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Many years ago I worked on the pilot episode for a proposed television show called The Risk Factor. I examined risk in our lives, in one section they looked at three people in their daily environment, A man who cycled to his job in a bank, a parachute tester and a policeman. The audience were asked to vote who ran the greatest risk of injury or death through their job. Obviously about 90% went for the test jumper.
Then they got actuaries (smart mathematicians who work for insurance companies who deal in probabilities) to analyze and calculate who was most at risk. Well you may have guessed it, The guy who cycled to work, followed by the policeman, then the jumper. They based it on statistical analysis and probability.
It has been my observation that most jumpers I know, always use a seat belt in a vehicle (including taxis), do not jump to play some form of death dodging and on the whole with the usual exception of 'the cavalier and the crazy which we see in all walks of life, are very sensible, responsible people.
I think it is wonderful that the threads and views expressed on this site validate that, but I agree with tbrown, that everything we do carries a risk, skydiving is no different, it is a measured risk, which the participants do everything they can to manage safely and responsibly.
I believe everyone who ever jumps made a conscious choice to do it, fighting against self doubt and natural fear in many cases, for the majority the one jump experience is enough. Some go on, the others tick that box and go in search of the next experience. The rest of us fall in love with the sport, the comradeship, the late night beers, the tales of "No Shit I was there" tales around the bar.
the final responsibility as to making a jump has to be our own no one can or should ever 'talk you into it', they can encourage reassure and empathize but nothing in life is without risk.
Whilst researching the television show The Risk Factor, we looked at the five most common ways of accidental death in the home. If I went through them now I am sure some for would never handle a sharp knife, and electrical appliance, only eat liquidized food, live in a building without stairs or ever take a bath again.
So their is a risk associated with skydiving as with all things, but to classify it as dangerous, is misleading. I agree with tbrown if skydiving was that damn dangerous I wouldn't do it either.
To NWFlyer who posted the original thread, no amount of statistical analysis will convince you ( it didn't convince me) but my desire to fly did. I have come to realize that at the end of our lives we do not regret our failures, we regret the things we wished fo but didn't do.
I had cancer 20 years ago and as I lay on my hospital bed it was my regrets that bugged me, so If you want to jump heed all the good advice, hang out in a DZ for a few weekends talk to jumpers and instructors ( they will al be helpful) talk to other tandem students, and if after that you are not sure, then cash in the voucher, and perhaps another day.
"The older I get the better I was"
Then they got actuaries (smart mathematicians who work for insurance companies who deal in probabilities) to analyze and calculate who was most at risk. Well you may have guessed it, The guy who cycled to work, followed by the policeman, then the jumper. They based it on statistical analysis and probability.
It has been my observation that most jumpers I know, always use a seat belt in a vehicle (including taxis), do not jump to play some form of death dodging and on the whole with the usual exception of 'the cavalier and the crazy which we see in all walks of life, are very sensible, responsible people.
I think it is wonderful that the threads and views expressed on this site validate that, but I agree with tbrown, that everything we do carries a risk, skydiving is no different, it is a measured risk, which the participants do everything they can to manage safely and responsibly.
I believe everyone who ever jumps made a conscious choice to do it, fighting against self doubt and natural fear in many cases, for the majority the one jump experience is enough. Some go on, the others tick that box and go in search of the next experience. The rest of us fall in love with the sport, the comradeship, the late night beers, the tales of "No Shit I was there" tales around the bar.
the final responsibility as to making a jump has to be our own no one can or should ever 'talk you into it', they can encourage reassure and empathize but nothing in life is without risk.
Whilst researching the television show The Risk Factor, we looked at the five most common ways of accidental death in the home. If I went through them now I am sure some for would never handle a sharp knife, and electrical appliance, only eat liquidized food, live in a building without stairs or ever take a bath again.
So their is a risk associated with skydiving as with all things, but to classify it as dangerous, is misleading. I agree with tbrown if skydiving was that damn dangerous I wouldn't do it either.
To NWFlyer who posted the original thread, no amount of statistical analysis will convince you ( it didn't convince me) but my desire to fly did. I have come to realize that at the end of our lives we do not regret our failures, we regret the things we wished fo but didn't do.
I had cancer 20 years ago and as I lay on my hospital bed it was my regrets that bugged me, so If you want to jump heed all the good advice, hang out in a DZ for a few weekends talk to jumpers and instructors ( they will al be helpful) talk to other tandem students, and if after that you are not sure, then cash in the voucher, and perhaps another day.
"The older I get the better I was"
NWFlyer 2
Well said, Tom, and you're definitely preaching to the choir. I spent more time in the hospital and in rehab because I was doing a "safe" every day activity (crossing the street in a crosswalk with the light) than most skydivers will ever spend in the hospital and rehab due to skydiving.
My statement (and I would guess the statement of others who say it) is directed at the people you mention - those who really do let ego get above common sense, or, those who don't appreciate how much we have to *respect* the sport to make it as safe as it is (for example, people who don't learn about and respect their gear, people who don't learn from those who've made mistakes ahead of them, people who don't keep up their training and awareness of emergency procedures, etc....). If those people start believing this sport is "safe" then we're in trouble.
Same goes for newbies. I don't think we should ever send anyone into a blind panic about the risks of this sport, but at the same time, they need to develop a strong sense of personal responsibility early, and that, to me, means fully understanding what choices and actions *can* make this sport less safe. I applaud people like the original poster who are making an effort to learn about the sport so they can make an informed decision about whether it's right for them (though I do hope that she will spend more time learning about it at her local dropzone than online, at least for a while!). It's nice to be able to provide an informed counterbalance to media hype about this sport. Ultimately, we all have to make our own decisions about what types of risk we are willing to face, and some people will never look at skydiving as an acceptable additional risk.
I think we're more on the same page than not, Tom.
My statement (and I would guess the statement of others who say it) is directed at the people you mention - those who really do let ego get above common sense, or, those who don't appreciate how much we have to *respect* the sport to make it as safe as it is (for example, people who don't learn about and respect their gear, people who don't learn from those who've made mistakes ahead of them, people who don't keep up their training and awareness of emergency procedures, etc....). If those people start believing this sport is "safe" then we're in trouble.
Same goes for newbies. I don't think we should ever send anyone into a blind panic about the risks of this sport, but at the same time, they need to develop a strong sense of personal responsibility early, and that, to me, means fully understanding what choices and actions *can* make this sport less safe. I applaud people like the original poster who are making an effort to learn about the sport so they can make an informed decision about whether it's right for them (though I do hope that she will spend more time learning about it at her local dropzone than online, at least for a while!). It's nice to be able to provide an informed counterbalance to media hype about this sport. Ultimately, we all have to make our own decisions about what types of risk we are willing to face, and some people will never look at skydiving as an acceptable additional risk.
I think we're more on the same page than not, Tom.
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