We have legal BASE jumping off the local 480' bridge. Every year, 1 or 2 of them don't make it down in 1 piece. Another one died this afternoon when his chute didn't fully open. He and his wife jumped at the same time so she could watch him feed the fish. Her chute opened correctly. 38 years old, from CA.
It's a very dangerous sport because there is no time to compensate for error. You have 1 shot and it something goes wrong, it's by-by. To the right, just out of sight in this photo, is a flat, open area where they land. The wind usually takes them right in. Usually. I know we're supposed to feel sorry for them when something goes wrong, but they know the risks and life seems to mean little to them. They don't care, let their families deal with it.
There are people I know that a have diseases like cancer just trying to stay alive and these folks go jumping off bridges and killing themselves. I will never understand these brainiacs.
I know they're dumbasses and all, but I just have a hard time watching those failed base jumping and wing suit videos. It is a human life after all.
Mike
That's funny, I don't feel that way at all. I kinda wish they all would have to use a camera suspended above them (and especially hardened), so that it captures their moment of impact...
Son of a former shipmate is a base-jumper and wing-suit flyer. I'm waiting for the inevitable obit. The kid is a former Marine 2-tour combat cameraman and I guess misses the adrenaline.
Yet standing nose to nose with a grizzly or water buffalo while on a hunt is totally acceptable by most here. We all get our kicks somehow and I'm glad we aren't all the same. I personally love flying and being in control.
Its important for some sports (if that's the proper term to use) to produce casualties on a regular basis. Otherwise, it wouldn't provide the rush that participants are after.
Yet standing nose to nose with a grizzly or water buffalo while on a hunt is totally acceptable by most here. We all get our kicks somehow and I'm glad we aren't all the same. I personally love flying and being in control.
All true. There are lots of folks who crave that rush. I just hope they understand the impact on those around them when/if it goes poorly.
I love flying as well but I got all my aviation excitement in when I was young and immortal with carrier landings and avoiding SAMS and AAA. I get more satisfaction these days from a well flown RNAV or ILS approach more than aerobatics or other such work.
I have watched them jump from that bridge many times and am surprised it doesn’t happen more often.
A few years ago my wife and I watched one that came close. His chute folded under when it opened. He got it open but not soon enough to keep him on target. He ended up in some trees and was banged up some.
The all time dumbest Darwin off this bridge was a couple years ago. A 70+ year old guy came up with a spectacular jump plan. His assistant sprayed his chute with some kind of highly flammable spray. The plan was to light the chute on fire just before he jumped. Then he'd jump, release the chute, and then pop his real chute. Things went wrong. The wind pushed enough of the spray to his clothes so that when the assistant lit it, the fire jumped from the chute to his clothes and HE went up in a ball of flame. He went off the bridge but wasn't able to drop the burning chute. He hit the water in flames. Very dead. It was a 'spectacular' jump for sure.
I know they're dumbasses and all, but I just have a hard time watching those failed base jumping and wing suit videos. It is a human life after all.
Mike
That's funny, I don't feel that way at all. I kinda wish they all would have to use a camera suspended above them (and especially hardened), so that it captures their moment of impact...
I admire these guys. It takes some guts to do a BASE jump.
In my mis spent youth, I made 5 parachute jumps from a Cessna. Static line jumps. But then I got in to hang gliding and I made over 105 mountain flights. Damn that was fun! My longest flight was 3 hours 5 minutes. One time, I got 5,000 feet above Lookout Mountain.
Hang gliding is dangerous but not nearly as dangerous as BASE jumping. If this sport had been around when I was young I probably would have done it.
They're adrenaline junkies. Everyone has their own gig. I get enough rush from killing deer, so I don't have the need to jump from high places. Personally, I hate to stand near the edge of a high building or bridge. It gives me the heebie jeebies. However, about 8 years ago, I did a tandem jump from a plane at 12000 ft. The free fall was awesome. Got that off my bucket list and had a blast doing it. Wouldn't make a habit of doing it though, but it was fun.
It is not that they do not fear death. It is that they fear not living more. If you understand that, you will know why they do it. If not, you will never understand.
Kinda funny, week or two back a cute blonde chick bites it trying to set a speed record, 95% of campfire says "she died doing what she loved, RIP" and such. Some dude dies doing something similar, 95% of campfire says "play stupid games win stupid prizes, Darwin at work" and so on. Bottom line, nobody really gives a [bleep] if dudes or ugly chicks die.
Dunno if those that pursue this sport have a web site, never looked and probably never will. In case they don't I suggest the following domain name and web link: www.SPLAT.COM
It is not that they do not fear death. It is that they fear not living more. If you understand that, you will know why they do it. If not, you will never understand.
i do not fear death but do fear the process of dying, physical and mental aspects of it. jumping, falling is a process i would avoid
It is not that they do not fear death. It is that they fear not living more. If you understand that, you will know why they do it. If not, you will never understand.
i do not fear death but do fear the process of dying, physical and mental aspects of it. jumping, falling is a process i would avoid
Jumping and falling isn't the problem. It's the landing that hurts.
It is not that they do not fear death. It is that they fear not living more. If you understand that, you will know why they do it. If not, you will never understand.
Oh, brother!
I live more by hearing an elk bugle, or even a coyote howl than by jumping off a bridge with an elastic rope tied to my feet. I live more by hugging my kids than by seeing Machu Picchu. I live more by helping an elderly neighbor keep her yard up than I ever would jumping off a stupid bridge.
Base jumping is self absorbed hedonism taken to the extreme. It's a free country, so have at, but don't tell me it's a better way of living.
Rock it is such a short fall if that Shute doesn’t open as soon as they throw it there dead. Also the prevailing wind seem to push you towards shore and the trees.
I remember a suicide jumper a few years ago jumped probably thinking he would hit the water and the wind pushed him onto dry land. Splat...
It is not that they do not fear death. It is that they fear not living more. If you understand that, you will know why they do it. If not, you will never understand.
Oh, brother!
I live more by hearing an elk bugle, or even a coyote howl than by jumping off a bridge with an elastic rope tied to my feet. I live more by hugging my kids than by seeing Machu Picchu. I live more by helping an elderly neighbor keep her yard up than I ever would jumping off a stupid bridge.
Base jumping is self absorbed hedonism taken to the extreme. It's a free country, so have at, but don't tell me it's a better way of living.
Back when bungee jumping was all the rage, it was illegal off this bridge. A couple guys decided to try it anyway and came up with a plan. One was going to jump and the other was going to pull him back up before the cops arrived. He jumped but whatever they had planned to pull him back up didn't work. He was hanging upside down 200' below the bridge. It took the rescue guys several hours to get him up. I'd be a bit on the dizzy side by then.
I know they're dumbasses and all, but I just have a hard time watching those failed base jumping and wing suit videos. It is a human life after all.
Mike
That's funny, I don't feel that way at all. I kinda wish they all would have to use a camera suspended above them (and especially hardened), so that it captures their moment of impact...
What do you find to be human in inhuman and if something, who do you believe put it there?
We have legal BASE jumping off the local 480' bridge. Every year, 1 or 2 of them don't make it down in 1 piece. Another one died this afternoon when his chute didn't fully open. He and his wife jumped at the same time so she could watch him feed the fish. Her chute opened correctly. 38 years old, from CA.
It's a very dangerous sport because there is no time to compensate for error. You have 1 shot and it something goes wrong, it's by-by. To the right, just out of sight in this photo, is a flat, open area where they land. The wind usually takes them right in. Usually. I know we're supposed to feel sorry for them when something goes wrong, but they know the risks and life seems to mean little to them. They don't care, let their families deal with it.
And the last thing to go through his mind was his arse.
Sad to say but this was taken a few days ago, Aug 31. She's the one that pulled him from the water and performed CPR, unsuccessfully. That's a real bitch of honeymoon.
Its important for some sports (if that's the proper term to use) to produce casualties on a regular basis. Otherwise, it wouldn't provide the rush that participants are after.
Friend of mine Katie died a few years back BASE jumping out in California. Her boyfriend was a wingsuit designer and died trying to save her. They drowned. We had talked about it and she wasn’t too keen on dying. She just thought she was good enough to avoid mistakes. Numerous times I told her she should consider giving it up. Very nice girl. Dang good nurse
I have watched them jump from that bridge many times and am surprised it doesn’t happen more often.
A few years ago my wife and I watched one that came close. His chute folded under when it opened. He got it open but not soon enough to keep him on target. He ended up in some trees and was banged up some.
The all time dumbest Darwin off this bridge was a couple years ago. A 70+ year old guy came up with a spectacular jump plan. His assistant sprayed his chute with some kind of highly flammable spray. The plan was to light the chute on fire just before he jumped. Then he'd jump, release the chute, and then pop his real chute. Things went wrong. The wind pushed enough of the spray to his clothes so that when the assistant lit it, the fire jumped from the chute to his clothes and HE went up in a ball of flame. He went off the bridge but wasn't able to drop the burning chute. He hit the water in flames. Very dead. It was a 'spectacular' jump for sure.
Yeah, she performed CPR but he died anyway. Yes, CPR almost never works. Like 99 percent of the time. And it really never works for trauma cases. I can't believe how the American Red Cross pushes this BS.
I did plenty of terrifically dangerous stuff before I was married and had kids. For Uncle Sam (pay) and otherwise. Once you marry, you have responsibilities to another. At least he didn't leave any kids behind like that POS youtuber who kanked himself flying a parasail with a fan strapped to his azz.
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