DOT meeting-Banning Perrine Jumping

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Attorney: BASE jumping poses liability questions ... But lawsuits aren't likely,
state Transportation Board learns By Julie Pence Times-News writer

TWIN FALLS -- Just how responsible is the state for people who want to
parachute 500 feet off the Perrine or Hansen bridges into the Snake River?
In light of two deaths and at least one jumper who sustained serious
injuries in just the past three years, the Idaho Transportation Board
pondered that question Thursday at its regular meeting at the College of
Southern Idaho. A lawyer from the attorney general's office told the board
there could be some liability issues, even though there don't seem to be
any lawsuits resulting from the activity in other parts of the country.
Attorney Stephen Bywater advised board members they could face liability on
three fronts. "You could face liability from the participants themselves,"
he said. "You wouldn't think logically people would sue over their own
decisions, but it does happen. The likelihood of that happening in this
instance isn't great." A slightly greater risk to the state could come from
people under the bridge in boats who would be inadvertently hit by BASE
jumpers landing on them. But the greatest risk -- if there is any -- would
come from drivers losing control of their vehicles because they are
rubbernecking the BASE jumpers as they drive by, Bywater said. He also
indicated the Department of Administration has said the Idaho
Transportation Department is not covered by any kind of insurance as far as
BASE jumping is concerned. However, other sports -- such as bicycling --
are covered because of a permitting system. To permit or not to permit
seems to be the real dilemma facing the Transportation Department in regard
to BASE jumpers. BASE is an acronym for bridges, antennae, spans and earth.
Board members acknowledged that forcing jumpers to get permits might make
the state more liable by making it appear the agency endorses the sport, in
spite of its dangerous aspects. But in addition, a permitting process
implies ordinances at the county or state level so that law enforcement
officials could make sure jumpers are being reasonably safe. The board
discussed the idea of avoiding liability by warning drivers not to look at
BASE jumpers as they drive by. "I think signage would be more distracting,"
said board member Monte McQuire. "If you saw a sign, you might start
looking." Another board member, John Combo, pointed out that putting up
signs also implies some responsibility on the part of the Transportation
Department. After the meeting, longtime BASE jumper Paul H. Roberts, who
said he has jumped from various places throughout the country, offered a
solution. He said a West Virginia county has established one weekend in
October for BASE jumping. Every jumper has to sign a waiver saying that no
government entity bears any responsibility for injuries or death. In
addition, jumpers have to prove they have proper equipment, and they are
not to perform stunts when they jump off the 836-foot New River Bridge in
Fayetteville County. Getting more information about what goes on in other
BASE jumping areas is something board members decided to do before making a
decision. "I don't care if people jump off the bridge," said board member
Gary Blick. ""We just should not rush into something. We need to find out
more about penalties, enforcement and legislation. I just want to make sure
the department is not liable for some guy who jumps off a bridge and sinks
a boat and kills four kids."

Times-News writer Julie Pence can be reached at 735-3241 or by e-mail at jpence@magicvalley.com

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>" A slightly greater risk to the state could come > from people under the bridge in boats who > would be inadvertently hit by BASE jumpers > landing on them. jumpers have to prove they > have proper equipment, and they are
> not to perform stunts when they jump off
>the 836-foot New River Bridge ....

So, The Idaho Department of Transportation who "owns" Perrine Bridge, in their meeting last week indicated they are concerned about objects and jumpers hitting boats and/or people on the river, and also indicated they highly disapprove of any nonstandard jumping, due to their perception of even higher liability.

Then, along comes some Canadian idiot named Spencer with one of his stupid moves. He jumped off Perrine holding onto a small square kite, which promptly ripped out of his hands and fell into the river. After he lost the kite, he fell kicking and opened too low to get back to land and he landed in the river. This kind of crap is just what will get Perrine shut down. I don't care if Spencer wants to do stupid jumps off Buildings in Canada or whereever it is already illegal, but I do care (and so should most of you) if his stunts and the stuff he drops in the river contribute to the DOT stopping jumping. The risk of DOT stopping Jumping is REAL, ongoing, and CAN happen. This Spencer goofball also left his ramp unattended between jumps and tried to leave it up there overnight (until one jumper insisted he go up and take it off the bridge overnight).

Some straight thinking Canadian jerk a knot is this ##### before it is too late.

x(

[base587]

Wow....I just got back home to Calgary from Perrine early this a.m., my buddies had told me about this post and I was quite surprised.

Now that I've read it I AM PISSED!

I was thinking I should just let this slide into the archives, but man, I have never experienced such a personal attack before.

Anyone that knows me at all knows I would NEVER do anything deliberately to jeopardize BASE jumping in Twin Falls. That place is like my second home....this was my 5th or 6th trip down there this year.

I think I have made about 150 jumps there in total over the 3 years I haver been BASE jumping.....most jumps have been aerial maneuvers involving single/double gainers and more recently front flips and also unpacked parachute jumps i.e.McConkeys, TARDS etc. I am very current ...I have about 350 BASE jumps in total from 40+ different objects.....200 BASE jumps in the past 12 mos.

The jump being described by SFO was a "parabilleject" using a 25sq ft replica of a 7 cell BASE parachute.

It involved me donning a normal BASE rig...stowed/slider up...and holding onto the risers of this mini parachute and "McConkeying" over the top of it riding it for as long as I felt safe....letting go and deploying my regular rig....I was willing to get wet....and was well aware of my altitude and body pos'n on deployment...head down attitude...tuck up knees and pitch.....anyone that does a lot of aerials has experienced deployments like this...not ideal....but doable when slider up. The mini canopy was not ripped from my hands... I let go so I could deploy my regular rig in a timely manner!

Also, I arranged with a jumper before hand to go into the boat to retrieve the mini chute from the water. The parachute was not lost...it casually floated down....much slower than anyone doing a round water rig jump!!!....there was no boaters or swimmers below.


NO ONE expressed to me in any way before or AFTER the jump (including you SFO!) that they had any concern about the jump...especially in regards to shutting down the bridge!

If ANYONE I was jumping with this weekend told me they thought that such a jump would jeopardize jumping at Twin Falls....guesss what !!!I wouldn't have done it!!

It was just a fun jump...there was NO video camera...I knew I could do it safely....but I am not out to PISS OFF my fellow jumpers!!!

The story about the "board" is an outright lie! The board was removed by my girlfriend for the first 2 jumps after I jumped, then by Annie or Karen from BR for the 3rd, then completely by myself about 1/2 hr following the "parabilleject" by myself after hiking out. No one ever insisted I remove it ...it was always done voluntarily!!

The 'anonimous' SFO slanders me like a cowardly mother###### from his laptop in his hotel room....he calls out for my Canadian BASE brethren to do harm to me...?

Guess what SFO....I know who you are....and with that I'll call you 'TT'.......that's right you gutless wonder....I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!

You were down in the park after the jump and you said NOTHING!!! I am one of the most approachable people around dude....I have even jumped with you at Perrine a few times before AND at Moab last Thanksgiving.....remember all of us chatting around the table at the Vertigo rave?

You gutless ####, I am going to be back in Twin Falls next month and Moab and I will be looking for you! Let's see how brave you are face to face with me TT!!!!

Spence



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If it makes you feel better, you can go ahead and blame other jumpers in general, or the Canadians in particular, for the closing of any particular site (including those named above) to BASE jumping. I, for one, couldn't care less who you choose to scapegoat.

. . . The article quoted lists distraction to drivers as their primary liability concern, and it stands to reason that those activities most distracting to motorists would play the most significant role in any decision to close an object. Perhaps you have reason to believe that a 25 square foot canopy draped over the edge of the bridge, or (similarly) a guy about to do a quadruple gainer is somehow more distracting than whatever it is you do there. That's certainly your prerogative. Regardless...

A big congrats to Spence, and where the hell's my video? :D

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Then along comes a Canadian idiot named Karen who after reading SFO's post, copies it to chat list @cspa (canadian sport parachute association) at the time knowing nothing about Spencer.
Through replies across Canada have found that Spencer is in no way deserving any of the derogatory comments you have made.
SFO, you ##### are looking to be jerked a knot before it is too late.

Karen.