Low man ALWAYS has the right of way?

[quade 4]

I originally posted this on Safety and Training, but it pissed me off so much I'm reporting it here too.

Quote

Herbst's attorney, Imanuel Arin, said the evidence will clearly show Pappadato deviated from the plan during the jump. Herbst was below Pappadato when Pappadato struck him, and the "low man always has the right of way."

All I can say is, "F@ck NO!"
While "low man" may apply to traffic patterns for landing, it definately does NOT apply to freefly or camera flying.
There's absolutley no way for a camera flyer to avoid a collision if somebody DOESN'T track and decides to deploy under them.
So, just to make it perfectly clear, Herbst's attorney, Imanuel Arin, can go try camera flying himself sometime. (I originally used a dirty word there, but I'm afraid of getting sued.)
quade
http://futurecam.com

[ltdiver 3]

My seniments exactly! Blood boiling here.
Reading the two accounts I've seen so far, however, looks like a 'he said, she said' kind of finger pointing.
See:
http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2002/Mar-01-Fri-2002/news/18211022.html
and
http://www.dropzone.com/features/Otherskydiversblamedinde.shtml
I'd LOVE to see that video of Vics. Seems that it might clear up alot of the crap if viewed through experienced cameraflyer's eyes.
Just my .02,
ltdiver
__________________________________________
http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

[airdrew20012001 0]

Quote

the parents and brother of Vic Pappadato claim that Hawkes has a long history of violating safety rules and on the afternoon of May 10, 1998, allowed a group to dive even though some of them had been partying the previous evening.

Um.....okay.....I hate to be the one to say it, but I will: would any load ever get off the ground if "partying the night before" was legally actionable to the point where people would be grounded? I mean, I understand that if someone is not mentally able to handle the skydive they shouldn't, the above quote struck me as something of a wuffo comment.
Ow well,
"Clay has some beers, let's ground him"
Drewfus McDoofus

[prost 0]

All of us take a risk every time we get on a plane. If you think the people on the load create to much of a risk, then do not jump!!! This type of litigation will kill the sport.
William

[MrHixxx 0]

Ditto
-Hixxx
"Sous ma tub, Dr. Suess ma tub"

[n2skdvn 0]

my thoughts exactly we sighn waviers dont we law suits will kill this sport
dont let your mind wander.....its to little to be left alone......

[WmLauterbach 0]

sounds like this case is going to be a bad thing for skydiving...
No matter what, it will set a pattern for other litigators to follow.
My heart goes out to the family for losing a loved one, and to 'our community' because we lost a brother.
low man has the right of way sounds really good until someone gets injured... When I am out there, EVERYBODY else has the right of way.
I am sure you camera flyers out there have all been at least close to the same incident...
at breakoff instead of flat tracking, some knucklehead turns 180 and dumps....
again... god speed to our fellow skydiver

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

I am sure you camera flyers out there have all been at least close to the same incident...
at breakoff instead of flat tracking, some knucklehead turns 180 and dumps....

Yes...had a 20 jump wonder doing the last of her RW dive requirements for the 'A' license do just that! Luckily I was off to the side (although still above filming the 2-way). I turned on my side and (wings inflated) slid past her opening canopy. Missed by about 30 feet, but that was -close enough-! She had been taught to (and told to) track at break-off but all she did was turn 180 and dump! Still makes me shutter when I think about it.
ltdiver
__________________________________________
http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver