How Much Risk Is Too Much Risk in Extreme Sports?

[Harvey44]

In an effort to take the discussion about what constitutes an appropriate, inappropriate, reckless, reasonable, etc level of risk out of RIP and celebration threads and put it somewhere where it can be fully discussed I offer this thread.

This is a really good idea IMO.

[mall walker]

IIRC, 20-ish high school athletes die every year doing normal non-extreme sports. Marc-Andre Leclerc did some of his craziest stuff with no cameras present. Some people are just internally driven to get after it for the pure love of it--it's not all for the 'gram.

20-ish high school kids die quite regularly in automobile accidents too, and we don't put on this song and dance of "how much risk is acceptable for them to drive"

Skiing, mountain biking, etc are utterly, purely selfish pursuits. They're also the most beautiful and rewarding things in the world, but they offer little to no utility to the rest of the society, and they have relatively high barriers to entry, both monetarily and in terms of skill set, culture, and so on. I never hear the "too much risk" criticism leveled at someone who ODs from fentanyl, or dies of a heart attack during sex.

Life is risk, we all die no matter what, and there are few enough truly amazing things in the world.

And while I've skied with some SAR folks and think it's a dick move to put them out on purpose, they also in my experience love the mountains and the things they'd come pluck your corpse up from doing if it came to it. they're not out there like those guys giving sandwiches to homeless people on the subway because it's a societal epidemic of skiers dying.

Let's maybe not take ourselves quite so seriously eh

[Darren Jakal]

How much risk is too much? This is not an easy question to answer, but some distinction may be useful.

How much subjective risk someone is willing to take on is a bit different than the objective risk they also assume.

Dallas LeBeau (Rip in Peace) died while attempting something that was planned and dangerous. This is different when someone dies doing a risky activity but is killed by an objective danger and not because they failed in the execution of the activity.

If I am killed by a random rock that falls while I’m rock climbing on a route that is well within my limits and I have protected myself from a leader fall then I would consider this an accident.

If I am killed because I’m attempting a dangerous stunt and I miscalculate (like in this instance) then I would consider this dying in a wreck.

It really makes no difference in the end, but understanding the different flavours of danger and knowing all the ways an activity can kill or injure will help in the decision making process (the value of negative thinking).

[toast2266]

If I am killed by a random rock that falls while I’m rock climbing on a route that is well within my limits and I have protected myself from a leader fall then I would consider this an accident.

If I am killed because I’m attempting a dangerous stunt and I miscalculate (like in this instance) then I would consider this dying in a wreck.

But if the miscalculation on the road gap was a result of the snow being sticky, leading to an unexpectedly slow in-run, is there really any difference? Either way, it's an outside force that's somewhat unpredictable.

[buttahflake]

How much risk is too much? This is not an easy question to answer, but some distinction may be useful.

How much subjective risk someone is willing to take on is a bit different than the objective risk they also assume.

Dallas LeBeau (Rip in Peace) died while attempting something that was planned and dangerous. This is different when someone dies doing a risky activity but is killed by an objective danger and not because they failed in the execution of the activity.

If I am killed by a random rock that falls while I’m rock climbing on a route that is well within my limits and I have protected myself from a leader fall then I would consider this an accident.

If I am killed because I’m attempting a dangerous stunt and I miscalculate (like in this instance) then I would consider this dying in a wreck.

It really makes no difference in the end, but understanding the different flavours of danger and knowing all the ways an activity can kill or injure will help in the decision making process (the value of negative thinking).

Yeah, pretty much what I said in the other thread and yet no one is dragging him like I got dragged. Fuck off, Foggy, Toast, Bunion, Gary et all you fucking cunts.
And I need more popcorn to listen to stories of the Glory Days you fucking lame-ass beaters
Laps assholes

[m2711c]

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Perfect timing


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[jackstraw]

But if the miscalculation on the road gap was a result of the snow being sticky, leading to an unexpectedly slow in-run, is there really any difference? Either way, it's an outside force that's somewhat unpredictable.

You'd have to assume he thought the speed was enough or he would have bailed before sending. It's an incredibly hard thing to calculate from my perspective. I know I suck at it just from my first attempt yrs ago on a park jump. I overshot the landing. My second I came up short. My third was a beer at the car saying I just need to stick with drops. I'm too old for this new park shit.
Also, when you watch motox guys like Pastrana, they'll do multiple run-ins trying to judge speed. And they have a crew of pros working up all the math involved.

High risk stunts have a small margin of error.

High risk endeavors have a larger margin of error, but are still dangerous.

[Darren Jakal]

Yeah, pretty much what I said in the other thread and yet no one is dragging him like I got dragged. Fuck off, Foggy, Toast, Bunion, Gary et all you fucking cunts.
And I need more popcorn to listen to stories of the Glory Days you fucking lame-ass beaters
Laps assholes

I like to think it’s in my delivery, but as I also have stated it doesn’t make a lot of difference in the end.

[Conundrum]

Yeah, pretty much what I said in the other thread and yet no one is dragging him like I got dragged. Fuck off, Foggy, Toast, Bunion, Gary et all you fucking cunts.
And I need more popcorn to listen to stories of the Glory Days you fucking lame-ass beaters
Laps assholes

Maybe there needs to be a third thread discussing tact and class. Or lack of.

[buttahflake]

You should go back and read exactly what I said. Just because it comes from me, means everyone gets to tee-off. So many pussies in forum can’t hear the truth

[altasnob]

when you watch motox guys like Pastrana, they'll do multiple run-ins trying to judge speed. And they have a crew of pros working up all the math involved.

Ya, the moto guys have this figured out

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...riple-backflip

All these extreme sports have progressed to the point where if you want to be at the top, you have to accept there is a reasonably high chance you are going to die young. Modern day gladiators. Us viewing public doesn't want them to actually die, but we want to see them come damn close and survive. It's all stupid.

[toast2266]

You'd have to assume he thought the speed was enough or he would have bailed before sending. It's an incredibly hard thing to calculate from my perspective.

I dunno. Anything with a fast run in (particularly a run in that's all downhill) has a go / no go point that's actually pretty far from the take off. All it takes is some sticky snow after after the "go" line to ruin everything. You're going too fast to stop, but not fast enough to clear it. So you pop as hard as you can and hope for the best. It's hard to compare that to moto guys where conditions are a lot less variable.

No idea if that was the case on Berthoud, but it's very plausible.

[buttahflake]

Eat my balls, assholes.

[concretejungle]

Eat my balls, assholes.

STFU grandpa.

[jackstraw]

Yeah, good point Toast. There is certainly a point of no return. Could have hit some highly saturated snow at a transition point.

[jackstraw]

Ya, the moto guys have this figured out

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...riple-backflip

All these extreme sports have progressed to the point where if you want to be at the top, you have to accept there is a reasonably high chance you are going to die young. Modern day gladiators. Us viewing public doesn't want them to actually die, but we want to see them come damn close and survive. It's all stupid.

You're a consistent tool, so you got that going for ya.

Inexact science and doing a triple has a lot of variables thrown in.

When a pro avi guide dies in an avalanche do you say the same thing?

[Dantheman]

Perfect timing

And he somehow still doesn't get it.

I dunno. Anything with a fast run in (particularly a run in that's all downhill) has a go / no go point that's actually pretty far from the take off. All it takes is some sticky snow after after the "go" line to ruin everything. You're going too fast to stop, but not fast enough to clear it. So you pop as hard as you can and hope for the best. It's hard to compare that to moto guys where conditions are a lot less variable.

No idea if that was the case on Berthoud, but it's very plausible.

Yeah, exactly.

[SKIP IN7RO]

[buttahflake]

Oh I get it, this place is full of pussies. DTM you don’t even need to get on your knees to eat my ass. Fuck you little man.

[whyturn]

It’s risk tolerance IMO and I’m amazed by rampage or FWT

These athletes are incredibly talented and work hard to get there

I also have seen people do really dumb stuff me included and some pay the price


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Oh I get it, this place is full of pussies. DTM you don’t even need to get on your knees to eat my ass. Fuck you little man.

I think Dan is taller than you, younger and better looking as well.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[buttahflake]

This fucking place, milquetoast.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Real time meltdown, this is entertaining


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[buttahflake]

Better than listening to toast tell us how core he is