Privacy and "Cover-ups"

[guest]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Aug-13-01 AT 07:56 PM (PST)[/font][p]There has been a fair bit of discussion (see "Italy" thread) on the correct amount of public disclosure following an accident.

I had a few thoughts on the matter, and I was hoping to start a separate thread to discuss it. That way, we can have a discussion about what is appropriate, without talking about specific people, specific accidents, or specific investigations.

On the "Full Disclosure" side:

1) A comprehensive accident analysis and full disclosure may help to save the lives of other jumpers in the future.

2) Full disclosure will give us all a chance to sit around like a knitting circle, nodding our heads sagely and saying, "yep, saw that coming... nope, never should have let them jump off that darn thing."

3) Full disclosure might convince others who could make similar mistakes (such as inadequate experience, out of date rigging, or improper gear) to wait until they had appropriate experience, rigging or gear. This might save lives.

4) Full disclosure will give us all the chance to point fingers, assign blame and strike "holier-than-thou" postures.


On the "privacy" side:

1) Non-disclosure may protect members of the community from possible legal action (think criminal negligence, wrongful death actions, or bizaare California-esque tort claims).

2) Non-disclosure may protect the guilty from getting their fair share of hazing, finger pointing, and public humiliation.

3) Non-disclosure may be necessary to allow unfriendly parties (think family and jumpers) to amicably wind up the affairs of the deceased. Disclosure of the accident circumstances might impede civil communication and make this whole process drag out interminably.

4) The circumstances of someone elses death or injury may be none of our damned business. If we wouldn't care how their jump went if everything was great, why in the heck would we care if their jump went awry due to lack of skill? Probably just morbid curiosity.

I think what it comes down to is that the people on site have to use their own judgment to decide what level of disclosure is best. And the rest of us have to trust them to exercise good judgment based on the circumstances.

Please, bring on the flames. Let's have our shouting match on this thread, in an impersonal, and hopefully courteous manner.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@ucdavis.edu

P.S. Many thanks to everyone who has shown discretion in keeping the details of my assorted accidents off this board.

P.P.S. I have intentionally included some rather overblown points above. Please examine your own motives and ask yourself--might these apply somewhere deep down in my heart?

[guest]

Well, I've watched this topic develop through several threads and I think that the family and friends involved will post when, and if, they're ready. I guess the reasons for family not to post, and the reasons for friends not to post are different. The family wants to protect the privacy of loved ones, and basically it's none of our business. The friends...well I don't know why they wouldn't post. The reasons are probably the same, except now their knowledge and judgement may be called into question. We all have a morbid fascination with death. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it's just human nature. We all want the information, especially when it hits close to home. But if it's your close friend, it takes a little longer before you want to talk about it. That's what I think.--Dex

[guest]

Good thread, Tom.

>1) Non-disclosure may protect members
>of the community from possible legal
>action (think criminal negligence,
>wrongful death actions, or bizaare
>California-esque tort claims).

This seems to be an issue in our society today and unfortunately, sometimes precludes the dissemination of information that may benefit others if they found themselves in similar circumstances. I don't know how difficult it would be for Mick but perhaps there should be an area on the board that is private and password protected where we can go and discuss matters that can't or shouldn't be discussed publicly.

[skinflicker]

Tom,

What were the nature of your accidents? Why are you thankful that people witheld details? From what I heard, your latest accident could easily have been fatal. Maybe you're in a rare position to provide insight since you survived but may not have. How would you have liked it to be handled?
What about your family? Would they concur?
It seems to me that you're as well qualified as anyone to answer your own questions. I'm certainly real interested in your responses.

Skin.

[guest]

See the "Close Calls" thread.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@ucdavis.edu

[guest]

Ummmmm. Look, I understand that posting details will often help prevent other accidents. However, let's look at the situation. This is an often jumped object, and I'm sure the Beta is well known on it. If there was some NEW object-specific problem that would put people in immediate danger the next time someone jumps it (i.e. the exit point is collapsing or a new obstruction suddenly sprouted up overnight or there is now a tornado there every Monday at 5PM), or if we were to find out she was jumping xxxxx brand gear which blew up for no good reason, I'm sure we would hear about it NOW.
Otherwise it seems like people just wanna know, which is fine, but right now there is probably no real good NEED to know.

[guest]

Tom,Tom,TOM!!!
wake up!!!!
theres more to life than the base bored!!!
get to work & live a little of life!!!
xxx

[guest]

Are you suggesting that I ought to be doing other than reading this board while I'm at work?

Private recreation is always the best use for paid work time.

Are you actually working at work?