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Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

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Guy missing on Syrinx 8-Apr-2009 At 11:22:50 AM peachy

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>On 2/04/09 Sabu wrote:

>This thread does raise the issue of what do you do if someone clearly
>has no idea but plenty of ego
>and there are people involved, especially kids, who don't know that he
>has no idea.

I have always spoken up in the past and would do in the future. I'm no guru by any stretch, but know when things are fundamentally wrong. Two examples I can think of...

1. Uni students attempting to abseil down R Watchtower face. Two were the 'climbers' and one was totally new. His harness was twisted (leg loops) and he noticed something wasn't quite right just as he was about to be hooked up. The 'climber' looked at his harness, made a half hearted attempt to fix it, then said, 'It's fine, don't worry about it.' We were waiting to abseil next and I heard the conversation and spied his harness. I spoke up and said, 'Mate, your harness is twisted, if it were me, I'd take it off and put it on properly before going down there.' Coped a filthy look from the 'climber'.... I can live with that. I also suggested that they send 'climber 2' down first to act as a break on first ledge by pulling on the abseil rope if required. More filthy looks...

2. 'Climber' setting up a top-rope for mates who are new to the sport on the plaque wall, 400 million good anchors all around and he chooses 2 (and only 2) that are useless (in my opinion...) I made a gentle suggestion of a couple of other anchor points and he looked very grateful.

Happy to be told to keep my nose out of it.. also happy to take advice on safety when I'm out there by anyone who is around. Couldn't live with myself if I knew I could've said something and didn't... and the worst happened.