talking to gumbies

Post by **Don McGlone** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:45 pm

When I talk to a gumby it usually goes something like "Hey JR, how's it goin'?"

Post by **pigsteak** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:31 pm

TankAzz wrote:i will say one of my pet peeves is performed by many an experienced climber/belayer---taking a hand off the gri-gri (i'm sure i'll hear disagreement about this). feel free if i am in direct, but otherwise, please keep a hand on the rope, even if i am resting (and especially if i am fumbling around, checking out holds, and you are talking to everyone else at the crag). chances are nothing will go wrong, but every once in awhile a freak accident happens-climber unweights the rope, then suddenly sits back, rope gets going through gri-gri, rope gets out of control, etc. i've asked belayers not to do it on several different occasions (allah, a belaying god, always gets really pissed off), but it's just something that makes me feel better.

false sense of security. name me one person, by name, who has been injured while resting, who then weights the rope, and gets dropped clear to the ground merely by the fact the belayer wasn't holding onto the rope with said break hand.

allah's fluffer has spoken.

Post by **TankAzz** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:59 pm

purely speculative..... but there was a climber up in boston who did it all the time and one of his climbers got dropped by him (not from super far, but still). i don't want to say his name in case anyone knows him, particularly since i don't know the hows and whys of the situation-could have been totally unrelated to that.

either way, it seems like something small and easy to do, and it makes me feel better, so i try and nicely ask my belayers to keep a hand on the rope, just in case

Post by **pigsteak** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:10 pm

climbers are risk takers.....saftey is over rated. ever climbed on the bolts at the lode?

Post by **DriskellHR** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:41 pm

Cleary there are a several very valid points of veiw I guess you do what you do and live with it. I really see very few problems with that. and as suggested above how many REAL accidents (I.E. you DIE) happen out there, that involve climbers?

But I kinda agree with Anti when he says "how do you approach it?" You can phrase things in a way to be less abrasive. That of course does not always work people, after all, will be dicks.

Post by **pigsteak** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:53 pm

btw, for those who say it isn't their job to watch out for whack jobs or care about others safety....I ask:

do you ever post up about a manky anchor, lose hangers, or donate money to Team Suck? If you do, then something in your "moral" compass told you to help your fellow climber. it's nice to say "not my problem", but it ain't reality.

Post by **Toad** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:09 pm

Ya know...it can take quite a while to evacuate someone out of the woods
after a screw up. And, it can put a cloud over the rest of everyone's day.

If nobody where to say something to the clueless, then where are you going to run to when they totally over run the cliffs.

Say something to them like "Hey, that's an interesting way of..." "Where
did you learn that?" "Have you ever tried this?" It works for sex as well.

If you try and they are being a dick, then kick dirt and spit on them while
they are writhing in pain on the ground after a screw up. It works for sex as well.

Post by **TankAzz** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:25 pm

pigsteak wrote:btw, for those who say it isn't their job to watch out for whack jobs or care about others safety....I ask:

do you ever post up about a manky anchor, lose hangers, or donate money to Team Suck? If you do, then something in your "moral" compass told you to help your fellow climber. it's nice to say "not my problem", but it ain't reality.

that's different, though. i can directly help climbers i care about (including myself) through those actions. maybe i truly don't care about some stupid gumby (if you know me, ya know this is probably not the case, however

).

this reminds me of a recent event at the dark side. crowded day, good temps, etc. a guy was up there who had hurt his back at work the previous week. long story short, he warmed up on one of the 5.9s and exacerbated it. within an hour, he was laying on the trail, basically unable to move. let me tell you, it took people AWHILE to get him down the trail. i have to say, it took people a bit to step up as well (myself included--i'm kind of a weakling, and they already had a token backpack carrier), and this was someone i think people knew(?), or was at least the friend of a friend.

anywho, it meant several people gave up a day of climbing to help this person who, arguably, perhaps should have known better and not gone climbing (VERY nice guy, not trying to offend here). it was the "right" thing to do to help him, but he did have to wait around while people tried to climb first. it sucks to give up a day of climbing by being a nice person (side note: special thanks to Rick, who really stepped up and basically carried this guy down on his back).

i guess this is not a gumby story, but it was interesting to watch who felt responsible for this person, and who did not....

Post by **DriskellHR** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:36 pm

Take care of your family man. Folks in the gorge are my family even the assholes I cant stand. After all we all have family we dont like

Post by **jordancolburn** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:03 pm

You just have to be careful the way you say things. I was at drapers bluff in illinois and this group of college kids(i'm not hating i'm one too!) walks up an access gulley and with a brand new rope, never uncoiled. looped it, and threw it, they couldn't believe nor understand why it got tangled up. I went over and had most of it untangled by the time they got to the bottom, I just said that ropes suck and recommended flaking out the rope and gave some other advice through the day. Just be friendly, and willing to help. Unless your kind advice gets completly ignored, then....let them fall off a cliff.