how do you nicely tell someone they are belaying wrong
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yesterday when trying to escape the rain, a group from LA started climbing next to us. they were using Grigri's and cinch's with no hands on the brake...the entire time. they would pull through slack then drop their hands and reach for water, cigs, food. Paying very little attention to their climber. I am just paranoid? I use a Grigri, and still keep my hands on the brake the entire time, I am I out of the times? how would you have started a dialogue about their terrible belaying habits? |
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Mr. Lizard, |
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Rob Warden, Space Lizard wrote:yesterday when trying to escape the rain, a group from LA started climbing next to us. they were using Grigri's and cinch's with no hands on the brake...the entire time. they would pull through slack then drop their hands and reach for water, cigs, food. Paying very little attention to their climber. I am just paranoid? I use a Grigri, and still keep my hands on the brake the entire time, I am I out of the times? how would you have started a dialogue about their terrible belaying habits? I am i Gonna watch someone die?look the other direction. Common occurence at BRC |
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You don't have to tell them anything. Just give the climber a fiver to fall when he sees his buddy reaching for the cigs. When he whips his buddy will get pulled into the wall and smash his face. That will teach him to pay attention. |
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I'd be pissed about the cigs, hate that shit. Besides that, let Darwinism work its magic, too many people around anyway. |
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You just have to gauge the personality and receptiveness of the people making the error, and then weight that against the severity of the mistake that they are making. There are a lot of subtle dynamics at work; large groups, meatheads, or boyfriends trying to impress their dates will be less receptive to you speaking up than small groups, or blatant noobs that are obviously unsure of themselves. You gauge the necessity of speaking up based on the receptiveness of the group and the severity of their mistakes. |
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"Please, sir... you're going to kill or injure someone, sir, or get yourself hurt. Please keep your brake hand on the rope and pay attention, sir. Thank you for listenin' to my pleas. Have a wonderful day, good sir." |
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It depends, if you're in Italy and there's a 5.14 climber being belayed like this on a 12c, then you just keep your mouth shut. |
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Andrew Bisharat, Sam Elias and Emily Harrington shot this neat little video on the subject at Rifle in 2011... it'll play if you click on the picture (not on the "vimeo plus" text) even if it says something about not embedding it here |
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tell the person climbing so they get pissed at their crap belayer :P |
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To them it was business as usual they had no problem with the belay they were receiving and went so far as to mock me for living in Zion and climbing trad but being at a sport crag when it was raining. I dident speak up because honestly the least obnoxious thing they were doing. we couldn't really leave, its a small single pitch limestone crag with about thirty routes on it, it was just so fucking werid, they were building campfires and screaming beta and shouting about how they were N***ger Fa***ts for not being able to send 5.10, just really damn loud, obnoxious people, and no they were not there to warm up before sending all the sik 5.hard projects at the wall just to gang bang easy routes. i almost sent my 12b sport proj though yay me! |
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I used the grigri in (brake)hands free mode for years while smoking all kinds of things. Never used the "n" word even though it was usually safe to do so in Utah. |
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Don't be afraid to say something! |
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Please Speak up if people are doing something that is dangerous...The other day i was at a climbing gym when a big class came in and was doing belay/climbing instruction. I was traversing the wall just waiting for my partner to show up. I notice the guy climbing about 10 ft off the deck didnt have his harness doubled back...I immediately told the instructor that i believe the kid's harness wasnt properly doubled back and bouldered up to check. Sure enough it wasnt. I asked the kid to down climb with me and check his harness. |
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Just don't say anything and keep your camera handy. Think of the pictures or video you could get. |
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Smarty Ports/Shants wrote:Fuck positivity once some idiots start parading their psychoses about and setting shit on fire, while belaying and otherwise. The whole "we're all "climbers", it's a *"community"*" nonsense wore off with me years ago after one too many gym-tards decided to give me a speech designed to let me know how much more special and important they are because they don't engage in ______(insert ethical faux pas here). I really don't have patience for schmucks, whether they're on the idiot box (kill your tv, there's a reason I have never paid a cable bill in my life, and no I don't get it free either), perched on a pad getting philosophical to impress sallow, under-breasted would-be shart climbers (male and female, being fair here) at some testosterone-free zone at a gym, or, worst of all, up in my face at some place I would've otherwise really enjoyed the peace and quiet at. This is one of those times where you pretty much have to leave and concede defeat or start challenging them in the "who can be more annoying" Battle Royale. I reccommend unexpected nudity, awkward closeness, breathing in people's ears, and complimenting them on things that don't make sense, repeatedly. Really, once the "noggur foogits" started going, you're pretty much required to start harassing them. Who can listen to that kinda shit? On a final note, I've found that one of the most insulting things I've ever pulled off is to affect a noob vibe, ask for some dipshit's autograph, and if they're actually dumb enough to sign one, tear it up while slowly shaking your head right after. Crushingly dick move, very funny to all onlookers though. Not one you can pull off if you don't look like you can fight, though. Good luck with that! Either that or just start throwing rocks or shit, who's gonna judge?This is all on the premise that someone reacts poorly to your advice, right? Surely you aren't forsaking everyone who's making a poor decision based on a few tards. |
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ahhhh ... but then you get those people running around the bluffs proclaiming loudly how dangerous you are for not using lockers on you anchors ;) |
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Lol, you should have told them their belaying methods work even better with an ATC. |
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That's a tough call either way - I know - because of ego's and such. |
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Jake Jones wrote:Me quietly: "Honey, can you keep your brake hand on?" "My brake hand is on." "Yeah, but you took it off to feed slack." "Just for a second though." "Doesn't matter, it should never come off. Besides, that's the worst possible second you could take it off." "Fine, climb nazi." "Great, fine. Just keep your fucking brake hand on the rope, please." Then the rest of your day sucks ass, but no one dies or gets hurt.So so so so true... |
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Rob Warden, Space Lizard wrote: how would you have started a dialogue about their terrible belaying habits? I am i Gonna watch someone die?IF it's something dangerous, I'll introduce myself, chat it up for a bit and then say something like: "Hey, I noticed you're doing . I usually do it this way. Is there some advantage to your way?" Depending on response, I then offer a suggestion. We might be flip about Darwinism or "thinning out the herd" but accidents at the cliff benefit no one. They only make land owners/managers nervous and then cliffs get closed. |