What do you say when people ask about death in this sport?

[JohnGraham 0]

I'm involved in my uni's club, and not surprisingly the questions we get asked the most all concern how dangerous the sport is - how do you reply to these questions?
Do you answer in a blunt, matter of fact way? Do you quote statistics about fatality/injury rates until you're blue in the face? Do you just make a big joke out of it?
Just interested to know!

[tcnelson 1]

personally, i use stats and my own experience to try and relay the fact that it's possible, not probable. i think the big thing for people is that skydiving is a totally unnecessary risk as opposed to things like driving, which are viewed as necessary risks.

"Don't talk to me like that assface...I don't work for you yet." - Fletch
NBFT, Deseoso Rodriguez RB#1329

[quade 4]

People ask for one of two reasons; actually interested in some specific aspect or ghouls.

People that are actually interested and ask specific questions get specific and honest answers.

Ghouls . . . gimme a break . . .

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[goose491 0]

I`m usually pretty blunt. What you say and what you address can truly make a difference in the way wuffos see you and your sport.

If asked about the risks in this sport, I always -and almost immediately- point out that a large percentage of injuries and fatalities in this sport occur under a fully inflated main canopy. I explain about swoops, low turns and object strikes. I also explain that the vast majority of incidents can be traced back to the jumpers action or lack thereof.

A lot of people still truly think it`s like russian roulette. Your jumping is like pulling the triger, you`ve a predetermined chance of dying and if you parachute opens, you are lucky. I like to think I`ve changed a few peoples perception by explaining that the risks are calculated and that in general, people don`t just die because their "chute didn`t open"

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[Dougiefresh 0]

I help run the Madcity Skydivers at the UW-Madison. When people say, "Oh, but the owner died!" I explain about the difference between tandem and sport canopies (size, landings, etc.) and point out the safety record of the tandem program at SDC. Usually that suffices, and if not, we offer them an observer ride. If they still don't want to jump, well, that's their loss.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[LawnDart21 0]

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and not surprisingly the questions we get asked the most all concern how dangerous the sport is - how do you reply to these questions?

I say (in gest):

You gotta go sometime, why wait patiently when you can go kicking and screaming?

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

[BillyVance 34]

I will say that skydiving is safer than driving on the highway, safer than playing football or soccer, or rugby for that matter, AND safer than having unprotected sex with people you don't know...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[HydroGuy 0]

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I will say that skydiving is safer than driving on the highway, safer than playing football or soccer, or rugby for that matter, AND safer than having unprotected sex with people you don't know...

I think skydiving is riskier than all of the above...

I tell people that yes, skydiving has inherent risks. But through equipment, preparation and practice, we try to minimize these risks. That risk which is left over we have to accept, or find a more suitable activity.

I find when you explain to people what an AAD is(because people always ask what if you pass out, get knocked out, or just freeze and forget to pull), reserve canopies (how they are built differently, who packs them and repack inspection cycles) and that you can actually steer the canopy, people become much receptive to the idea of skydiving.

Would be much harder to talk to a whuffo about BASE, in my opinion.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[Samurai136 0]

I usually tell them, "It's all about perception of risk. Why do you perceive driving as safer than skydiving? Last year, 2004, for every skydiving fatality there were 2030 auto fatalities nation wide."

Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[Spizzzarko 0]

"It Happens" is all I say.

[Andy9o8 2]

Like others, if it’s a truly serious inquiry, I try to clear up the whuffo misconception that the main cause of fatality is equipment failure; I explain that sport parachutes, while not foolproof, are designed to be extremely reliable, and that the main cause of most fatalities is human error. Just this past week, my own (whuffo) sister-in-law, who’s known me for 25+ years, said, “Well, the biggest danger is you never know who’s packed your parachute”, to which my first response was, “Where on Earth did you get that idea?” Then I proceeded to patiently educate her a bit.

But I’ve also developed a sniffer for the “questions” that are really just unsolicited, thinly-veiled value statements about my life’s choices, and in those cases I often try to just deflect the discussion, because frankly, after years of answering the same damn questions over & over again (“Hey, whadda ya do if yer big chute don’t open & then yer safety chute don’t open either?”), I get a little weary of it. I know, I should try to be a good ambassador for the sport, but to be honest, sometimes I just don’t have the patience for it. In those cases, a brief, dismissive answer like Spizzzarko’s “It happens” might be all they get.

Put another way: if they want me to explain the sport, I'll give it a whirl. If what they really want is for me to explain myself, forget it.

[Samurai136 0]

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(“Hey, whadda ya do if yer big chute don’t open & then yer safety chute don’t open either?”),

Oh, for that one I take a look at my legs and tell them that so far, xxx jumps, it hasn't happened and I pack both my parachutes. If it does happen, it's something you'll think about for the rest of your life.


Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[AlexCrowley 0]

35 average skydiving deaths out of 40,000 skydivers. approx 1 in 1000.

15.5 deaths per 100000 people in traffic casualties (1999).

I really dislike the 'safer than driving' argument.

As a newbie to the sport it's a question that I face a lot from friends and family. I talk about mitigating risk, but also make it clear that I'm aware of the possible consequences. If they're interested I talk about the training and equipment and discuss the fact that most incidents can be traced to a series of events that are likely to involve pilot error. I am just as clear to point out that even if you do everything right there is still a not insignificant chance that something bad may occur.

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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I will say that skydiving is safer than driving on the highway, safer than playing football or soccer, or rugby for that matter, AND safer than having unprotected sex with people you don't know...

I think skydiving is riskier than all of the above...

I agree. Skydiving is not safe.

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I tell people that yes, skydiving has inherent risks. But through equipment, preparation and practice, we try to minimize these risks. That risk which is left over we have to accept, or find a more suitable activity.

I find when you explain to people what an AAD is(because people always ask what if you pass out, get knocked out, or just freeze and forget to pull), reserve canopies (how they are built differently, who packs them and repack inspection cycles) and that you can actually steer the canopy, people become much receptive to the idea of skydiving.

I like to tell people that it's a parachute, it wants to open!!! It just may not open on heading or it may open into line twists.

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Would be much harder to talk to a whuffo about BASE, in my opinion.

BASE is it's own beast.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[darkwing 5]

I say people die playing golf, bowling, football, basketball....

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[skybytch 273]

Skydiving isn't safe and I don't think that it's right to tell non-jumpers that it is, so I tell them what I see as the truth. You can do everything right and still die.

I also tell them how rare it is to do everything right and still die, and I tell them that most all of the risks involved can be managed.

[jedeisurf 0]

I tell everyone it is all about risk management. I pack my own reserve if it don't work it's my own damn fault.
David

[Skykat108 0]

I'm usually straight forward Not blunt, but honest ya know.

I usually tell them that most deaths occur when people are coming into land.

Then I usually sprout out a bunch of safety precautions. AADs, reserves, gear checks.. yadda yadda yadda.

I tell them, most of the time your main will work. if that doesn't work 99.9% of the time your reserve will work. But nothing is definate, just like crossing the street nothing is definate.

[bert_man 0]

you can do everything right driving down the road and still die as well.

I like to see it as risk vs. skill. You can drive defensively down the road with a foot always on the brake pedal, seatbelt on, obeying traffic rules and you'll probably be fine. If you suck at driving, this is probably the best option.

Or you can have some fun and buy a fast car and drive fast and recklessly. If you suck at driving and you choose this option, it is very dangerous for you and others.

Or, finally, you can buy a fast car, but only drive fast on a track in a controlled environment with the proper training and practice, only after working your way up from defensive, slow driving in order to develop the proper reactions and skills. This could be made to be as safe as a granny driving down the road like, well, a granny. It is inherently more risky, but precautions have been taken to greatly reduce the risk of human error, equipment failure, exposure to the unskilled hotshot you may be sharing the road with, and extraneous variables that can't be predicted.

Loic Jean Albert could make his 'death-defying' wingsuit swoops down mountain slopes less dangerous than driving down the road with your granny, if all of the proper precautions are taken and he has a realistic attitude toward his abilities as a rigger and a pilot.

I think people percieve skydiving accidents as more serious because of the way you die and the finality. They think "the chute doesn't open, you will die a grizzly death." Then they think of the uncertainty of a car accident where cars can be flipped multiple times and people may or may not be injured at all, forgetting that people die from fender-benders too.

My .02

-Ghetto
"The reason death cannot frighten me, is because life has cured me of fear."
Web Design
Cleveland Skydiving

[HydroGuy 0]

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I say people die playing golf, bowling, football, basketball....

No comparison to any of these.

People who die playing golf are USUALLY struck by lightning...or they have a cardio/pulmonary event...not many golfers die of ball or club strikes. People who die bowling, in basketball and football USUALLY die from a cardio/plumonry event.

There have been thousands of pro football players in recent years, but only three recent deaths come to mind. Cory Stringer died of heat exhaustion which was caused by elevated body temperatures from a Caffeine/Ephedrine/Asprin mix combined with dehydration and high heat and humidity. The 49ers lineman - cardiac blockage. The LA Avengers player actually snapped his brain stem on a tackle...which is the only death you can REALLY attribute to football.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[TomAiello 26]

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“Hey, whadda ya do if yer big chute don’t open & then yer safety chute don’t open either?”

"Walk toward the light."

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[happythoughts 0]

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Yes, people have died in the sport, but it is not as common as you think. However, injuries are more common and serious than you think also.

I know people who have died who were safer and far more skilled than I am. I try to be as careful as I can, but it still may not matter. Skydiving is not safe.

That is what I say.

[Witelli 0]

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“Hey, whadda ya do if yer big chute don’t open & then yer safety chute don’t open either?”

"Walk toward the light."

That's good!!! What about comparing skydiving to flying in an airplane when asked? I mean, you're flying a wing that's built to fly, just like an airplane or a glider.

[nate_1979 9]

I tell people that it's a risk that I choose to take, with the realization that it could kill or seriosly injure me even if I do everything right, but that it is very unlikely... I dont want my friends getting into this, or even try it, thinking that it's totally safe... It's just not the right mindset to have when your jumping out of an airplane at 3 miles above the ground.

FGF #???
I miss the sky...
There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

[Macaw 0]

I don't like statistics and statements like "like skydiving is safer than..." do not make much sense to me, you can always play with statistics and interpret numbers.

I generally tell people that skydiving is a risky sport but ultimately it's a risk management activity where risk can be mitigated by both mental and physical training, staying current and constant practice.

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Life is a series of wonderful opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.