Did I ask you for a gear check?

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

If the answer is no, then DON'T CHECK MY GEAR!!

What is with people? What gives you the right to open my damn reserve flap when I didn't even ask you to check my gear? I almost punched this guy. Please don't assume because someone has low jump #s or because i'm a chick or whatever, that I want you to check my gear. If I want a gear check, i'll ask for one. Until then, HANDS OFF!

Just venting! I don't know how many other people have this problem, but it's damn annoying!@

Angela.

[Jimbo 0]

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What is with people? What gives you the right to open my damn reserve flap when I didn't even ask you to check my gear? I almost punched this guy. Please don't assume because someone has low jump #s or because i'm a chick or whatever, that I want you to check my gear. If I want a gear check, i'll ask for one. Until then, HANDS OFF!

Did you tell the offender? If not, why not?

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Shark 0]

I still check all my students if I am in the ramp area. When they are licensed I look them over and ask. If they are still using student gear I do it any way. I do, however, understand your concerns.

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

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What is with people? What gives you the right to open my damn reserve flap when I didn't even ask you to check my gear? I almost punched this guy. Please don't assume because someone has low jump #s or because i'm a chick or whatever, that I want you to check my gear. If I want a gear check, i'll ask for one. Until then, HANDS OFF!

Did you tell the offender? If not, why not?

-
Jim

I don't know? :( I had already been having a hard day, and he had already opened the flap to my reserve by the time I knew what he was doing. I was just like, ok, let him close it, i'm jumping in 30 seconds. Then, I didn't see him the rest of the day. I was thoroughly annoyed! The more I thought about it, the more violated I felt. I will not make the mistake of taking this s*** anymore, tho. I just felt I needed to vent. Thx for listening:)

BTW, it is my gear and I am licensed.

Angela.

[sundevil777 93]

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If I want a gear check, i'll ask for one. Until then, HANDS OFF!

Hurumph, Hurumph!

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[charleslittle 0]

Wow...I'm so new to the sport that I can't begin to imagine where your frustration comes from. All I can say is that...I don't mind anyone checking my gear. Licensed or not...I love this new sport so much that I have never really considered how dangerous it really is.

So if you're experienced and you really know what you're doing, feel free to check my gear anytime! You can never be TOO careful!

"Life is a party...dance your way through it!"

[TALONSKY 0]

I totally understand and agree with what you are saying. However, I think it behooves all of us to do a visual gear checks of the people in our visual range in the plane. I know I caught several minor gears up mistakes by doing this (things ranging from riser cover undone to on two separate occasions with two different people who had a twist in his main webbing do to putting on leg strap wrong.)
Kirk

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

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If I want a gear check, i'll ask for one. Until then, HANDS OFF!

Hurumph, Hurumph!

so, I suppose this means your ok with someone doing this to you? Why is that? If you don't ask someone to check your gear, why do you feel they have the right? I feel violated! Like a surprise gyno visit from a stranger. All my shit opened and being inspected by someone I don't even know... who didn't even ask me if I wanted a gear check! Jerk!

Angela.

[Kramer 0]

I'm just playing devil's advocate here:

But anyone who checks your gear isn't doing it as a slam because you're a girl, or you haven't made 1,000+ jumps, they're simply doing it because they're a safe skydiver concerned with their fellow jumper's safety.

I'd thank them, sooner than I would punch them. You never know...one of them may save your life someday.

-Kramer

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[happythoughts 0]

I generally don't let anyone check my reserve pin. Lower pin is ok.

I usually give everyone in sight a visual, lower pin on request. I look at cutaway pillow and cheststrap routing, so if you catch me looking - it's the cheststrap.

Check your friends gear visually.

• Quote

[gemini 0]

If the jumper is not a student, I always ask if they want a check.

There are several very good jumpers who will check whoever happens to be standing near them prior to boarding the plane. I've learned to live with them.

I do get nervous if someone I don't know or don't know very well touches the container and I will recheck it myself if they bump me or pull the flap open. I usually will not make a big deal out of it, just let them know to ask the next time. They mean well and are trying to learn the ropes around the dz.

Then there are the few others! I don't trust them to give me a check and do not want them ever to touch anything I am jumping with. This includes several instructors.

Last Saturday I was asked by an instructor if he could pull the RSL tab out from under the riser on the DZ rig I was jumping. I told him no and walked away. I just don't trust the guy.

Blue skies,

Jim

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

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I'm just playing devil's advocate here:

But anyone who checks your gear isn't doing it as a slam because you're a girl, or you haven't made 1,000+ jumps, they're simply doing it because they're a safe skydiver concerned with their fellow jumper's safety.

I'd thank them, sooner than I would punch them. You never know...one of them may save your life someday.

-Kramer

All the same, I don't want people touching my gear. If I want a check, i'll ask for one. I understand the reason behind someone wanting to do a check; however, unless your help is asked for, do not force it upon someone. He could easily have asked me if I wanted a gear check. Who knows, maybe I'd have said yes (unlikely being as though i'd have had my boyfriend check it since he's right next to me). But, if your help is not asked for, you should at the very least offer it verbally before taking it upon yourself to touch my stuff!

Angela.

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

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I totally understand and agree with what you are saying. However, I think it behooves all of us to do a visual gear checks of the people in our visual range in the plane. I know I caught several minor gears up mistakes by doing this (things ranging from riser cover undone to on two separate occasions with two different people who had a twist in his main webbing do to putting on leg strap wrong.)
Kirk

I agree 100%! :)

Angela.

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

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Wow...I'm so new to the sport that I can't begin to imagine where your frustration comes from. All I can say is that...I don't mind anyone checking my gear. Licensed or not...I love this new sport so much that I have never really considered how dangerous it really is.

So if you're experienced and you really know what you're doing, feel free to check my gear anytime! You can never be TOO careful!

I disagree with this fully. People should not think it is ok to check someones stuff without making them aware or asking. If you are not a student, then if you want a gear check you should have to request one. Or, if someone wants to check your gear for you, they should let you know or ask you first. Just because you are ok with this does not mean that the majority is ok with this. I am most certainly NOT ok with this.

Angela.

[sundevil777 93]

Hurumph is an allusion to the old Mel Brooks' movie Blazing Saddles, where the governors yes men all say, "Hurumph Hurumph" to everything he says.

Like when the British say, "Here, Here".

(I agree with you)

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[Harksaw 0]

I have no problem with it if i know the person and know they know what to look for, and trust them. People I dont know would have to have some nerve to be touching small pieces of metal that if tampered with could cause me to lose my life.

__________________________________________________
I started skydiving for the money and the chicks. Oh, wait.

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Ahh. Ok, I didn't see that movie (I know, I know, everyone has seen that movie, lol!).

cheers!
Angela.

[Jimbo 0]

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I suppose this means your ok with someone doing this to you?

I'm OK with it. It's happened before, it will happen again. I'm glad that people are looking out for me. If I think that someone might have dislodged something, or otherwise messed things up, I'll recheck it myself. If I can't check it myself I'll ask another jumper in the plane to do it. Be happy that people are looking out for you, one of these days they may save your life.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Biscuit 0]

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Just venting! I don't know how many other people have this problem, but it's damn annoying!@

Angela.

This happened to me once and it absolutely BLEW MY MIND I was so pissed! I am the gear check nazi as it is, and ALWAYS have someone look me over before I get on the plane. I am a safety girl for sure.

What happened to me was that someone I didn't know visiting from another dropzone started pawing at my gear. I should have said something, I only said "back off bitch" In my inner monologue because I'm a sissy, good for you for raising the subject.

POLITENESS. RESPECT FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S CRAP!

This rig is the most expensive thing I own, ask permission before you touch it, please!

Good for you. You're right.

******************************************

The last mosquito that bit me had to book into the Betty Ford Clinic. -Patsy

[Katzeye 0]

Angela, I'm behind you 100%. When I was on student status some yahoo walked up to me and started going over my gear. My Instructor had a FIT!! She told him in no uncertain terms that unless I was his student to keep his hands to himself. Noted that I *was* a student. However, unless I know the person, a reserve flap/seal is nothing to mess about with.

LA*

Is a chicken omelette redundant?

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

:) glad to know i'm not the only one who feels this way. I see that a couple of you are ok with this, and that's fine for you. But, i'm not, and apparently there are many who are not.

So, for future reference, before you go fiddling with other peoples gear, ask them if they'd like you to first, please. If they say no, don't touch it.

end of rant:)
angela.

[PhreeZone 15]

I have gotten to the point that I'm done videoing RW loads unless the people get main pin checks at the least. I don't do many RW videos any more but after watching all summer I saw at least 5 situations that put the videographer in undue danger just since people were so defensive about their own gear they refused to let others look it over. Most of these occured at the WFFC. Luckly nothing bad happened, but the risk is still there.

I've caught a lot of different gear issues in the plane including folded under pillows, hackeys tucked into the BOC, pins barely in, twisted MLW's (Me of all people in my Birdman suit ), Misrouted three rings, and too short of reserve ripcord length. If not for a second pair of eyes going over the rig for the most part the owner was clueless.

There are those out there that are more then qualified and are just looking out for everyones safety.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[AggieDave 6]

I can see where you're coming from, but understand where the other jumper is coming from too. They're just concerned for everyone's safety.

More then a few times I've caught something on someone's gear that needed to be fixed before jumping, just by being diliegent with eyeballing everyone's rig that I can see. Including chest straps, bridle hanging/routing, open flaps and a few other things.

If you've got a few hundred jumps and you check me without asking, I'll ask you not to do that again, unless I ask (since my reserve protection is one of the best in the biz and I can check my main pin myself with my rig on). If you're some fucking 50 jump wonder who tries it, I'll ask you never to do that again and that will leave a bad taste in my mouth. You barely know enough to know what your'e really looking for. Shit, I've got over 800 jumps and I don't know nearly enough about gear or have enough experience to be arbitrarily checking people's gear!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

I agree that visual checks are an awesome thing to do. People have caught things on me visually and I appreciate that. I, too, have actually caught a couple things:) And, most RW jumpers I see on the plane get up and check each others gear. You have to understand that I did not ask for my gear to be checked and that no one has the right to touch me or my belongings if I do not ask them to do so. It is a violation! If I wanted a pin check, i'd have asked my boyfriend to do it. Or, if he was not there, and I wanted one, I would have asked someone. But, unasked for gear checks are like unasked for advice... just don't. If you're requirement as a cameraman is that people get gear checks, then that's cool, make it clear. If I were your subject i'd find someone I trust to check it for me.

Dave, fyi, don't assume that no one knows what is going on with their gear. I know how things are routed. I hook up different mains all the time. I've watched my boyfriend pack my reserve. I intend to do my next repack under supervision assuming I don't get too overly frusterated, lol!. So, just because someone has 50 jumps (ie, me), don't assume they are not taking the time to get to know their gear. Obviously, those who do take the time are the few rather than the many, but they are still out there:)

Angela.

[ianmdrennan 2]

This must be a first but I agree with you.....guess winter is coming early this year
I have no problem with people checking my gear AS LONG AS THEY ASK FIRST, I hate that feeling of someone fiddling with my stuff without my consent or knowledge.

Blue skies
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team