Rdutch 0 #1 August 5, 2003 Anything we do can pose a possibility of Death, this post was brought on by Rons post about seeing someone die. I bartended for 5 years at some of the biggest clubs in Miami, and I cant count how many friend's and customers I buried due to their ability to get shitfaced and still drive home. Even some innocent sober people that made the bad choice of riding home with an extremely intoxicated driver. Now this should have, maybe have or not have,made me decide, that I dont want to bartend anymore. We all take risks, and with the advancement's in skydiving gear, this sport is relatively safe. Of course people Die doing it, I have seen a few of them, and even known some of them (One which confuses the shit out of me still today, as he was the last person on earth I thought would go in). You risk more driving to your dz, than you do jumping there (well negotiable based on your decisions on how well you educate yourself, and police yourself on who you jump with and what you do, and maintain your gear ect, ect.) Skydiving is an incredible Sport, it definitely captures everyone that does it in a special way. to do what we do, only is wonderful. Today I was on the plane flying over downtown Deland looking down thinking, all those people in their offices have no idea how the world looks from up here, and how beautiful, the sky is my playground, and instead they are pushing pencils, fighting over parking spaces, whatever. And I am on top of that without a care in the world, ready to feel the air. Yes there is a risk, but with risk you can acheive. You jump, you fly, you learn. We can all make this sport a lot safer in many ways, one way is look out for each other, check everyones gear, (I look at any rig I can see on the plane and see if I can find anything wrong), ask for pin checks also. Watch out for everyone under canopy, you aren't the only person in the air, with the range of canopy sizes out there today it is very important, you owe a responsability to yourself as well as the people around you to look around and be carefull, that is why there is a flight pattern (What if 21 cessna's were all trying to land at the same place in 10 seconds) also Jump run isnt that short why does everyone land near the pea's in 10 seconds of each other, from Ve79's to specter 210's? We have all seen this happen, and it shouldn't. Skydiving is something we all love, and sometimes bad thing's happen, we all can do something about this to lessen the chances, while there still isnt a perfect rig, parachute or airplane, we all can do a little more to make it safer. I can guarantee that if you spent a day at any Dz in the world you will see something that's wrong, and could be corrected. Take a minute to talk to the person, dont yell at him, be nice and explain (egos need pampering sometimes). If you see someone with questionable gear, take a minute and discuss it with him, offer to give him a riggers # to get it fixed. Seeing someone go in, or knowing someone that went in, isnt a good thing, maybe if we work together we can lower the times this happens, no one can stop all of them, but we can help lower the Number's. Lets all start Today! Ray Small and fast what every girl dreams of! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hooked 0 #2 August 5, 2003 Very well said, thank you! Jan -------------------------------------- Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #3 August 5, 2003 Very well put Ray.I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #4 August 6, 2003 Sadly, we are all going to die. It's just a matter of how and when. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GigaBuist 0 #5 August 6, 2003 I'm afraid this is going to come off horribly crass. So I put this disclaimer here. I too just read the thread regarding who has seen another diver pass, and although I'm a newbie who almost never posts I thought I'd interject. QuoteSadly, we are all going to die. It's just a matter of how and when. Sparky Thankfully, we're all going to pass away. Unfortunately we don't always do what we wanted to do before that times come. Phew. Death shoudln't be a sad thing for long. To those who are left behind it is sad, but to those who pass on it's just a change in lifestyle. There are worse things in the world then dieing. Between April 2002 and April 2003 I knew 7 people that passed away. No, none of them from diving as I'm new to the sport. I had a grandmother, a great grandfather, cousin, old neighbor, somebody's mother I knew, friend, and great uncle in that year all move on. Err, wait, I had a good friend's mother also pass around May this year too. By now I guess I've become accustomed to the funeral scene. At any rate, the majority of these were met with sadness but not in the long run. My great grandfather accomplished quite a bit for "dumb Andy" as he was called a child; my great uncle lived his life on his own terms. Beleive me -- he did things his way and by nobody else's rule book. I knew little of my good friends mother (I'm 23, he's 45)... but I knew what kind of woman she was from the children she bore and raised. Given the nature of her children she must have been a hard willed person -- nobody else could have raised that bugger and his brothers. Ok, I'm getting offtrack and depressed now. Death is only tragic when it comes to those who have not had the time, or gumption, to do what they were set to do. A tragic death is a man of 26 dieing in his sleep from heart failure (like my friend) -- not a man of 26 hitting mother earth. The latter is unfortunate -- horribly horribly unfortunate and something I wish would never ever happen; but there are much worse ways to go. We all pass on. This in and of itself isn't unfortunate; passing on with regret is. The worst type of regret of all is not trying something you wished to. At least, that's my take on things. Looking back in my life the sore thumbs sticking out are things I wished I did but didn't. To tie this back into diving I guess I'd rather be 45 with titanium femurs than 45 wondering if I should have ever stuck with this. Sorry for the rambling -- had a weird week and my mind's running 100mph constantly. Can't keep a constant thought to try and put -some- meaning to the above if you can fill in the blanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
D22369 0 #6 August 6, 2003 I'd rather be 45 with titanium femurs than 45 wondering if I should have ever stuck with this A M E N !!! RoyThey say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhoenixFire 0 #7 August 6, 2003 Very well said.Peace Be Da Journey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #8 August 7, 2003 Hell, I can't remember 45! SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
