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markc
Jul 12, 2006, 4:44 PM
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In reply to: Hopefully then, your parents will understand that climbing is a very safe activity.
This is the only part of your post I really have an issue with. Climbing is not a safe activity. There are very experienced, strong climbers that die climbing. Better climbers than you or me have lost their lives or narrowly cheated death. Loads of us suffer injury. We can work to make climbing as safe as possible, and certainly seek to minimize risk. However, claiming that climbing is safe is misleading.
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jaydenn
Jul 12, 2006, 4:57 PM
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In reply to: Climbing is not a safe activity.
I'm not going to argue the semantics of "safe"...
Relatively speaking, Climbing is a safe sport.
Relative to bare-Knuckle Boxing, Relative to Grizzly bear wrestling, Relative to alot of activities, Climbing is safe.
OF COURSE PEOPLE GET HURT. Duh. That goes without saying.
People hurt themselves doing the most mundane tasks...Like washing the dishes...Taking out the trash...Have you ever picked up a piece of wood only to get a sliver? is it correct to say that touching wood is a dangerous activity?
Not really. :lol:
Plenty of people die while walking to work. Is walking considered a "death wish" activity? I think not.
(most)Climbers take a great deal of time and care to ensure the safety of themselves and others. That is what makes climbing safe.
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donbcivil
Jul 12, 2006, 7:40 PM
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In reply to: It's not too smart to ride and shoot at the same time
On the other hand, a carefully placed shot could be an efficient way to release an anchor after descending...
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donbcivil
Jul 12, 2006, 7:42 PM
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In reply to: shooting? shooting heroin? or people? Both seem rather dangerous to me. Well, I guess not shooting people, that's just dangerous for them.
Nope, just paper. It's a surprisingly relaxing hobby...
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petsfed
Jul 12, 2006, 7:58 PM
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My mom knows quite a bit about climbing. Once upon a time, my father climbed professionally (basically geologic mapping, so all aid climbing, but still) and it worried her to death. For quite a while, she was dead set against my climbing. Tried to play the card that if she didn't get me any gear (I was young and unemployed) I wouldn't do it. Fortunately, my father pointed out the flaw in that reasoning: I'd still go climbing, I'd just have shitty gear.
So now she's still worried when I climb, but she understands that its part of me. Asking me to change that part of me runs contrary to her (and subsequently my) concept of good parenting. On the other hand, being that she learned about climbing in the early 80s, around the time my father quit climbing, I get my fair share of early 80s ethics lectures too. She's still a little ashamed I use chalk and own cams. How cool is that?
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southtxtraveler
Jul 12, 2006, 8:54 PM
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I started my Son climbing when he was six. What I did to calm down his freaked mom was took lots of safe looking pictures. Then casually presented them or left them laying around. Now she even suggests we go out.
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oklaclimber
Jul 13, 2006, 3:54 AM
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When my parents found out that I bought my own climbing gear they freaked out. so I just do not tell them about my climbing life. especially my "close calls". my mom would freak out. she is such a b#$*h! :evil: It is better that she doesn't know. They would kill me if they knew about the bridge jumping too. :lol: PARENTS SUCK!
8^) Peace Out 8^)
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omegaprime
Jul 13, 2006, 3:59 AM
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In reply to: When my parents found out that I bought my own climbing gear they freaked out. so I just do not tell them about my climbing life. especially my "close calls". my mom would freak out. she is such a b#$*h! :evil: It is better that she doesn't know. They would kill me if they knew about the bridge jumping too. :lol: PARENTS SUCK! 8^) Peace Out 8^)
Maybe you'll understand when you're much more mature. :roll:
They have their reasons for being (over)protective, reasonable or not.
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themadmilkman
Jul 13, 2006, 12:31 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: When my parents found out that I bought my own climbing gear they freaked out. so I just do not tell them about my climbing life. especially my "close calls". my mom would freak out. she is such a b#$*h! :evil: It is better that she doesn't know. They would kill me if they knew about the bridge jumping too. :lol: PARENTS SUCK! 8^) Peace Out 8^) Maybe you'll understand when you're much more mature. :roll: They have their reasons for being (over)protective, reasonable or not.
Being the father of a 22-month-old, I can certainly tell you that parenting a child instantly makes you much more protective than you would be otherwise. And even at his young age my wife and I already argue over what he should or should not be allowed to do based on the possibility of injury. She doesn't like that I let him walk down the stairs on his own, climb ladders with me behind him, etc., and I have to keep on reminding her that he needs to learn to do things on his own, and that being independent is important even before you turn two.
Oh, and my parents kinda freaked out when I started climbing, but understood that I was going to do it no matter what. Of course, my dad's only rule was "I don't post bail," so I guess I had more freedom than most.
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donbcivil
Jul 13, 2006, 3:40 PM
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In reply to: Being the father of a 22-month-old, I can certainly tell you that parenting a child instantly makes you much more protective than you would be otherwise.
Word. Plus, it's no fun telling people to do stuff and that's a part of parenting that sucks.
The hard part is enouraging them to be strong AND smart/careful. I was glad to see my daughter start climbing because it's making her stronger, more confident.
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kobaz
Jul 14, 2006, 12:22 AM
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In reply to: yeah, the breaking weight dropped on a grigri is like 10,000 pounds. ropes hold just as much. The most dangerous part of climbing is the drive to the gym or crag. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :shock: :shock: :D :D
Actually the breaking strength of a grigri is much lower than you would think. I don't remember the exact details so don't quote me or use this info for anything, but it was something like this: a friend of mine doing sar work was doing drop tests on various devices with static rope: grigri, ascenders, tandem prussiks. They took a 400 pound load and dropped it 1m onto a grigri. The grigri exploded as well as the ascender. The tamdem prussiks held up the best, 7mm cord on 11mm static line, the prussiks slid down the rope and melted quite a bit before they stopped but they arrested the fall of the 400 pound load.
Edit: I did a quick impact force calculation and 400 pounds dropped 1m on static line is around 17kn.
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korporal
Jul 14, 2006, 12:52 AM
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My father is stoic. Who knows what goes through his head when I talk about climbing.
My mother didn't let me ride my bike out of the neighborhood untill I was 12. I started climbing when I was 13. I was at a boarding school where the climbers are a close knit group. The older and more experienced climbers watch over the younger less experienced, and a faculty member oversees the whole thing. I explained this to her, she understood and was fine with me climbing.
Then I was out climbing Thin Air on Cathedral in Conway NH with a guide as part of a trad learning weekend. There is a tourist lookout which consists of an approximately four foot high chain link fence that goes around the edge of the most exposed part of the cliff about 500 feet off the deck. She though it would be a good idea to go up there and see if she could see me while I was climbing. It wasn't a good idea.
She realized that climbing really isn't safe, got dizzy, stagared back away from the edge, and promptly left. All this wasn't helped by her fear of heights.
Now we just don't talk about climbing. If it comes up, I make sure to talk about risk management, and leave out anything that could be missconstrude as a close call.
Now I'm 18 and heading to CO for at least the next four years and she will have to fly 2000 miles to see what I am doing.
Lessons: Don't let your parents go to the most exposed portion of the cliff. If they do, go someplace far away.
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okclimbing
Jul 17, 2006, 1:59 AM
Post #38 of 63
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Yeah my mom hates the thought of me climbing. My dad is like okay with the idea since he has seen me climb. My mom thinks that I don't know what I'm doing well enough to be climbing. I know that I'm a beginner but I am going up to Colorado to take a rock climbing class. But she still thinks that I shouldn't go climbing. It is really annoying.
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notch
Jul 22, 2006, 1:08 PM
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In reply to: When my parents found out that I bought my own climbing gear they freaked out. so I just do not tell them about my climbing life. especially my "close calls". my mom would freak out. she is such a b#$*h! :evil: It is better that she doesn't know. They would kill me if they knew about the bridge jumping too. :lol: PARENTS SUCK! 8^) Peace Out 8^) |
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ninja_climber
Jul 22, 2006, 2:46 PM
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I totally understand you man. I had to go through the same thing whn I started climbing a year or so ago. Whatever I told her she wouldn't accept...until I took her to the crag. She met the guys I climbed with and the old experienced guy ( cuz you know every crag has 1 of those) explained everyting to her and now she's okay with it. She even comes to the comps.
You need to take her to the crag and show her how to climb. You can explain to her the holding strangth of a Gri-Gri and al the facts...but she won't have any idea what they are until you show them to her and use them. Hell...when I told my mom I was going to start climbing she though I'd be having to pound pitons into the wall...
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curtis_g
Jul 22, 2006, 5:23 PM
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well I've been in Scouts since I was about 9 years old, and I've grown up taking camping trips monthly for almost 8 years before I started climbing. my parents knew I was fully competant in the outdoors and just related climbing to camping trips...mainly because before I actually got into climbing my dad went on a Devil's Lake trip with me and some of my friends and we both started a solo of this 30-40 ft climb that couldn't have been more than 5.4 but he had to exit left and watch his 15 yr old top out and stand victoriously on the cliff above him. He watched me solo up to (what I, many years later, looked in my guidebook to be 5.6) before I even knew what an ATC was. Maybe he doesn't care, maybe he trusts me.
As for my mom, one time I got a C on my report card and she asked me what 'that is all about' and I told her to lay off and she said 'what I'm just sasking a question' and I exp[lained that she doesn't have to do any worrying about my grades because "I can assure (her) that I care WAY more about my grades than she does." I later re-used this line when talking about climbing...like, "I'm pretty sure I care more about weither my anchor is going to hold than you would."
Now she just says "Be safe, I love you" as lug my pack out the back door.
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krisp
Jul 22, 2006, 7:29 PM
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In reply to: When my parents found out that I bought my own climbing gear they freaked out. so I just do not tell them about my climbing life. especially my "close calls". my mom would freak out. she is such a b#$*h! :evil: It is better that she doesn't know. They would kill me if they knew about the bridge jumping too. :lol: PARENTS SUCK! 8^) Peace Out 8^)
:evil: UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN SUCK :evil:
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ninja_climber
Jul 22, 2006, 10:56 PM
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^Kinda harsh don't you think...Then again I'm no parent so...
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sick_climba
Jul 23, 2006, 1:35 AM
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In reply to: How many of you guys have had to deal with over protective parents worried about you getting hurt? My mom hardly even likes me talking about it. Any good facts about climbing to make them more comfortable with the sport? My brother was totally against the idea, until one day I finally talked him into going. He loves it now.. :lol: |
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sick_climba
Jul 23, 2006, 1:37 AM
Post #45 of 63
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In reply to: In reply to: When my parents found out that I bought my own climbing gear they freaked out. so I just do not tell them about my climbing life. especially my "close calls". my mom would freak out. she is such a b#$*h! :evil: It is better that she doesn't know. They would kill me if they knew about the bridge jumping too. :lol: PARENTS SUCK! 8^) Peace Out 8^) hmm...maybe you wish you were never born, i'ts not too late to correct that mistake. :evil: UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN SUCK :evil: |
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feanor007
Jul 23, 2006, 2:52 AM
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my mom got freaked as well (my dad thought, still thinks climbing is cool). so a blamed her for me starting
told her she should have bought me a nintendo, we should have taken family vacations to disneyworld, not RMNP, Yos, Grand Teton, et al., she should have let me play computer games or watch tv for more than 30 min day (30 min total for tv+computer), she should have never forced me to play outside, never taken me creekin', and most certianly NEVER have taken me to the RRG weekly as a wee lad.
yep, i blame my mom for getting me started climbing
oh yah, bring back good photos for her picture album , and climbing instantly gets approval
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marshallq
Jul 24, 2006, 9:46 AM
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My parents were glad that i've finally found a sport that suits me. I've been climbing (and mountain biking) for 3/4 months now and i've dropped 15 kilo (33 pounds) since i started.
And i think it's mainly the people that make mistakes, not the gear that has it's failures, if i had to convince my parents it would be on this point (isince they know i'm a cautious person). Also add the fact that you'll be checked by yourself and your climbing partner each time you start climbing.
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cjsimpso
Jul 24, 2006, 10:33 AM
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In reply to: When my parents found out that I bought my own climbing gear they freaked out. so I just do not tell them about my climbing life. especially my "close calls". my mom would freak out. she is such a b#$*h! :evil: It is better that she doesn't know. They would kill me if they knew about the bridge jumping too. :lol: PARENTS SUCK! 8^) Peace Out 8^)
Oklahoma doesn't have bridges, except for the ones that Trolls live under.
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thulani
Aug 2, 2006, 9:21 AM
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Funny, I never had over anxious parents. They do say stuff like you're sure the people your climbing with have medical training (sure, of course they do) and you will wear your helmet (Have yet to need it). I find a good strategy is to talk about the crazy people who climb K2 where the survival rate is only 50%. And then talk about the pepole who free solo yosemite. It usually freaks them out so much that you can then say "well I would never do that, we always wear our helmets and use ropes" they are generally so releaved at that that they forget that ropes break and gear pulls out of rocks. Like I said scare them with the really scary stuff, the stuff that freaks you out that you couldn't concieve of doing, they'll take much better to the stuff that you do do. Oh the climbing is better than drugs argument is quite a good one too.
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z_rock90
Aug 2, 2006, 11:57 AM
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I was in The same situation 3 years ago, My parents first didn't want me climbing at all, then I talked them into it. Then my parents didn't want me to lead sport, But then they saw me whip and The realized it wasn't like vertical limit. Then they wouldn't let me lead on gear, I had them try and pull a well placed cam out of wall, long story short I climbed Devils tower last week at 16.
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