High-risk activities -- What do YOU do?

[corjulo]

Highest Risk Activity?... Like most Americans, my diet

 

[Ken Ibold]

Highest Risk Activity?... Like most Americans, my diet

You have a problem with fried chicken, cheese on everything, Little Debbie snack cakes, hormone-laden beef, chemical-infested fish, portions the size of Mt. Rushmore, and various forms of sugar being three of the first five ingredients in just about every kind of food in the grocery store?

Silly man.

 

[astanley]

I drive fast.
I ride my motor cycle fast.
I ride my mountain bike fast.
I listen to my music too loud.
I used to work on a lobster boat, now I just go boating for fun (not very often though).
I drink too much.
I smoke too many cigars.
I eat too much BBQ.
I eat too much Italian food.
I eat too much French food.
I don't get enough sleep.

Without risk, life would be pretty damn boring.

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Letting flight students try to kill us an average of once every 15 minutes and then showing them how there not going to do it works for me on a regular basis.

 

[GaryO]

How many and what kinds of higher-risk activities do you participate in? Do you find that you increase the amount of risk you are willing to take as time goes on? If you are involved in more than one higher-risk activity, do you deliberately choose some lower-risk activities to balance things out?


I drive to and from work every day on I 75. That is far more dangerous that any other activity I have participated in - and that includes such things as sky diving, scuba diving, and rock climbing on sheer cliffs.

 

[Bill]

How many and what kinds of higher-risk activities do you participate in?

• Used to snow ski, the more black diamonds the better.
• Used to drive too fast, still do (when the family is not in the car)
• Used to autocross.
• Crew on racing sailboats (not that risky, but jibing the spinn can be fun sometimes)
• Used to spend mucho time listening to rock music way too loud (head between a couple of good ol' JBL studio monitors)
• Been riding bikes on and off since '85, commute (combat commuting) daily by motorcycle since '92, cold, rain, or shine. Have over 200k on two wheels, and ride > 10k/yr. Ride fast, corner hard, ain't no moss growing on this stone. My moto: "Motorcycles: hauls ass, saves gas" . I'll post some pictures soon.
• Been 1.5 times faster on a bike than a 172 will do at cruise.
• Now flying - but I fly like a grandma (except for those acro lessons)

I don't call it high risk, I call it managed risk thinking games. Fun stuff.

 

[woodstock]

my high risk activity for today: I went out to get lunch!

the hotel in the shopping center has a big parking garage but the back stairwell leads into the driveway where they always park their catering trucks... no sidewalk... 6 inches of asphalt next to the truck, a curb, and then some grass. right in the middle of this path is a sort of manhole cover only it's not a manhole, maybe it's for pipes or something. about 8 inches in diameter or so.

As I walked to the garage I stepped on it. you'd think it would be a sturdy cover, right? well, it wasn't. it tipped sideways like it was on hinges. my foot and leg fell into it, partway up my shin! My foot became wedged in it and I fell - but you know how you are falling and you twist around your body to catch yourself? I didn't actually land on the ground, just was horribly contorted trying to catch myself, ya know what I mean? I could have broken my leg!

My lower back hurts, and my bad knee (the one I used to support myself from actually going all the way down) is swollen. it's been doing SO good lately, all the drugs I've been on really had been helping.

I was wearing a dress and sandals. I managed to get my foot out but since the hole wasn't very big (figure half of the 8 inches in diameter) not very easily and not without cuts and bleeding and now I have a huge swollen lump on my shin. My shoe took a little longer to get out of the hole.

must have been funny to behold but now - OUCH!

I'm going to the doctor tomorrow. this sucks. I hope I don't get stiff from it

 

[Greebo]

Oh heck, Liz - you've got lawsuit material there. A manhole cover on a public walk that flips when stepped on w/o any warnings? Serious mess up on the owner's part...

 

[Brian Austin]

Nude alligator wrestling.

No, I don't want to talk about it...what I can remember, anyway.

 

[woodstock]

Nude alligator wrestling.

No, I don't want to talk about it...what I can remember, anyway.

the alligator was nude? for shame. ASPCA!

and yes, I've already written the "Esq." letter to the hotel - fax.

 

[pete177]

Well, as a young man and in the USAF there was much playing with guns and explosives, rappelling out of helos and such. We wont go into the time I froze in the window and got thrown out of it during an australian rappel. Boy, that was high...I was giggling like an idiot the whole way down After I got out I finsihed up college and road raced motorcycles for a few years until people started getting killed. That was enough to convince me to stop. For a decade after that all I did was ride the path train into wall street and commute in the tristate area. 3 Years ago I went back on active duty, took up flying and am mentally preparing to go to Iraq. I think I'd rather stay home by the fire with a good book now as opposed to trading shots with towel heads, unfortunately I dont think I'm going to have a choice
As an aside, I understand there was a study released recently about how the centers of judgement in young mens brains are not fully developed until their late 20's. I havent read it but it's been often quoted in Air Force circles. Thank God there's plenty of old men and woman to keep them safe
Pete

 

[Eamon]

I drive fast.
I ride my motor cycle fast.
I ride my mountain bike fast.
I listen to my music too loud.
I used to work on a lobster boat, now I just go boating for fun (not very often though).
I drink too much.
I smoke too many cigars.
I eat too much BBQ.
I eat too much Italian food.
I eat too much French food.
I don't get enough sleep.

Without risk, life would be pretty damn boring.

Cheers,

-Andrew

LOL ....Hey Andrew, Dude.. Wassup??

I spent most of my money on fast women, fast vehicles & booze........................

The rest I wasted

 

[markb5900]

When I was young and my body could take it I worked as a stuntman/gunfighter at an amusement park. Was the best job I ever had getting beat up and shot 3 times a day. But the OLD body is reminding me of falling off the roof into a sandpit 3 times a day now.

Mark

 

[John J]

Rode a Triumph Bonneville 650 for a few months in Rush Hour without a helmet. Yikes. Sacred myself off of it. Did a bit of ocean sailing as a naviagator and deck hand to deliever sail boats for customers. Yes we did use charts with RDF, Loran,Taffrail logs, a real good chronometer, deviders and best of all a sextant was on board and used. A lot of fun but long hours and very wet.

not much else except driving to work.

John J

 

[fgcason]

How many and what kinds of higher-risk activities do you participate in? Do you find that you increase the amount of risk you are willing to take as time goes on? If you are involved in more than one higher-risk activity, do you deliberately choose some lower-risk activities to balance things out?

I'm curious, probably because my background is one where I never took risks and was not expected to . I was brought up believing I should erect a protective shield between myself and all the dangers of the world. I was always told to be careful, stay home, drive in the right lane, and if it's dangerous don't do it. Now that I broke through that, I want to expand the list.

Expand your limits but don't do the hoo-rah-ooogla-booogla-gung-ho routine lest you reduce the population by at least one.


I grew up partially on a farm so I was introduced to reality very early on. Safety is simple. If you don't want to die, don't jump head first into the bailer while it's running and don't tie the rowboat anchor to your foot and jump in 20ft of water. Staying safe is that simple 99% of the time. People don't get it though...

I don't think my activities are so much high risk as understanding what I'm doing and how to stay out of trouble. I know of people dying doing things much much safer than what I've done with practically zero risk. It's your own behavior and knowing when to say no before you exceed limits that make all the difference. Curiously people will say I'm crazy and wreckless and dangerous, then they walk out the door to go drive 75mph on zamboni machined roads in 500ft visibility and freezing rain.

Living and working on a real working farm with all it's toys and everything that implies. (hay castles in the barn was, shall we say, hazardous)
Estes rockets. (I'm not talking safe kits here either...untested experimentals)
Downhill skiing and snowshoeing
Motorcycle (not in the city anymore)
Shooting
Light rock climbing and rappelling
Climbing towers when working on things at the top. Also roofs of houses/buildings
Hiking summer and winter (including substantial dropoffs within a few feet)
Solo backpacking in the backcountry for extended periods. (safer there than in the city)
Solo summit climbs (see backpacking above)
Swimming (no life jackets when just goofing around but use them when necessary)
Sailing/boating
Storm/severe weather watching (got zapped once but that wasn't while storm watching)
And the list goes on and on...

Reasonably safe (know and understand what's going on around you):
http://riga1992.home.att.net/tornado/Tornado.html
Zero risk non event (know what not to do and I've been out in MUCH worse than that wimpy thing):
http://riga1992.home.att.net/snowstorm/SnowStorm.html

That said, the two most extremely dangerous thing I do are: (1) living in the city (hooligans/idiots) and (2) the super dangerous 8 mile drive each way to/from work. They are both extremely dangerous and I do not like it. The city is gone ASAP or sooner...and will be listed in my Never Again file at that point. Cities are just off scale high way way way too dangerous.

 

[Diana]

Storm/severe weather watching (got zapped once but that wasn't while storm watching)

Oh Frank, I want to hear about the time you got zapped.

http://riga1992.home.att.net/tornado/Tornado.html

http://riga1992.home.att.net/snowstorm/SnowStorm.html

I love all your photographs!

 

[Toby]

I once went boating at night in rock infested waters. (Long story that I will spare you of here.)

I like your stories, Frank. You can tell it if you like.

I love riding crotch rockets, though I don't currently own one.

And what the heck is that? -- or maybe I shouldn't ask.

 

[Toby]

This thread has certainly grown since I last checked.

Well, speaking of high-risk activities, I just had something happen to me at JFK that is making the skydiving prospect look good. I went to pick up my daughter, who was flying home from college for the summer. When I got to the American Airlines terminal, the parking lot was closed. There were no signs telling us where to park. Everyone was parked two deep on one side of the road, and single file on the other. Luckily, I found a spot, pulled in and waited. I listened to the tower on my handheld until I heard her flight cleared to land. I should have waited longer. I didn't realize they got cleared to land 6 miles out and might take another 10-15 minutes to get down.

Anyway, I left my car, as everyone else was doing, and went into the terminal to get her. She got off the plane, we got her bags, and went out to the car. Well, the car was gone. These guys who hang out there to make money off people being towed cheerfully told me that my car had been towed off and was in the pound. One of them said he'd take me there for $20. I was furious!!! I was yelling all over the place. I could not believe this had happened, and that I had no way to get to the pound except with this guy. So we went with him. Then it cost me $86.90 to take my car. (I gave the guy $10 and said that's all I had.)

I am so bummed. They told me they would not have taken my car if I had stood near it. Sure. My theory is that these guys who give the rides call up the pound and say, "This lady just left her car, come and get it." Then everyone makes money.

 

[bbchien]

Letting flight students try to kill us an average of once every 15 minutes and then showing them how there not going to do it works for me on a regular basis.

Amen. And while fending off the Tower "C" controller who is also trying to manage C130s.

Sung to "Saturday Night Fever": Staying alive...

 

[Henning]

I used to be an AVID scuba diver. Pretty much gave it up when I found the only way to see new wrecks was to go much deeper (increased risk) on privately owned (usually smaller) boats with captains of varying skill levels (increased risk) that were further off shore (increased risk). If it's beyond 200 feet, I at least want an experienced dive operator topside (they won't take you to those due to liability).

Sure they will. Top end guys will, and they're the only ones you want. I worked as a captain for Billy Deans years ago, we'd go to the Curb (180') Wilkes Barre (240'-280') and the Kendrick (320'), and I've also gone down on the Andrea Doria with a couple very good operators. The catch is the good operators won't take you without proper training as people dying on you is a pain in the neck paperwork wise. As far as liability goes, for all intents and purposes, there is none. That waiver you sign everytime you dive? It holds in court. With proper training, equipment and gasses, a 320' dive is no riskier than a 30' dive.

I prefer to look at these activities not as high risk, but as calculated risk. We learn and execute proper judgement, we can reduce the risk to a (self defined) acceptable level, and still enjoy the fruits of a rich, exciting life. Sure we could die doing these things (no one gets out alive). We could also choke to death on a ham sandwich!

That's pretty much my attitude as well. I don't particullary think of what I do as high risk either, just more closely calculated.

 

[Diana]

I find living with 3 females is a high risk activity

Is that how you learned to be so diplomatic?

one of them is a married woman, too, with frequent hot :zap!:'s.

Aren't those also called "power surges?"

 

[pete177]

That sorta sh*t is the reason I dont miss leaving North Jersey. I love coming home to visit every few months, but there's no way I'd live there again. Oh, and in keeping with this thread, with all the time I've spent in the military the closest I've ever come to being shot was in Newark and I almost got blown up by a mail bomb on the border of Newark and Bellville. The military's much safer

This thread has certainly grown since I last checked.

Well, speaking of high-risk activities, I just had something happen to me at JFK that is making the skydiving prospect look good. I went to pick up my daughter, who was flying home from college for the summer. When I got to the American Airlines terminal, the parking lot was closed. There were no signs telling us where to park. Everyone was parked two deep on one side of the road, and single file on the other. Luckily, I found a spot, pulled in and waited. I listened to the tower on my handheld until I heard her flight cleared to land. I should have waited longer. I didn't realize they got cleared to land 6 miles out and might take another 10-15 minutes to get down.

Anyway, I left my car, as everyone else was doing, and went into the terminal to get her. She got off the plane, we got her bags, and went out to the car. Well, the car was gone. These guys who hang out there to make money off people being towed cheerfully told me that my car had been towed off and was in the pound. One of them said he'd take me there for $20. I was furious!!! I was yelling all over the place. I could not believe this had happened, and that I had no way to get to the pound except with this guy. So we went with him. Then it cost me $86.90 to take my car. (I gave the guy $10 and said that's all I had.)

I am so bummed. They told me they would not have taken my car if I had stood near it. Sure. My theory is that these guys who give the rides call up the pound and say, "This lady just left her car, come and get it." Then everyone makes money.

 

[Toby]

That sorta sh*t is the reason I dont miss leaving North Jersey. I love coming home to visit every few months, but there's no way I'd live there again. Oh, and in keeping with this thread, with all the time I've spent in the military the closest I've ever come to being shot was in Newark and I almost got blown up by a mail bomb on the border of Newark and Bellville. The military's much safer

Wow. I lived in Lyndhurst for 5 years, same neighborhood.

 

[Rudy]

OK,
No doubt i have done some stupid stuff(most of the time at the lake:
Cliff jumping into water
water skiing too fast
water skiing in 50 degree weather
diving down 30 or so feet with trot lines running across(don't ask)it was the dumbest
use to be worse when i was real little, picked up snakes and weird animals, i don't do that anymore. I don't know what was wrong with me. HAHA

 

[fgcason]

Oh Frank, I want to hear about the time you got zapped.

Building cloud 10-15 miles away, severe clear above, horizontal lightning country, steel spikes on a fence, my motorcycle mirror, my hand, ZZZAAAPPP!!!!! Check your email for details...

I love all your photographs!

Thanks!

 

[Dave Siciliano]

Finally, a group of people that understand taking calculated risks that I can identify with!! :dance:

Let's see: where to start:
How 'bout infantry officer during time of unpopular war; naw

Let's volunteer for parachute training; naw--might still be O.K.

Special Forces--better.

Special Operations--ahhh, finally, a little pizazz!!

How 'bout volunteering for secret stuff where they can't tell you what you'll
be doing 'til you're doing it---ahhhh, getting a little rush now.

Let's dress up in bad guy clothes, no Americano ID; neat weapons with no U.S. markings. How can we improve this!!

Well, we can go into another country at last light with a small team: three Americanos and some Chineese. Getting warm yet?

I won't keep going, but it was a rush if you made it out.

Then some regular stuff--Sports bikes; night jumps with combat gear; some scuba;

Haaa!! Finally another group that kinda identifies. Of the last group like this I was with, not too many of em are still around!! (kidding---kinda )

No Mr. insurance guy. No Sir don't do any of that stuff (right now--like today!!)

Best,

Dave

 

[pete177]

Finally, a group of people that understand taking calculated risks that I can identify with!! :dance:

Let's see: where to start:
How 'bout infantry officer during time of unpopular war; naw

Let's volunteer for parachute training; naw--might still be O.K.

Special Forces--better.

Special Operations--ahhh, finally, a little pizazz!!

How 'bout volunteering for secret stuff where they can't tell you what you'll
be doing 'til you're doing it---ahhhh, getting a little rush now.

Let's dress up in bad guy clothes, no Americano ID; neat weapons with no U.S. markings. How can we improve this!!

Well, we can go into another country at last light with a small team: three Americanos and some Chineese. Getting warm yet?

I won't keep going, but it was a rush if you made it out.

Then some regular stuff--Sports bikes; night jumps with combat gear; some scuba;

Haaa!! Finally another group that kinda identifies. Of the last group like this I was with, not too many of em are still around!! (kidding---kinda )

No Mr. insurance guy. No Sir don't do any of that stuff (right now--like today!!)

Best,

Dave

Flippin' snake eaters...they're all psycho

 

[Ghery]

The single most dangerous thing I've done in my life was ride a Harley for a couple of years without a helmet. I'm not sure anything is more dangerous than riding a street bike without a cover.

Yup. In high school and college I knew 4 people who needed helmets. 3 of us wore them and are all alive today. One did not and he died at the scene. The orthopedic surgeon who put my wife and me back together after our accident kept referring to them as 'murdercycles'. Needless to say, he wasn't too much of a fan of them.

That was a long time ago. Flying is my 'high risk' activity if you don't count driving to work with a bunch of idiots on the highway.

 

[Bill]

Well, we can go into another country at last light with a small team: three Americanos and some Chineese. Getting warm yet?

I won't keep going, but it was a rush if you made it out.

And I'm sure some of my bubblehead brethren gave you a ride.

 

[Dave Siciliano]

Geesh Pete!! That was a long time ago. I kinna stay away from some snakes now

Yes, Bill, we did use rotary wing transportation. Have a very high degree of respect for the guys that inserted us and am in complete awe of those that extracted us--specially when the green tracers were all over the place.

Interesting what one did before they gained perspective on life and wisdom.

Best,

Dave

 

[gkainz]

Dave - I think we may have traded emails on this back on the other board. I go to church with a Col. (ret) who has a similar background. Got a ride in a Fulton Recovery Harness after extricating himself from being "guest of honor" for a few weeks by a tribe in some mountains where "we were not there"

 

[Bill]

Yes, Bill, we did use rotary wing transportation. Have a very high degree of respect for the guys that inserted us and am in complete awe of those that extracted us--specially when the green tracers were all over the place.

True, but I was refering to subs, although that was more seals than anyone else.

 

[terzap]

What I used to do:
worked with horses for 25 y--kicked, bitten,fell off, rolled on, run over, etc.
firefighter 3 years
rode motorcycles and owned 5 inc dirt bikes, 7 years
balloon chase (dangerous depending where you need to pick up balloon, we were "escorted" by armed guards once)
storm chase
some rather intensive smoking and drinking

Now, I'm at least six years removed from any of the above activities, except I still indulge in storm chasing and I am looking to get another motorcycle. For the most part, driving in Grand Forks (where putting on your turn signal is considered a sign to the driver behind you to speed up, pull out, and try to pass your vehicle) hazardous enough. Flying an airplane is the safest thing I do I guess.

Interesting thread, Toby!!

Terry

 

[Toby]

What I used to do:
worked with horses for 25 y--kicked, bitten,fell off, rolled on, run over, etc.
firefighter 3 years
rode motorcycles and owned 5 inc dirt bikes, 7 years
balloon chase (dangerous depending where you need to pick up balloon, we were "escorted" by armed guards once)
storm chase
some rather intensive smoking and drinking

Now, I'm at least six years removed from any of the above activities, except I still indulge in storm chasing and I am looking to get another motorcycle. For the most part, driving in Grand Forks (where putting on your turn signal is considered a sign to the driver behind you to speed up, pull out, and try to pass your vehicle) hazardous enough. Flying an airplane is the safest thing I do I guess.

Interesting thread, Toby!!

Terry

Terry, after reading and being intrigued by the above, I went to your website and watched your slide show about the hundred-dollar hamburger run. I loved it! Your captions are hysterical. My favorite parts....the airplane's shadow, and sneaking up on the unsuspecting cloud.

So, what is balloon chasing, and why is it risky?

 

[woodstock]

What I used to do:
worked with horses for 25 y--kicked, bitten,fell off, rolled on, run over, etc.
firefighter 3 years
rode motorcycles and owned 5 inc dirt bikes, 7 years
balloon chase (dangerous depending where you need to pick up balloon, we were "escorted" by armed guards once)
storm chase
some rather intensive smoking and drinking

Now, I'm at least six years removed from any of the above activities, except I still indulge in storm chasing and I am looking to get another motorcycle. For the most part, driving in Grand Forks (where putting on your turn signal is considered a sign to the driver behind you to speed up, pull out, and try to pass your vehicle) hazardous enough. Flying an airplane is the safest thing I do I guess.

Interesting thread, Toby!!

Terry

hey, completely forgot about the horses - grew up with them. saw many emergency rooms.

 

[dogman]

Jumping off Bidge into rising water of Platte river. Lost a friend doing that.
Boxing in college
Horse and Mule training ( This will make most of those really tough Harley riders cry like little girls)
Dirt bikes
Scuba
Shoot and carry a guns evey day,So do others around me.
Ride horses every day. Not Doo te DOO TE DOO TE DOO TE. We ride fast slow up down in places you wouldn't dare take you ATV.
Have cattle and machinery. Ever seen a mean MaMa cow woth a new baby, One tried to bury me one day. Put me in the hospital.
Chew Tobacco Smoke cigars
Eat bacon and eggs and steak pork,

Do not worry about dying When the allmighty calls there will be nothin you can do.

Goal : Ride the Continental Dived on A Mule It will take about a year. In the Planning now.

Spend a month seeing Alaska Remote Alaska that is out of an air plane No Motels no resturants just me my wife and aircraft.

I do not look at flying as risky as many other things I do. It is really only risky if you are stupid enough to take stupid risks.

Dogman

 

[Lawreston]

That sorta sh*t is the reason I dont miss leaving North Jersey. I love coming home to visit every few months, but there's no way I'd live there again. Oh, and in keeping with this thread, with all the time I've spent in the military the closest I've ever come to being shot was in Newark and I almost got blown up by a mail bomb on the border of Newark and Bellville. The military's much safer

Ah, yes: NY/NJ. I was once at the Waldorf-Astoria for the introduction of a new line of cameras. Booked into a hotel in Wayne, NJ, I needed to pick up a rental car a couple blocks from the Waldorf. It was warm, clear(but dark), so I walked the couple blocks to the rental agency. Cars and trucks of all vintages whizzed along the streets and at least two of them loudly backfired. The rental agent asked me how I arrived there; and after saying that I walked I was chastised that it was not a wise thing to do. I registered for the the car and drove to Wayne, NJ, from which I would be visiting a couple of our stores in Wayne/West Orange. An uneventful day.

While reading the newspaper at breakfast in Wayne I noted the front page photo of the overturned, uniquely graffiti-covered trash can I had seen during my evening stroll back in NYC. It wasn't overturned when I had walked past it. Suffice it to say those weren't vehicle backfires I had heard. And two were dead as a result of alleged gang warfare.

I'll stick to riding Harley(s), and flying planes. Walking can be dangerous.

HR

 

[Diana]

So, what is balloon chasing, and why is it risky?

Well, I don't know if this is the same thing, but I've been the chase crew many times for a friend who has a hot air balloon (he even launches from our farm sometimes). So far, I've only run into snakes, ticks, brambles, barbed wire, cow pies and farm dogs. Not too many armed guards in rural Missouri.

Toby, if there's time when you come to the farm, we can do that, too.

 

[judypilot]

Toby,

Good thread! You and others said it: Risk is so subjective. I don't consider anything I do to be risky, whereas others think I'm a wild woman.

I guess the riskiest stuff I've done is camp and do field work (geology) in the wilderness by myself for weeks at a time. I never thought of this as risky. I figured the worst thing that could happen is I'd fall off a cliff, but then I'd probably be dead, and besides, I'm so afraid of heights I never get close enough to cliff edges to fall off. I get sick to my stomach when I see others get within 4 feet of a cliff edge, that's how afraid of heights I am. (Needless to say, I'm not a rock climber, but a rock climber would claim that rock climbing isn't risky, either.) As you might guess, severe injury scares me more than death.

Unlike a lot of people, I find myself willing to take more risks, at least if I'm alone, than I was willing to take when I was younger. My problem isn't my body, which is still pretty fit for a middle-aged lady, but time. Now I would actually like to try my hand at rock climbing, but I don't have time to get the necessary instruction. My free time is limited enough that I would view learning to rock climb as stealing from my flying time, and I LOVE to fly.

I was lucky. I grew up being completely unafraid of taking risks. I'm just like my dad, careful and prepared but willing to try new stuff, so I obviously learned it from him (and Mom, too, when you come down to it). I'd say this attitude has proved most useful in my career. I've taken some pretty big risks with my career and have benefitted tremendously.

Judy

 

[Moxie]

High risk activity? Being single and dating.