|
climbchick
Apr 15, 2002, 1:03 PM
Post #1 of 3
(893 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 29, 2001
Posts: 808
|
A couple of times now, when I've been out climbing, we've run into some young kids (13 to 16) who were out bouldering around on the bottoms of the routes. As soon as they saw us show up with ropes and gear, they came over and started hanging around and giving us beta etc -- nice, friendly kids and obviously hoping that we'd offer them a belay. So of course we let them jump on our ropes and I didn't think much of it at the time but later it occured to me that since they were minors we could have been held liable if something went wrong. It seems pretty harsh not to offer a belay to some broke, eager kid who's practically drooling to get on the rope but at the same time, I don't want to end up being sued by his parents. I was just wondering if anyone else has run into this situation, and what your thoughts are on it?
|
|
|
|
|
mountainrat
Apr 15, 2002, 1:09 PM
Post #2 of 3
(893 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 22, 2001
Posts: 416
|
Holy moral dilemma, Batman! "To share or not to share- that is..." (no, no, no). "To take a risk, or to not take a risk- that is the question." As for me, I offer belays to people when we're toproping a route that doesn't swing like crazy, or have any wicked drops that send the climber into the rock like a tennis ball on a string. The inherent risk of the climb and the likelihood of me offering a belay are inversely proportionate.
[ This Message was edited by: mountainrat on 2002-04-15 06:10 ]
|
|
|
|
|
radistrad
Apr 15, 2002, 2:16 PM
Post #3 of 3
(893 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 25, 2002
Posts: 800
|
I would talk to the parents if possible, get their permission. Let them make the decision, it would suck to get sued over something so stupid as a kid getting injured on your rope. If the parents are not there then its a simple NO!.
|
|
|
|
|
|
