Need Your Input - Bridge Day To Show Appreciation for Jumpers

[base428]

This came from the Bridge Day Commission (BDC) recently and they need your input:

We had our first meeting of the BIG Committee (Bridge Day Improvement Group) yesterday. One of the things we talked about is how to show the BASE jumpers we appreciate them. A couple of ideas that came up are posters in businesses welcoming them to the area. We also talked about some type of program where we could get discounts at local restaurants and businesses for BASE jumpers. Any suggestions you have will be appreciated.

Respond below and I'll make sure the BDC gets your ideas. Thanks.

[basefan]

Can you make it easier for registered jumpers to get a hotel reservation? I dont like waiting til the last moment to find out which hotel i'll be staying at.

[FreeFallFiend]

Jason,

Forgive my ignorance but is this the committee made up of jumpers for BD (us) or is this the committee on the legislative/legal side? (them)

My response will depend greatly based on where the above paragraph came from ;)

[base935]

How about you have some representatives from the US Department of Justice monitor the "police officers". Everyone that goes there, "isn't from around here, are you boy?"

[base428]

There is no committee of jumpers. Sorry, I should have been more specific as to who makes up the "BIG Committee". If I understand correctly, the BIG Committee consists of the local chamber of commerce and several local businesses. The head of the Bridge Day Commission is the local chamber of commerce rep along with the local sheriff, state police, county commission, NPS (advisor role only), local police, department of highways. The bottom line is that this whole idea of showing appreciation was driven by the chamber of commerce. I hope this helps. Please provide ideas!


is this the committee made up of jumpers for BD (us) or is this the committee on the legislative/legal side? (them)

[FreeFallFiend]

OK, the reason I asked was because my original response was a bit of a rant. I'll tone it down a bit.

I think it is great the local businesses and chamber wants to show their appreciation. My original thoughts were that this was just a bunch of shit. Posters are great...but for who? Jumpers dont care if they see posters in businesses and stuff. (Well except maybe sponsored ones.) The posters would just benefit whuffos and possibly attract more business thanks to our exploits. As far as the discounts go, it's very kind, but really just geared to get us to spend more money. That being said, I don't mean to sound unappreciative of what they are offering. Since the BIGC is mostly local businesses and the chamber i suppose this is all they can offer and its a very nice gesture as they dont have to offer anything at all. I just wish that it was the BDC that was trying to show their appreciation because they are the ones that could actually address some of our more serious grievances. Do you think the BIGC could put some pressure on the BDC if we told the BIGC instead of the discounts and posters we would really just like a little more respect from local NPS and LEOs? I have a feeling most locals and local businesses have no idea how jumpers are treated and what hoops Jason has to jump through every year. We have talked the past week or so about how to get people's attention on the situation....maybe we could use the BIGC?

[BASE1127]

^+1

It's good to know that there's a group of locals who have a positive attitude towards jumpers and want to do things to improve BD. I think the best thing to do would be to fill them in on the string of hassles that have popped up over the last couple of years & make sure that they know that the jumpers are a bit worked up. Discounts and welcome signs would be nice, but if they really want to help make BD better for the jumpers the best thing they can do is be advocates for us in the community and in front of the BDC and their local politicians.

[kiki32]

I agree with the two posts above mine.

[Twoply2]

Can they help secure a landing area under the bridge and catwalk so we can jump all year?

[lifewithoutanet]

OK, the reason I asked was because my original response was a bit of a rant. I'll tone it down a bit.

I think it is great the local businesses and chamber wants to show their appreciation. My original thoughts were that this was just a bunch of shit. Posters are great...but for who? Jumpers dont care if they see posters in businesses and stuff. (Well except maybe sponsored ones.) The posters would just benefit whuffos and possibly attract more business thanks to our exploits. As far as the discounts go, it's very kind, but really just geared to get us to spend more money. That being said, I don't mean to sound unappreciative of what they are offering. Since the BIGC is mostly local businesses and the chamber i suppose this is all they can offer and its a very nice gesture as they dont have to offer anything at all. I just wish that it was the BDC that was trying to show their appreciation because they are the ones that could actually address some of our more serious grievances. Do you think the BIGC could put some pressure on the BDC if we told the BIGC instead of the discounts and posters we would really just like a little more respect from local NPS and LEOs? I have a feeling most locals and local businesses have no idea how jumpers are treated and what hoops Jason has to jump through every year. We have talked the past week or so about how to get people's attention on the situation....maybe we could use the BIGC?

Nothing will happen overnight, but what starts with a small poster in a few businesses--a poster that jumpers won't really care about--has the potential to gradually spread and turn into something bigger. A poster in one business turns into a couple posters in a few businesses. It attracts attention and gradually turns a population around. They see the posters more and more and over time, it becomes more accepted than just a once-a-year kind of thing. It'll take small steps and it'll take time.

..."No, son. Let's walk down and fuck 'em all."

Moneywise...yeah. It is geared to get us to spend more. But c'mon...what isn't? That's the only way anything really gets done, anyway. People need a motivation for making any change. The best motivation for allowing a few hundred people to come and jump off a bridge more regularly is financial. We're not strong enough to force change on our own, but the businesses that stand to benefit are. They make more money and so does the town, county, and state.

As for the respect from LEOs. I think that's a losing battle. Regardless of spin or circumstances, they tell the NPS or LEOs to lay off a bit and all they'll do is respond with a list of arrests: drunk in public, DUI, trespassing, drugs, disrespecting an officer, whatever. It doesn't matter how bogus or bullshit the circumstances leading to any arrest is or how trumped up the charges. It's an arrest and the LEOs will just shut them down and probably make them feel stupid for supporting "a bunch of lawless hooligans". No, I don't think it's "fair", either. I think it's bullshit. But it is what it is.

-C.

[Greenmachine]

Wish List

In order of Most Wanted to Least Wanted

1. catwalk jumping all year round

2. catwalk jumping on BD from 3 to sunset

3. free coffee for BASE jumpers at restaurants

4. half price coffee for BASE jumpers at restaurants

Also in order of Least Likely to Most Likely ;)

[CrestFallen]

This came from the Bridge Day Commission (BDC) recently and they need your input:

We had our first meeting of the BIG Committee (Bridge Day Improvement Group) yesterday. One of the things we talked about is how to show the BASE jumpers we appreciate them. A couple of ideas that came up are posters in businesses welcoming them to the area. We also talked about some type of program where we could get discounts at local restaurants and businesses for BASE jumpers. Any suggestions you have will be appreciated.

Respond below and I'll make sure the BDC gets your ideas. Thanks.


i know that when i showed up in twin for my first perinne trip i was astounded by the hospitality the town shows... the bar hooks it up, the hotel hooks it up, the general public has an interest and enjoys coming out and watching as well as taking pictures for the jumpers. in addition the hotel was always nice enough (if not in use) to let us use the conference room to pack. i think that anything that shows the jumpers they are welcome and thanks them for choosing their spot is solid. i have yet to meet a picky jumper who is not happy they didnt get a fruit basket in their room when they showed up.

[FreeFallFiend]

Nothing will happen overnight, but what starts with a small poster in a few businesses--a poster that jumpers won't really care about--has the potential to gradually spread and turn into something bigger. A poster in one business turns into a couple posters in a few businesses. It attracts attention and gradually turns a population around. They see the posters more and more and over time, it becomes more accepted than just a once-a-year kind of thing. It'll take small steps and it'll take time.

..."No, son. Let's walk down and fuck 'em all."

Moneywise...yeah. It is geared to get us to spend more. But c'mon...what isn't? That's the only way anything really gets done, anyway. People need a motivation for making any change. The best motivation for allowing a few hundred people to come and jump off a bridge more regularly is financial. We're not strong enough to force change on our own, but the businesses that stand to benefit are. They make more money and so does the town, county, and state.

As for the respect from LEOs. I think that's a losing battle. Regardless of spin or circumstances, they tell the NPS or LEOs to lay off a bit and all they'll do is respond with a list of arrests: drunk in public, DUI, trespassing, drugs, disrespecting an officer, whatever. It doesn't matter how bogus or bullshit the circumstances leading to any arrest is or how trumped up the charges. It's an arrest and the LEOs will just shut them down and probably make them feel stupid for supporting "a bunch of lawless hooligans". No, I don't think it's "fair", either. I think it's bullshit. But it is what it is.

-C.

I hear what you are saying, and think we are pretty much in agreement as far as getting support. The only way we would have enough support to make ANY change would be if the local businesses and residents pushed for something on our behalf. As many have already mentioned we obviously cant do it on our own.

As far as the LEOs go i think Jason made a HUGE step with moving our base of operations to the campgrounds. This way the LEOs cant see the different acts of celebration that many LEOs might see as obnoxious. When I checked in this year someone immediately haded me a beer. I respectfully asked the guy that checked me into the camp ground if I could drive right down the gravel road to where i was putting up my tent or if i needed to pitch the beer first. His response was:

"Hell I don't care. If you want you can walk around all day and night ------- - -----. We don't allow cops in here as it's private property. The guy at the front gate isnt there just to check passes but also to make sure the cops don't come in."

Not only is this "local protection" great, it also tells us something else. That at least SOME of the locals are aware of the problems we have with LEOs and maybe have experienced problems with them on their own. Although it is small this is the type of support that we need and have been discussing.

[primemory]

the locals want us at the NRGB, i know because i am one of them, fayetteville is my home town. problem is the regular BDC and not the BIG committee. the BIG, like jason said, is business owners and people who are in the community, the regular BDC is made up of cops and some other city official type people. Also, they (authorities or gov't) really havent figured out the best way to make money off of us yet, they know local businesses will benefit but they are not interested in only that kind of money,no matter how many times you reference Twin Falls, so the year round thing is still quite the touchy subject with the NPS and local authorities.

[SpecialKaye]

how about jumpers being able to walk up the southbound side of the road so long as we have gear and our badges? sometimes the crowd makes it almost impossible to get anywhere...almost getting taken out by baby carriages, wheel chairs, people stopping dead in front of you, whatever? it's not like there's traffic to deal with and i think we all have enough common sense to move out of the way if a bus or car is coming.

[avenfoto]

gawddamn kaye thats a great idea.

[SpecialKaye]

thank you very much!!!!

[base428]

Sorry, but I have to say that won't work - you'll have a thousand spectators following you in those lanes. The Southbound lanes need to stay clear for emergency vehicles and jumper buses/vans.

[SpecialKaye]

Sorry, but I have to say that won't work - you'll have a thousand spectators following you in those lanes. The Southbound lanes need to stay clear for emergency vehicles and jumper buses/vans.

If they wished to make it work, they could and would. A lot of people park/pack down at dirty ernies and that area and then you have to creep your way down the road if you miss the buses.

[base428]

Rather than "let us walk in the Southbound lanes", perhaps "let us jump more than 6 hours" would be a better suggestion.....

[primemory]

If they wished to make it work, they could and would.

them wishing to make something like that work would require them(state police, nps, etc.) to have to do more work, which is precisely why Bridge Day to them is a pain in the ass. it's saturday and they are gov't workers that don't work on weekends. so if they have to do more than they "have" to they don't want it.

[laba1095]

How about instead of asking for all year access to the catwalk, ask for the same access the rappels get. I've heard (don't know the facts) they are allowed on Thursday and Friday for setup. What if jumpers were allowed half a day on Thursday and/or half a day on Friday to test it out, I know there are enough rangers hanging out at the landing area at those times to make sure we stay safe..., and it could be something added into the registration process to the first 50 or 100 people to sign up for it. Best thing would be to police ourselves with that time frame of jumping, but would probably require a minimum staff to appease authorities and the BD committee, so an extra jump fee would probably happen for those that sign up for it. Make the jumpers drive themselves out, so no buses to show we don't need so much organization. I'm sure we could figure out a way to get a tarp to pack on, or just use the grass down at the bottom.
For Jason, he could set up an early registration where we upload our video waiver and paper waiver by email or mail it in and get our early access badges in the mail so no on site registration and no first time jumpers to keep it easy for the first year. Probably too much for the committee when they really just want to put up a poster, but couldn't hurt to ask and use as a first step to year round access.

[F16Driver]

The best way to show appreciation would be to pay our jump fees.

[makeitquick]

now thats just a little much don't you think? pay for all of us? kind of a lot to ask no? what wouldn't be too bad, if what you want is money, would be for the first X amount of registered jumpers to be paid for. It wouldn't need to be many to get a huge interest from this crowd. And the business would be able to say they they helped the BASE community.

[F16Driver]

now thats just a little much don't you think? pay for all of us? kind of a lot to ask no? what wouldn't be too bad, if what you want is money, would be for the first X amount of registered jumpers to be paid for. It wouldn't need to be many to get a huge interest from this crowd. And the business would be able to say they they helped the BASE community.

Not a lot to ask considering the average attendance at Bridge Day is 70,000 to 80,000 people. A little bit from businesses would be great, but I personally think the spectators should pay. It's nice to dream.

[Greenmachine]

I personally think the spectators should pay.

I agree, even if we did not jump there would
still be huge state and municipal costs for the
road shut down, portable toilets, & labor costs
for the civil servants who work the event...

Hence I think each spectator should have to
throw a quarter into a 55 gallon drum to gain
access to the bridge.

80,000 * .25 = $20,000

Of course Jason already knows this and
I think has suggested the idea in the past.

[makeitquick]

I'm not sure you fully comprehend the gravity of what you have suggested tom. Do you really want BD shut down for good? here's what I mean:

the volume of 1 quarter = 808.93 mm^3 = 8.0893 mL

1 gallon = 3,785.4118 mL x 55 (gallons in the drum) = 208,197.649 mL

so if perfectly organized with absolutely no space between them, you could fit 25,737 quarters in a drum that size given that

208,197.649/8.0893=25,737.41226

leaving a 54,263 quarter overflow (out of the 80,000). Thats $13,565.75 just laying on the ground, Surely inciting a riot/free-for-all/battle royale on a grand scale. Do you think fayetteville would welcome us back after "the great BD massacre of 2010" ?
just food for thought.

[base428]

A little history:

Back in the early 1990's, it was suggested that every spectator drop a quarter in a 55-gallon barrel. Barrels were located at both ends of the bridge. Jumpers, feeling like the reaper would call their name, happily tossed in their quarter. Unfortunately, being a voluntary donation, the Bridge Day Commission only made $500.

Now, fast forward to 2010 where the Bridge Day Commission and local Chamber of Commerce are really struggling to find sponsors and the event is suffering. For a number of years, I have suggested that the Bridge Day Commission charge a mandatory 25 cents for each spectator. Besides, why should jumpers have to pay $10 each (comes from your registration fee) to the Commission when spectators watch for free. Makes lots of sense to me. But there is resistance because "they've never had a spectator fee". Well, perhaps it's time for a change. I'd be willing to bet that attendance would increase and spectators would be more appreciative of an event that charges rather than one that is "free". Usually, free events are free for a reason.......

Start charging the spectators! As I told the Chamber of Commerce, I'll happily give then 20 rolls of quarters to cover spectators who forget to bring money.

[SpecialKaye]

Tom, without the jumpers, there's no reason to shut the road down because they don't have Bridge Day on the Bridge. Jason & I both were at BD 2001 when there was no Bridge Day...the Spirit of Bridge Day took place in town and at various locations and the attendance was like 12,000 people in comparison to the normal 125,000-250,000 spectators to watch the "crazy people". NPS also allowed the rappellers to go on about their business at BD01 for 4 days while refusing jumpers that came out to still support the community, to do anything and the Sheriff's Dept was busting anything else that is used for play period. I was living in Arizona and with them only cancelling a week before, I couldn't change things without it being quite costly, so I came.

And yes, the spectators should pay something.

Jason, how about making an area up to the "corral" for jumpers (or jumpers picture takers) so that we don't have to get an attitude from the spectators so that we can get up to the wall and/or get personal pictures. Trying to get up to the side of the bridge/wall is a joke for us. We have spectators all the way up and for those of us that are "vertically challenged", trying to get a spectator to give up their space even for a moment is like asking for a glass of ice water in hell.

There's another suggestion, Jason.

[FreeFallFiend]

Hey Jason, who is the MC every year? He does an amazing job but sometimes you can tell he is reaching for things to talk about. Not complaining, having been an MC for 8 years I know its not the easiest thing in the world. What i was thinking is maybe he could promote the theoretical donation barrels. Most fund raising events have MC's themselves. Why? Because a little guilt can go a long way. In between talking about the jumps and jumpers the MC could promote the donation barrels. There are a lot of things he could say to get people to donate whether it is a quarter or $10 and we could certainly pull together and come up with a list of things he could say before hand.