile I just told everyone I cut myself shaving.L.A.S.T. #24 Co-Founder Biscuit Brothers Freefly Team Electric Toaster #3 Co-Founder Team Non Sequitor Co-Founder Team Happy Sock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
argon 0 #31 September 24, 2004 Quote>Instead, now everybody who sees me hobbling around is thinking that >skydiving is so dangerous. It is! You can do everything right and still end up injured, paralyzed or dead. It's definitely not for everyone. And if people see you and think "Hey, people can die doing that!" - good! There will be fewer lawsuits after people go up for their "fun tandem ride" and are injured. billvon, I can't agree anymore-you said it all. I decided after a half ass attempt 20 years ago to learn to skydive-unsuccessfully I might add for a number of reasons beyond my control-I decided to try again. I managed a dozen or so jumps under round parachutes with chest reserves not to kill myself-so what the fuck-how about a tandem at the ranch in April-what could possibly go wrong with an "expert" at the contols. Great jump loved it -landing sucked. Broken tailbone,broken rib and a substantial compression fracture of L1. So much for this summer. I think the sport has gained too much of a "safe" notoriety over the years. Bottom line-it is dangerous-period,not for everybody. If you can't accept it don't jump. If you get hurt and survive-don't sue and try again. Blue skies and black death-pessimistic--maybe-but certainly true. Trying to justify the sport to a whuffo is a waste of time and a piss poor discussion at best. It IS a leap of faith.Nothing more and nothing less.*********** Freedom isn't free. Don't forget: Mother Earth is waiting for you--there is a debt you have to pay...... POPS #9329 Commercial Pilot,Instrument MEL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skytash 0 #32 September 24, 2004 I just tell people that no-one would say that to a skier, and how many skiers break their legs skiing and get told to 'get back on the horse (slopes)' as it were. I also tell them that more people break legs skiing than skydiving (but that may be a factor of more people ski than skydive). I do find it annoying that breakig a leg skiing is bad luck and breaking a leg is stupid according to many people. I think both would be the result of a misjudgement! tashDon't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EDYDO 0 #33 September 24, 2004 Has anyone told you how lucky you were that it wasn't worse? All I can think is, Yeah, I sure am lucky!!! Ed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #34 September 24, 2004 At my old DZ, a lot of skydivers injured themselves playing softball on Sunday evenings ... or at least that is what they told the nurses. Hee! Hee! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #35 September 24, 2004 What a fool believes, he sees ..." This old song lyric illustrates the point that whuffos will use your injury to confirm a decision that they made 20 years ago: skydiving is too dangerous for them. Nothing you say or do will change their attitude, so save your breath. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reginald 0 #36 September 24, 2004 QuoteKnock on wood that I have yet to suffer a serious jumping injury, but I have been hurt more often playing hockey than I have been hurt from jumping. Hockey? Now that's crazy dangerous! "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EricaH 0 #37 September 24, 2004 That is very aggrivating. I do like the post that at least it'll open some people's eyes to realize tandems aren't a guaranteed joy ride - things can & do go wrong. Yes, skydiving is dangerous - but so is basic life. Heck I know someone that broke his ankle running to the plane (ahem, cough, cough). When I was in the waiting room for surgery on my injury, there was a woman there that had so severely broken her ankle that she had to have parts replace. When asked how it happened, she was walking down the street in slides w/ a slight 2 inch platform - she took one wrong step. A friend of mine almost lost his finger pruning veggies... anyway life is dangerous. There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear. PMS #227 (just like the TV show) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #38 September 24, 2004 I've got to agree with Erica. Seems like a lot of people are kind of picking on Jeth and saying "duh, skydiving IS dangerous!" I'm pretty sure Jeth knows that! Her "vent" was about the fact that her whuffo friends, family and coworkers are using her injury as an excuse to tell her one more time how dangerous skydiving is and how crazy she is to do it, without listening to her explanation of exactly how she got hurt or anything. To one extent or another, I think we've all been there! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,425 #39 September 24, 2004 >Yes, skydiving is dangerous - but so is basic life. Of course, but the two aren't comparable. I sometimes hear smokers do the same thing - "Hey, so smoking could kill me - I could get killed crossing the street." But that doesn't mean that smoking is as safe as walking. I think a lot of this is a desire not to look foolish, or to defend one's activity. I once knew someone (a guy who made a few SL jumps in NY) who broke his wrist when he was drunk and told everyone that he did it skydiving, because he didn't want people to say "that's what you get for being drunk every night!" After all, breaking your wrist skydiving is cool (at least for him) and tripping in a parking lot isn't. Of course, during that same year at the DZ we had one person killed, one paralyzed from the neck down, three serious student injuries and one serious experienced jumper injury (me.) It was pretty clear to most of us which activity was more dangerous. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EricaH 0 #40 September 24, 2004 Yes, Maura puts it even better!! It wasn't necessarily the skydiving that caused the hurt it is simply human frailty. Just as Andrea did - running out a landing or simply running. If people don't listen to the cause, they don't know. And why bother asking if you don't want the whole answer. There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear. PMS #227 (just like the TV show) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeth 0 #41 September 24, 2004 QuoteI've got to agree with Erica. Seems like a lot of people are kind of picking on Jeth and saying "duh, skydiving IS dangerous!" I'm pretty sure Jeth knows that! Her "vent" was about the fact that her whuffo friends, family and coworkers are using her injury as an excuse to tell her one more time how dangerous skydiving is and how crazy she is to do it, without listening to her explanation of exactly how she got hurt or anything. To one extent or another, I think we've all been there! Thank you Tigra!! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maxmadmax 8 #42 September 24, 2004 Heck....everything is dangerous! Just driving to the DZ is the most dangerous part! I know of three people that broke thier ankles while walking on a golf course, stepped in a hole and snap. My cousin & his wife are driving on the Galveston Seawall. He spies a lust-o-liscious binkini babe and BAMMM!!!! runs the car into a light pole. Now that's dangerous! Don't go away mad....just go away! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teason 0 #43 September 24, 2004 QuoteHer "vent" was about the fact that her whuffo friends, family and coworkers are using her injury as an excuse to tell her one more time how dangerous skydiving is and how crazy she is to do it I agree, I think that alot of people are humbled by what they fear. It's much easier to write off skydiving as "Crazy" and "suicidal" than to admit that they couldn't do it. If you are doing something they are afraid of, they will feel inadequate. It's easier to call you crazy and feel superior. Many of us are motivated by the need to feel better than others. It's a way to fight feelings of inferiority Just a critique on the motivations of man. *sniff sniff* is that smoke? I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #44 September 24, 2004 I agree skydiving is dangerous... Heck I've busted myself (broke my hand...) But life in general is dangerous, as one persons sig file states "don't take life too seriously, no one gets out alive anyhow." for strange sporting injuries... My brother managed to break his leg (requiring hardware...) playing golf... Scott -------------------------------------------------------------Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
somethinelse 0 #45 September 25, 2004 KY, YOU'RE ALWAYS SUCH A HELPFUL FELLOW... BUT HAVEN'T YOU FIGURED IT OUT YET THAT I DON'T MIND DRAWNG ATTENTION? HA
