Did I do the best thing? near break off other diver goes low.

[JustRelax 0]

I am on a three way. 500 feet above break off I see one of the others go into a sit and drop below me.

I think #$&%# and turn to track off fast. As I turn to track I see him still going down. I track off, looking back, forward, left, right, slow, wave, reach with a glance over shoulder and pull.

On the ground I mention to the other diver what happenned and he tells me he was trying sit at 1,000 feet before break off, only I didnt notice him. He though the oher guy maybe picked up on him and followed suit. I said to him I would talk to the other guy who scared me more.

Then later when we were with the DZSO I talked to the others and said to the guy that went below me in a sit, that it scared me and that they just couldnt do it to me coz it scared me not knowing what they were going to do. Coz I didnt know here he would be when I tracked off.

The DZSO stated that noone should change their dive from the agreed dive during the dive. We all agreed to follow the rule.

In this scenario and after did I take the right approach?

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Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

[ZoneRat 0]

yep. You done good. Both during and after.

Remember that this person has an impulsive nature. Prepare for it. Maybe give him a little extra room under canopy in case he sudenly decides to make a hard turn or spiral. Keep the break off a little higher than usual. Keep the number of jumpers limited to 2-4 ways for a while. That kinda thing.

Also. If yall want to jump together, then jump TOGETHER. If yall want to sorta do some sits and kinda some flat work and whatever... Then do three solos.

“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies.”

[Chrisky 0]

Yep, good one.

It's always, even on "fun jumps", the best idea to have a plan and stick to it. If you're on a two way, changing it (if all goes crap or reallyreally good) may be alright, because everybody just has one person to track, but if there are more, stick to the plan.

It was a very good thing to talk to your fellow jumpers that they scared you (they also made the dive more dangerous by being "unpredictable"). I have always found a calm talking-to with emphasis on the mistakes made a LOT more helpful than a short yelling at...
The coolest thing that ever happened to me was an instructor taking me aside after when i got relatively close to a student on final (same level, about 250 ft horizontal sideways, same heading). He didn't say "You shouldn't have done this or that, you could have scared him!", but rather told me he would have expected me to recognize the situation earlier, as it might have scared the student. Subtle difference, but it doesn't make you feel like an idiot (or make you think the guy who talks to you is one...).

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

[DJL 235]

Send your mate a few threads about what happens when people on their belly and people in a sit or hd collide. Just do a search for free-fly collision. I think your buddy demonstrated a dangerous lack of knowledge. What if you or the other guy had tried to chase him and all of a sudden he goes to his belly and de-arches to slow down? Free-flying doesn't mean fuck around and turn your brain off.

Edit: And good move getting out of there like you did.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[JustRelax 0]

Thanks. good to check out my thinking

________________________________________
Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.