guest
November 16th, 1999, 07:28 PM
In it's own nature, the written word is limiting. Especially if read like some read the bible or the US attorneys read the law. If understood as an idea that took form and had to be put to words, the written word can have a strong positive effect. Likewise, if read as "The letter of the law", it can have detrimantal effects on anything, especially if meant to govern something.
In most of Europe the idea behind the law is the most important factor. In the US, the letter of the law rules. At this time, as the BASE community as a whole is faced with a rising number of beginners, a rising number of incidents, a rising mediacoverage and more attention from all sides, it is natural that once again we see the need to be looked upon as responsible. There are, however, several pitfalls along the road to recognition and tolerance.
We as a community need to first look within our personal realms. Why did we start ? What mistakes did we do ? Why do we jump ? Next look at how we try to educate "those less fortunate." Those who started lately and need guidance on their way. Anything forbid they make the same mistakes we did. By trying to educate others and show them the Knowledge we have come to understand, we should be very careful as not to limit their options and possibilities. As Carl Boenish said (I think it was he) "Happy are those who are willing to take the risks to see their dreams come true!"
Now I know, the world moves on and we have to adapt. But we have to realize that BASE jumpings nature makes it very hard to understand for the wuffo crowd. The legal system is probably even worse off, they are wuffos and laywers.
I agree that the Base community needs some sort of educational system, some way of teaching people. Some way of saying go ahead. It would be the smart way to do it, but lets not forget how we started. I think that possibly deviding between "students" and "jumpers" would be smart. Maybe even adding a Pro-rating (instruction, demo, and competition) is nessesary.
With all due respect : "all rights reserved ?" Who are we working for ? Ourselves or the community as a whole ? A licensing system, hopefully, would be more of the USBA approach, nonprofit. If anyone tries to gather all the knowledge from the suppliers of gear, they surely have the golden route to get 20 bucks a pop around the world. Is that what we need ?
Dividing BASE jumping licenses into 7 categories ? Hello ? I think that would be a good start to kill a very good intention and something needed in all of BASE jumping communities. Lets start of easier. 2 or 3 categories, and work from there if the need arises. Telling people who succesfully have jumped demanding objects they are no longer qualified or have the wrong gear for the jump (quite a few Trollwalljumpers) is not the way we need to go.
Limiting people by regulation is not the approach. Education, understanding and realization of ones own personal limits is key. No rule can enforce that. In Kjerag, jumpers from all over the world have been able to jump. NBA could easily have tried to enforce rules. They never did. We know that a two second canopy ride into water has been done, several 5 second rides have also been accomplished. Are these shows of experience and bravado ? Certainly no "students" have dreamed of doing that. Do we have minimum pull altitudes ? NO ! We don't want them. We love the freedom. But everytime I go low, my experienced friends ask me if i knew what the hell I was doing (and if I had funhttp://www.baselogic.com/forum/images/happy.gif)
My point is : By trying to put down needed and sensible guidelines for how to approach and live with our sports growing attention and newcomers, we need something intelligent and practical. Something buyable for the authorities, not a 12 step program that is well intended, but still falls short. It needs to be practical, and honestly, I don't know if we can do it yet. To many punks to high onthemselves seems to be a major issue. Maybe at Kjerag, where access is controlled by jumpers, and transportation is very important for access. But at the Trollwall ? It's free for all, and illegal. There is no way to control it, neither is there for most of our sports exit points. No plane needed, just climb and jump.
Let's not become what we critize every day. Let not become limiting Nazi's http://www.baselogic.com/forum/images/happy.gif Lets make something we can use. Puck the reserved rights, this should not be a money issue, this should be about gaining and continue to gain and hold access.
In most of Europe the idea behind the law is the most important factor. In the US, the letter of the law rules. At this time, as the BASE community as a whole is faced with a rising number of beginners, a rising number of incidents, a rising mediacoverage and more attention from all sides, it is natural that once again we see the need to be looked upon as responsible. There are, however, several pitfalls along the road to recognition and tolerance.
We as a community need to first look within our personal realms. Why did we start ? What mistakes did we do ? Why do we jump ? Next look at how we try to educate "those less fortunate." Those who started lately and need guidance on their way. Anything forbid they make the same mistakes we did. By trying to educate others and show them the Knowledge we have come to understand, we should be very careful as not to limit their options and possibilities. As Carl Boenish said (I think it was he) "Happy are those who are willing to take the risks to see their dreams come true!"
Now I know, the world moves on and we have to adapt. But we have to realize that BASE jumpings nature makes it very hard to understand for the wuffo crowd. The legal system is probably even worse off, they are wuffos and laywers.
I agree that the Base community needs some sort of educational system, some way of teaching people. Some way of saying go ahead. It would be the smart way to do it, but lets not forget how we started. I think that possibly deviding between "students" and "jumpers" would be smart. Maybe even adding a Pro-rating (instruction, demo, and competition) is nessesary.
With all due respect : "all rights reserved ?" Who are we working for ? Ourselves or the community as a whole ? A licensing system, hopefully, would be more of the USBA approach, nonprofit. If anyone tries to gather all the knowledge from the suppliers of gear, they surely have the golden route to get 20 bucks a pop around the world. Is that what we need ?
Dividing BASE jumping licenses into 7 categories ? Hello ? I think that would be a good start to kill a very good intention and something needed in all of BASE jumping communities. Lets start of easier. 2 or 3 categories, and work from there if the need arises. Telling people who succesfully have jumped demanding objects they are no longer qualified or have the wrong gear for the jump (quite a few Trollwalljumpers) is not the way we need to go.
Limiting people by regulation is not the approach. Education, understanding and realization of ones own personal limits is key. No rule can enforce that. In Kjerag, jumpers from all over the world have been able to jump. NBA could easily have tried to enforce rules. They never did. We know that a two second canopy ride into water has been done, several 5 second rides have also been accomplished. Are these shows of experience and bravado ? Certainly no "students" have dreamed of doing that. Do we have minimum pull altitudes ? NO ! We don't want them. We love the freedom. But everytime I go low, my experienced friends ask me if i knew what the hell I was doing (and if I had funhttp://www.baselogic.com/forum/images/happy.gif)
My point is : By trying to put down needed and sensible guidelines for how to approach and live with our sports growing attention and newcomers, we need something intelligent and practical. Something buyable for the authorities, not a 12 step program that is well intended, but still falls short. It needs to be practical, and honestly, I don't know if we can do it yet. To many punks to high onthemselves seems to be a major issue. Maybe at Kjerag, where access is controlled by jumpers, and transportation is very important for access. But at the Trollwall ? It's free for all, and illegal. There is no way to control it, neither is there for most of our sports exit points. No plane needed, just climb and jump.
Let's not become what we critize every day. Let not become limiting Nazi's http://www.baselogic.com/forum/images/happy.gif Lets make something we can use. Puck the reserved rights, this should not be a money issue, this should be about gaining and continue to gain and hold access.