sabre210

This is priceless. Please post any replies or correspondance. This could be months of entertainment if you play it right. Gently gently, catchy monkey and all that. We need some girl jumpers to reel this dude in. can't wait ian

Without question the single biggest steaming turd of cod philosophy I have read in ages on dz.com, and the competition on here is tough. Bravo. ian

What about child-killing Tom? Would that be fair game? ian

Paul's sister informed me at the funeral that his card came through from Joy a day or two before. He was awarded BASE # 1066 which i am sure would make any UK basejumper smile as it is of course the date of the Battle of Hastings which is a very pivotal moment in British history. ian

As is now clear (not that it ever wasn't) a restrictive device of any sort left around your pilot chute can lead to a nasty end. However, maybe it might be a good time for us all to look at other techniques we use during our packing. I know there are jumpers out there (friends) who tie all their lines together in the centre during their packing - above the tailgate. It seems to me that this too could easily be forgotten and if left there would result in a streamer. I understand the need to keep the lines centred to prevent one escaping over the stabilisers and the resultant line over malfunction. However, i'd take the line over as opposed to the streamer any day of the week, so why risk the latter to prevent the far less likely to be fatal former? Counting tools is a good way of preventing forgetting such devices but it isn't infallible. How many of us carry more than one pull up when we're out on a trip, and what if you see someone elses pull up and assume it's yours. How many times have you lent someone a spare pullup? When they finish with it they throw it over and say thanks. Could you mistake that for the one holding all your lines together? No matter how thorough we think we are, we all get tired and make mistakes. A pull up left on your lines could be a very costly one. ian

Crossed Wires Tree. PM sent. ian

A public discussion is absolutely essential and many of us in the UK were fully aware of the necessity to get the details out into the open as soon as possible so that others could learn from them and prevent another tragedy. However, this could only be done once it was established that Paul employed this packing technique and that it was the cause of his death. The implication that there was some seedy cover up of the facts is not appreciated, that's all.

Well i guessed that. But that was originally what i inferred when i read that comment, and i wasn't alone in that. That's the point. When someone dies in this game, sometimes it's best to say nothing until we know exactly what has happened. Initial comments can just fuel wild speculation and often though the facts eventually refute these spurious claims, the historical record is sometimes slow to catch up, and sometimes it never does The comparisons with the death of Brian Stout here are more than obvious and look at how bitterly disputed that case is, even now, many years after his death. No offence was intended. ian

but isn't this from you too when Tom died.. ***Blair, thank you for posting this when you felt ready... I hear what you're saying, but ease off on the guilt trips please. It has been just over a week since the incident. Paul isn't even buried yet and facts are not always immediately apparant after an incident of this sort, although speculation is rife. I still don't know why exactly Tom Manship died and that was in January - you yourself implied that alcohol could have been a factor in the equation but this it seems was misleading or easy to misunderstand. Regardless, many people i know who read that were given the impression that alcohol could have impaired Tom's judgement on the jump that night. When facts are hazy sometimes it's best to keep tight lipped until the mist lifts and the picture becomes a lot clearer. There are also political repercussions in this case and handled badly it could polarise opinions based on loyalties and not facts. The truth will out, sometimes it just takes time.

not really. it didn't matter in the end but was funny at the time. story has already been posted by another involved here. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1690412;#1690412

...aha... ian

Hard hats are a must legally for any workers on site here in the UK so it goes without saying that if you're trying to pass yourself off as a worker, you need a construction hat. They cost very little and the next morning when the guys turn up for work, they'll be pleasantly suprised when they find a nice construction hat and fluro vest neatly folded and waiting for a new owner. ian

The biggest question re security is, what are they actually securing. If the construction is at a concrete floors and open walls stage then the security will be more worried about people stealing expensive site equipment, so their attention is more focused on vehicles and heavy tools at ground level. If it's topped out and walled then they are more likely to be worried about theft of smaller tools, drills, generators inside the building so there is a greater liklihood of patrols or checks inside. If it's undergoing final fit and trouble shooting then i guess they might be worried more about contents, fixtures, fittings, computers, whatever so there is more likely to be security cameras, dogs, Passive infrared, machine gun posts etc. That's why you have to do your homework as previously stated. Will a bank under construction have more security than a residential block, a government building? Go and check it out and scare yourself. Take a camera with you and if questioned tell em some bullshit story about enginerring students or archectecture. Find out what colour vests the construction staff wear. You don't want to be walking through a building carrying your rig, crammed with security ,only to discover you're the only one wearing a yellow fluro vest whilst everyone else has orange. That would be just plain dumb. ian

originally posted by SBCmac Special Thanks to KMonster & DexterBASE for being such amazing people… I’m motivated to make this post for so many reasons, but I’m not going to list them here… I have so many reasons to thank KMonster & DexterBASE that I would have to write a book in order to do it properly and to the level that it should be done to do them justice. I’m also motivated to write this post because of other BASE jumpers that I conflict with. So to keep my complaints separate I’m going to start another post called “The BASE game… Playing it at your level without judging others…” I’ll add the link once I’m done writing the post… LINK HERE -->http://www.dropzone.com/...;;page=unread#unread Finally, I just want to say that if you ever have a chance to hang out with KMonster & DexterBASE, make an effort to get to know them; you will be thankful you did… KMonster & DexterBASE are special people and are more passionate about BASE and Life than anyone I have ever met in the sport… KMonster & DexterBASE have truly raised the bar in regards to what I want in friends and they have raised the bar with who I will BASE jump with. Again, thank you KMonster and DexterBASE for being such amazing people… Michael Now i'm confused. This is wild speculation, but i'm sensing some tension here.......

Hi James I can see what you're saying, but alas any system is only as good as the people involved in it. I believe FJC's do stress that the course is just the start, the concrete foundations on which to build, and that ideally, personal supervision and mentoring is the way forward for many many jumps before you can safely go out and do your own thing. The problem is that having a few hundred BASE jumps and a few years in the sport doesn't instantly qualify you to mentor. The ability to teach well is a skill only a few possess, irrespective of their years in the sport. Equally, no matter how good the teacher is, if the student isn't prepared to listen to their advice then you may as well not bother. Some students are enrolling on courses and upon returning are then faced with the hard slap of reality that a local mentor is not their undeniable birth right, but in fact an honour. They feel somehow that existing jumpers have an absolute duty to take them on and show them the sites. This is not the case, although it might often be beneficial for them to do so. It amazes me when i read posts by people looking to get into BASE or having just completed their course accusing BASE jumpers of being insular and elitist. I really have to laugh at that. Again, like it's their god given right to be invited with open arms, unquestioningly, into a group which is based fundamentally on trust. Like doing a few jumps on their course is a fast track to gaining this trust. It is not. BASE is one of the most esoteric pastimes/sports/activities there is. Like a circle of magicians, we keep our secrets and techniques amongst us, because if they fall into the wrong hands, everyone finds out how we do it and then the gig is up. If you want site info, you have to earn it. You have to reciprocate, at the very least you have to be trusted with it. That is something that takes time to build up. The problem is many people want it all, and they want it now and they're not prepared to earn it or wait for it. BASE for those on the go. A McBASE drive thru. But like McDonalds, it's insipid, bland, tasteless and invariably leaves you unsatisfied. Pioneers before us have ALREADY made BASE accessible to newbies and i for one am eternally grateful for that gift. Without these guys we'd all HAVE to be sitting behind sewing machines, modifying our gear for the job, designing new stuff and learning new ways of "how not to do things". I'm guessing less than 1% of those now jumping (myself included) would rise to this task and learn the rigging skills necessary. That is truly elitist. So if the price now being paid by newbies is the slight frustration of not getting it all on a plate when they return from their courses, maybe having to wait many months until a mentor becomes available, or having to take it very slowly, then I'd say that's a very small price indeed. ian

So what's the probability of throwing 10 heads followed by a tail then a further 10heads? answer : just fuck right off twat i'm trying to get my head around what to do if this opens with a 90 right. ian

The Times - Monday March 13th Base Jumper Dies A 25 year old man died at ****** in ******** after a night time base jump from an electricity pylon. He was with two friends who immediately called for help. A police spokesman said "we do not know whether the parachute opened or not" This is what has appeared in the papers and is vague and unhelpful to say the least. All that is known for sure is that the jumper died after a high speed impact with the ground following some undisclosed problem with equipment/deployment. That's it. Any speculation beyond that would be unwise and unnecessary. I'm sure the full picture will become clearer in the forthcoming days. ian

Yeah Begic. Shut the friggghh up. What do you know anyway. In fact, have you even done a base jump? The guy doesn't have stability problems, he can track, so WTF???? Wind your neck in mister Begic. I'm sick of hearing all this negative downer stuff from GUYS LIKE YOU* jeez ian *experienced

Absolutely, and if you go around fucking things up for a lot of other people then according to your karma principle you're due to be fucked up yourself. That's what was being suggested. Removing a disrespectful jumpers means of constantly pissing off other people. The confiscation or destruction of their rig. I asked you in that thread what recourse is left to base jumpers who have to tolerate the constant barrage of disrespect from an errant jumper once they have asked, explained and even pleaded with another jumper to curtail their day blazing, video posting, site naming ways. You suggested the following. Exclusion! FRom what??? You suggested blacklisting their number (not their name, their number). Blacklisting them from what and what if they turn up after they have been blacklisted, blacklist them even more? You even suggested fining them. Under what/whose authority? Your solutions are those of someone who has absolutely no grasp of what they are talking about. None whatsoever. They are the reiterations of an institutionalised sheep. YOU STILL DO NOT GET IT. AT ALL. Once all the reasonable routes have been exhausted, once this inconsiderate jumper has made it absolutely clear that they will not comply with reasonable requests, all that is left is force. That can range from stopping someone physically climbing onto an object. taking their rig, or pummelling them into a bloody mess, but all require the use of some level of physical restraint. Physical force or restraint isn't a pleasant option and should be seen as a last resort, but the options are either do nothing and allow the authorities to forcefully prevent us all jumping an object or forcefully prevent that from happening. When someone refuses point blank to play by the little rules we all implicitly agree to then i fail to see any other viable option. You of all people (as a police officer) are required constantly to utilise force to bring about control. You constantly use restraint. You constantly remove the means to reoffend by destruction or confiscation. You constantly restrict the freedom of others (yes righteously in most cases) to prevent further damage or injury. You not only understand and condone the use of reasonable force, you employ it on a daily basis, yet you righteously, piously post on here, trying to bad mouth and discredit some of the most considerate, likeable, helpful caring BASE jumpers in the UK. You called us tossers. Hey, that's fine. I can deal with that cos you know what?, i need you and your opinions like i need 180 off a cliff. Hey and let's not forget, it was this tosser who took the time to respond to your plea for help for jumpers in your area for advice on BASE, it was this tosser who rang and talked to your mates FJC coach to get an idea of his ability and experience and how that might help me give him the best possible advice, and it was this tosser who contacted you the other day to meet and talk. Sam, you're entitled to your opinions, and as a law enforcement agent, i would expect you to have strong opinions, and like i said in that thread ' no hard feelings' but to come on here and bad mouth us and call us tossers is just stunning in it's audacity and contempt. You have no frame of reference for BASE. You simply do not understand, and you just don't appreciate the gravity and seriousness of what's involved. The next few days might make you realise what the stakes are. ian - a london jumper and a very non violent person.

congrats ian

Hi Jools That object is very wind specific so it's hard to plan too far ahead, but if the weather allows I am hoping to do a couple off there soon. If that's the case you're welcome to come and look. Like I said, it's tough to arrange in advance so i guess i'd keep an eye on your PM or PM me with a mobile number and i'll text you on the day. ian

PM'd you. ian

This is a wind up right??? ian

Hi The UK site is up and down at the moment. I don't know if you have posted there yet cos I can't check, but taking it there is the way to go forward. And to reiterate a previous post, ask at your DZ for the active jumpers and seek them out and talk to them in person....it's always better that way. Regards ian

Wow, you've really been researching this. You are on fire today biff. Keep em coming. ian