perrine

[guest]

http://www.magicvalley.com/tn/opinio...Date=6/20/2002

Today's Editorial
More fatalities may happen if BASE jumping continues
Some may consider it crazy to throw your body off a bridge for fun. But the local officials who continue to allow BASE jumping in Twin Falls County are foolhardy as well.
Twin Falls County learned once again on Saturday just why most other U.S. cities have banned parachuting from bridges. Brian Stout, 24, of Gilbert, Ariz., fell to his death in the Snake River after his parachute failed to open. Stout is the second fatality to result from BASE jumping in Twin Falls County. Another jumper was killed in February 2000 while jumping from the Hansen Bridge.
BASE is an acronym for building, antenna, span and earth. BASE jumpers flock to the 486-foot drop from the Perrine Bridge, mostly because other localities have regulated or restricted jumps from their bridges. Somewhere between not wanting the liability on their hands, and not wanting to keep attracting possible death and injury, other cities have wised up and told jumpers to take a leap elsewhere.
Why haven't Twin Falls leaders done the same?
Elected law enforcement officials say the sport is no more dangerous than rock climbing, whitewater rafting or other outdoor recreation. Maybe not, but in today's legal environment those who sponsor dangerous activities are the ones held liable. On raft trips and rock climbing expeditions, outfitters and guides have clients sign waivers of responsibility. The best of equipment and training usually accompanies those who are seeking thrills.
But with BASE jumping, there is literally no accounting for who is or isn't trained to make jumps, and whether they have proper equipment.
Saturday's fatality may not be the last. The fact that the jump is made from a public facility, the Perrine Bridge, obviously flirts with the possibility of a huge lawsuit.
City and county officials continue to discount this possibility, while local tourism boosters welcome BASE jumpers.
If local municipalities continue to do nothing to stop another BASE jumping death, then the Idaho Transportation Department, which actually owns the Perrine Bridge, needs to step in.
Taxpayers in Twin Falls and Jerome counties aren't crazy enough to plunge off the bridge, but a big lawsuit resulting from this or some future fatality could give them a soaking.

[guest]

Right in front of his mom, too. Terrible.

As far as the tone of the article... the sheriff out there said it best... if they make it illegal, they'll just go out there at night, without boats, and make it all the more dangerous.

Correcting the article... his canopy did open, technically, but there was a pilot chute hesitation, and his speed was high.

The whole thing was really tragic, and people that turn such an event into an article like this just piss me off.

[guest]

Rebuttal that JASON KITLEY got onto the site:

The editorial of June 20 is a rather foolhardy and narrow-minded stance on BASE jumping from the Perrine Bridge.
BASE jumping, like any other alternative sport, comes with its own set of risks. People that take up these sports know of the inherent risks and are willing to accept them for the love of their sport. The BASE jumping death on June 15, while tragic, is an acceptable risk to the people involved in that sport. If the city, county, or state tries to regulate jumping off the Perrine Bridge, then they are opening themselves up to lawsuits in the event of an accident because there will always be the question of negligence. However, if BASE jumping remains unregulated -- and not necessarily encouraged but not stopped by authorities either -- it becomes a sport like rock climbing or kayaking or hang gliding.
People that practice these sports do occasionally die, but you wouldn't advocate closing a cliff or a river or a mountain after one of those deaths would you? Also, and while this seems rather shallow in light of the recent accident, BASE jumpers bring a tremendous amount of tourist dollars into the area.
I have spoken to several of them and on any given weekend, one person will spend in the neighborhood of $1,000 on hotel rooms, food, entertainment, etc. This money will dry up quickly if we close the bridge to them.
People are going to participate in sports that have death as a consequence of failure; that is just human nature, but I'll bet if you ask any one of those people how they would prefer to die, I would bet the answer you will hear most often is, "doing what I love."
Leave the Perrine Bridge open to BASE jumping.
JASON KITLEY
Twin Falls

[guest]

And another:

The Times-News should take its own advice.
A recent editorial warns the city to have BASE jumpers at least sign a release of responsibility before jumping off the Perrine Bridge. Maybe it would be prudent for them to require readers to sign a release before opening the morning paper! It may prevent a future lawsuit. It's only a matter of time before someone suffers a fatal heart attack or stroke after reading the brainless editorial perspective of this paper.
I know I often feel my blood pressure rising while reading the paper. Or maybe the advice should go to the readers of The Times-News. Like cities who have warned BASE jumpers to get their thrills elsewhere -- News seekers: get your news elsewhere! Picture this shocking headline: More fatalities may happen if reading The Times-News continues.
LORRI HAZEN
Twin Falls

[d-dog]

Your correction is incorrect. Brian's canopy did not open prior to impact. While his pilot chute did finally inflate less than a half a second before impact, the shrivel flap never pulled.

How do I know? I was about 110 feet away (above, under canopy) from him when he hit the water, and I watched the final second or so of his accident from that perspective.

Peace,

D-d0g
ddog@wrinko.com
www.wrinko.com

[guest]

My bad. I heard the same rumor from several people that I had believed were there. Sorry.

[guest]

Whomever is concerned with an injured jumper suing the government entity that owns the bridge may not have anything to worry about. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you can sue a goverment. I believe that Eminent Domain protects them from such suites, otherwise every time you had an accident on icy or wet roads you could bring suite against the FHA (Federal Highway Administration) or the states Dept. of Transportation for not maintaining the roads properly. Eminent domain is the same legal priciple that allows the state to purchase your property if it is required for a road or project that is for the common good. And incindentally doesn't ITD own the perrine bridge? Again I might be wrong but I distinctly recall that from some college transportation design courses.

[imported_Tom Aiello]

I think you're looking for municipal Immunity here.

Generally, government entities are immune to law suits unless they give permission for the suits (don't laugh, it happens all the time).

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@mac.com

[guest]

Correction the Fatality in February 2000 was a result of drowning not jumping.
To the Narrow-minded A-hole who wrote this. Who the Hell do you think you are, And what gives you the right to speak of something you obviously know so little about. Oh thats right, we live in america "the land of the Free" Free speech, free press, Freedom to bear arms, freedom of religion, freedom of peaceful assemble, And most importantly the freedom of choice. If I want to " Throw my body off a bridge for fun" what does it matter to YOU. Maybe we sould regulate GOLF. Lord knows, On a Hot summer Day some old Fart may want to play a round and "Oh NO" they have a Heart attack and Die right there on the course.
New REGULATION Physicals required to play Golf you must have all papers signed by your Cardiologist in order to make a Tee time. New American Bill of Rights. Regulate speech, Regulate choice, Regulate, Regulate, Regulate. What is this world coming to. Before long with enough A-holes like this thats exactly how it will be.

[guest]

"If I want to " Throw my body off a
>bridge for fun" what does it matter to YOU.
>Maybe we sould regulate GOLF."

I agree! - I got back to work after 2 weeks in TF and found a work collegue had dislocated both his knees on a golf holiday!!!......

:7 :7

[guest]

Excuse me Mr./Mrs. Gutless Lawsuit, just in case you were never informed; you will not go blind or grow hair on your hands from diddling yourself. Go ahead, give it a try.
If you're ever waiting at a stop light at 3 in the morning for more than 5 minutes without traffic; it's ok to run it.
Please Sir/Mam put down the remote control, pusrue a life.

MB

[guest]

Check out the following letters to the editor that are now up on the newspaper's website:
= = = = = = = = = = = =

It's not government's place to protect from stupidity

I have to disagree with your editorial on June 20.
As long as the BASE jumpers are not interfering with the traffic flow across the bridge, neither the city, county or the state has any business prohibiting the sport. I agree that BASE or bungie jumping off a bridge ranks right alongside jumping out of a perfectly good airplane as far as the lack of good sense. However, it is not the place of government to protect so-called mature adults from their own stupidity. The only legitimate function of government in that regard is to protect you from my stupidity and me from yours. If either of us wants to do something dumb that only endangers ourselves, it is none of the government's business unless we get ourselves in trouble and they have to rescue us. Then they simply bill us for the costs and we learn not to do that again.
As far as the lawsuit angle is concerned, simply stop people from suing in such cases. If someone does something of their own free will and gets hurt or killed, that's their own fault. Let them bear the consequences. A good starting point for that is don't ever vote for a lawyer for either a judgeship or legislative office. They tend to pass laws and render decisions that favor large fees for them when they return to private practice.
While I'm on my soap box, and along the same lines, what is with the Twin Falls Police and this seatbelt nonsense? I doubt that there is anyone who doesn't realize that wearing a seat belt saves lives.
However, the only life that is endangered by not wearing one is that of the person who chooses not to wear it, and it still isn't the business of government to protect people from their own stupidity. The police would be spending their time much more usefully doing something about the inattentive drivers running around with a cell phone stuck in their ear -- like for instance the Twin Falls Police Community Resource officer who was driving down Addison at 4:30 this afternoon (June 20) with one stuck in his ear. And incidentally, guess who was not wearing a seat belt while doing it?
How many hours of educational efforts were shot down the tubes by that stunt. I guess their idea is "Do as I say not as I do."
WAYNE FRANDSEN
Twin Falls

Allow nature to enforce her own laws; let jumpers jump
I would point out (to the extent that you didn't notice) the contrast in philosophies displayed by your editorial opinions of June 19 and June 20.
In the first editorial, you praised the foresight of the Supreme Court for its restriction of the "nanny" functional government in allowing anyone with an opinion to ring my doorbell. The following day, your editorial criticized local government for not exercising the same "nanny" function by pointing out to people that jumping off the Perrine Bridge might be dangerous.
I would remind you that, in the same way that the First Amendment is the law of the land, so are those laws requiring less external enforcement, including gravity. Is jumping off the Perrine Bridge crazy? Certainly. But have you ever heard of natural selection? To the extent that nature has considerably more resources, let's allow her to enforce her own laws. All of them.
RICK BOLLAR
Rupert
(Editor's note: Rick Bollar is the prosecuting attorney for Minidoka County and the reigning winner in The Times-News Spam Recipe Don't Ask Me Contest.)