Was I right to speak my mind to a noob?

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jstan

climber

Aug 21, 2013 - 08:58pm PT

When you speak up, you take on a measure of responsibility for whatever it is that may follow. Just factor that into your personal decision making.

10b4me

Ice climber

Wishes-He-Was-In-Arizona

Aug 21, 2013 - 10:12pm PT

Steve, I think you did the right thing. However, my experience has been that good rock climbing advice doesn't sink in until someone gets hurt. Then, the usual refrain is "I should have......."

Trad climber

Calgary

Aug 21, 2013 - 11:34pm PT

We have an expression up here when spotting noobs with bad habits on an ice climb "Lets get out of here before we have to rescue someone"

WyoRockMan

climber

Flank of the Big Horns

Aug 22, 2013 - 01:00am PT

I'll be forever indebted to the "old dudes" that shut us down as teenagers the first time we showed up at the crag for speaking up. Likely saved our lives.

If you came across this, would you speak up? We all should.
[Click to View YouTube Video]

Brian in SLC

Social climber

Salt Lake City, UT

Aug 22, 2013 - 01:03am PT

Earlier this summer, hot in SLC, so, time to cool off in a foothills playspot...

When we came upon the couple, the feller was riggin' his new friend (first date) with a 5mm Prusik in case she had an issue on her second rappel, ever. Her first rappel being the low angle one that got her to this location.

At least he lent her his helmet.

We rerigged her rap device (a Totem I'm guessin') and I put her in fairly high friction mode, since these canyoneerin' folk like the single strand rappel (biner block). Good thing, since, she let go her brake hand two or three times negotiating the step down into the water.

We told the feller to fireman's belay her, but, he had a fair amount of slack in the rope. She lived. We offered a fair bit more advice, which, he was amenable to.

Takes more aplomb to deal with some of the scary situations out there than I'm usually capable of...

Licky

Mountain climber

California

Aug 22, 2013 - 01:07am PT

Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig

mike m

Trad climber

black hills

Aug 22, 2013 - 02:41am PT

I know Steve and climbed with him in the winds and he is not only very very solid and experienced, but very well intensioned. I feel you did the right thing and I bet the guy learned something that day. when I started cimbing I was tip roping and had just gotten my new rope. I had also boght a few biners but no slings. So I go out to this crappy crag and set up a tr on this tree,but there was a problem how do you conect the rope to the tree. Well I look around the car and I find this dog leash. It looked like the stuff in the store so I figureef it should work. Well we do a couple of laps and this old dude comes up and tells us about our mistakes. I think he maybe even gave us some webbing. Probably prolonged my climbing career and possibly my life too. Nice job Steve. I garuntee he thought sbout it that night even if he was offended.

mooser

Trad climber

seattle

Aug 22, 2013 - 09:15am PT

Ken Yager was guiding a client and came over to me quietly and told me he admired my family and then remarked that he didn't like to interfere but could he point out an issue with my anchor?

^^^ My preferred approach.

No climber is above making mistakes, as witnessed by the number of veterans who have been seriously injured or killed (or had incredibly close calls - ala Lynn Hill), and the level of scrutiny after accidents on this forum is evidence of the community accountability that we all think is necessary to climb more safely. We're all still learners, to one degree or another.

I think you did the right thing, SteveA. If the person reacts badly to the correction--assuming you aren't being a jerk about it--then that's probably a sign that they needed a reminder (even if they don't seem to be receiving it well at the moment) to stay teachable.

When I find myself bristling at someone's question regarding an anchor or belay setup, or whatever, it's pretty much 100% ego reaction (after all, I've been climbing for about 35 years). I think we climbers--noobs and veterans a like--are pretty averse to admitting we might be irresponsibly (even ignorantly?) putting someone at risk. Though I may hate it at the moment, questions and corrections drive me to be more focused, more up to date (just consider, for example, how load equalization debates have continued to this day), and to do everything I can to widen the margin of safety for myself and the person/people I'm climbing with.

Speak up!