A hobby more dangerous than cavediving? [Archive] - Cave Diver's Forum

stairman

07-21-2010, 05:19 PM

At work Ive had the same discussion as most of you about how dangerous they think cave diving is. Found out the one guys hobby is biking. He rides on the shoulder of the road with hundreds of strangers, texting, reading, putting on makeup, eating, fumbling for items in the car and crossing into the median occationally. Man thats just crazy.

BillBowden

07-21-2010, 05:37 PM

And if you get lost, there's no line...

Rubis

07-21-2010, 05:52 PM

Base Jumping !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4WnFhiw_eY

No cave diving is pretty conservative actually :)

dogwatch

07-21-2010, 06:29 PM

with a few exceptions, i've come a lot closer to getting killed cylcling in Bay Co FL than caving

sea2summit

07-21-2010, 06:32 PM

These things come to mind:
Riding horses, motorcycles, and road bikes.
Driving to work.
Working on a crab boat in the Bearing Sea 123.4 in 100K.
Lawenforcment officers 14 in 100K.
Fire fighters 18.3 in 100K.
Military.
More I'm sure if I thought about it.

Rexco

07-21-2010, 06:50 PM

Extra marital affairs. More dangerous and expensive.

Slüdge

07-21-2010, 06:51 PM

Substitute teaching in a Title 1 school.

BabyDuck

07-21-2010, 06:58 PM

parenting a toddler. he's just discovered head butting & loves the noise i make when he gets me on the bridge of the nose.

K Mejean

07-21-2010, 07:13 PM

I am a runner and I have been almost hit about a dozen times on my morning run. I am an early runner so I am on the road about 4:00 a.m. So there is a good mix of sleepy drivers headed to work and and drunks headed home. I would have to say that is much more dangerous.

argyris

07-22-2010, 02:37 AM

Probably dating. You discover new people, go in interesting and sometimes new places and always there is the fear of the unknown....

Richard Atyeo

07-22-2010, 05:38 AM

Being a school buss driver you have 3 title 1 classes with your back to them

DA Aquamaster

07-22-2010, 06:32 AM

I'd argue many hobbies are more dangerous than cave diving. Cave diving is not an extreme sport but rather a very carefully controlled risk sport.

It is controlled in two ways:

1) With careful planning, adequiate training, curreny and equipment there are just about no non-surviveable events that you will encounter, and if you encounter one the odds are extermely good you encountered it because you screwed up, probbaly more than once and/or you mis handled the event when it occurred. That leaves very little to fate.

2) You control the degree of risk on any given dive in terms of gas planning, penetration distance, selection of team mates, the dive site and the dive plan itself. If you get in over your head, it is almost certainly your own fault.

I think 1 and 2 taken together mean that the adrenaline junkies attracted to extreme sports will quickly become bored with cave diving and move on to something with more real risk involved - or alternatively unless they are very lucky, they will start taking chances that get themselves killed doing something stupid, imprudent or beyond their capabilities.

So...when you get to know it and understand it, cave diving comes off as a very middle age appropriate sport that rewards intelligence, planning and maturity and is not nearly as danfgerous as any of the ballistic/kinetic energy/fling your soft pink body through space kinds of sports.

Polly

07-22-2010, 09:40 AM

mag3

07-22-2010, 09:50 AM

When I was in in college one of the grad students in my department was a sky diving fiend, and the university told him he had to stop the "risky sport" because his brain belonged to the University. He went and did all this crazy research on the risk of certain sports and was able to tweak the statistics to show that fishing and golf were the more dangerous than skydiving. Turned it in as a completely cited and researched argument and was allowed to continue his hobby.

The greater concern is that companies are now making things like this a condition of employment for similar reasons. Benefit plan cost and all that.... :smt013

07-22-2010, 10:21 AM

Try Googling "most dangerous hobbies". Cavediving does make some of the lists, but the strangest was "dungeons and dragons".

deepdiverbob

07-22-2010, 10:43 AM

disciplining kids. You could get locked away for years these days.

Slüdge

07-22-2010, 10:51 AM

the strangest was "dungeons and dragons."

The most dangerous thing about this would be the high risk of receiving wedgies the next day at school...

ARY

07-22-2010, 11:15 AM

...
Driving to work.
Working on a crab boat in the Bearing Sea 123.4 in 100K.
Lawenforcment officers 14 in 100K.
Fire fighters 18.3 in 100K.
Military.
More I'm sure if I thought about it.
Those are jobs, are important and respected. Cave diving is a waste of courage for ego and meaningless risk. As I thought about it...

packman

07-22-2010, 11:33 AM

Try Googling "most dangerous hobbies". Cavediving does make some of the lists, but the strangest was "dungeons and dragons".

must be because of all the wizards and dragons

07-22-2010, 11:49 AM

must be because of all the wizards and dragons
The article mentions a high suicide rate among players.

mag3

07-22-2010, 12:05 PM

The article mentions a high suicide rate among players.

Some people take MMORPG's way too seriously. In fact, the TV show NCIS dedicated an entire episode to that very thing. Called "The Immortals".... Season 1, ep 4. It turns out two of the players happened to be shipmates aboard a Spurance class destroyer. One kept beating the other in the game, so the loser challenged the winner to a *real* sword fight on board. This time, the loser prevailed, embarrassing the winner so much that he challenged the loser to take his sword and swim to shore with weights chained to his body to prove he was, in fact, "immortal."

Sadly, the loser complied. And died.... Hence, the NCIS ep.

MORGAN

07-22-2010, 12:23 PM

The article mentions a high suicide rate among players.

If I didn't have anything better to do than play online games, I'd be suicidal, too!

Mike

DA Aquamaster

07-22-2010, 12:49 PM

The article mentions a high suicide rate among players.There is a difference between causation and correlation. A common factor may be associated with both, but that does not mean one causes the other.

For example, someone may play dungeons and dragons because he can't get a date, but it is not playing dungeons and dragons that makes him want to kill himself, it is the inability to get a date.

07-22-2010, 01:58 PM

Hey, don't quote me, I am just quoting an online article :roll:

SteveH

07-22-2010, 03:04 PM

There is a difference between causation and correlation. A common factor may be associated with both, but that does not mean one causes the other.

For example, someone may play dungeons and dragons because he can't get a date, but it is not playing dungeons and dragons that makes him want to kill himself, it is the inability to get a date.

The he's stuck in the spiral of no dates - ->more D&D - ->no dates - ->more D&D....

There's only so much cheering up a custom set of dice can do.

Polly

07-22-2010, 03:12 PM

Along the lines of not being able to get a date- Auto Erotic Asphyxiation would have to be another high mortality hobby.

packman

07-22-2010, 03:14 PM

Hey, don't quote me, I am just quoting an online article :roll:

Too late! You're now the source of that fact. :yawinkle:

bletso

07-22-2010, 03:22 PM

So...when you get to know it and understand it, cave diving comes off as a very middle age appropriate sport that rewards intelligence, planning and maturity and is not nearly as danfgerous as any of the ballistic/kinetic energy/fling your soft pink body through space kinds of sports.

Hey Forrest did you read this? Oops, I forgot we are considered past middle age. I am not touching the rest.

Dale

BabyDuck

07-22-2010, 04:35 PM

it might as well be middle aged appropriate, since i'm middle aged & love it.

then again, i do lots of stuff that's *not* middle aged appropriate, so...meh.

Superlyte27

07-22-2010, 06:43 PM

Haha, how about if you teach in 6 Title 1 schools (if you count Middle and High school as two schools, then make it 12 Title 1 Schools) and 3 Prison Facilities. Man I'm doomed. I need a cave dive.

Slüdge

07-22-2010, 08:29 PM

i do lots of stuff that's *not* middle aged appropriate, so...meh.

Such as using Bart Simpson's catchphrase?

tecterri

07-22-2010, 08:57 PM

it might as well be middle aged appropriate, since i'm middle aged & love it.

then again, i do lots of stuff that's *not* middle aged appropriate, so...meh.

Amen Sista ;)

LCF

07-22-2010, 09:14 PM

Sitting on top of something that outweighs you by a factor of ten, has a brain the size of a grapefruit, is genetically programmed to run over or through anything in its way if it's scared, and comes from a long line of ancestors who survived by being afraid of everything.

That's my other sport . . .

Meister481

07-22-2010, 11:50 PM

See avatar. Yes, that's me.

MichaelAngelo

07-22-2010, 11:57 PM

07-23-2010, 06:29 AM

Your other sport has something to do with my mother-in-law?
:rollguy

Benthic

07-23-2010, 10:39 AM

When I was in in college one of the grad students in my department was a sky diving fiend, and the university told him he had to stop the "risky sport" because his brain belonged to the University. He went and did all this crazy research on the risk of certain sports and was able to tweak the statistics to show that fishing and golf were the more dangerous than skydiving. Turned it in as a completely cited and researched argument and was allowed to continue his hobby.

I'm shocked that he tolerated that! If a university (or anyone else for that matter) tried to tell me that they owned my brain, I'd tell them to take a long walk on a short pier! Nobody owns my brain but me! It can be hired, but it's not for sale!

Brian

Webmaster

07-23-2010, 03:22 PM

+
Sitting on top of something that outweighs you by a factor of ten, has a brain the size of a grapefruit, is genetically programmed to run over or through anything in its way if it's scared, and comes from a long line of ancestors who survived by being afraid of everything.

That's my other sport . . .

I was going to say 10 beginning open water divers, but Michael Angelo beat me to it.

ssmdive

07-26-2010, 12:45 AM

I cave dive (clearly) and I skydive (almost 5k jumps).

When skydivers find out about cave diving... they think I am crazy.
When cave divers find out about skydiving... they think I am crazy.

I find it VERY funny that a participant in a hobby that could easily get you killed thinks another 'risky' hobby is crazy.

If I had to pick.... Skydiving is more dangerous, IMO. Even a 'beginner' skydive happens at 120 MPH and a first jump student pulls at about 5k which is only ~30 seconds from impact. There is also no 'turning' a skydive.

laphiloche

07-26-2010, 08:01 AM

When i bought my housse, i need money. And when i talk with my bank , they said to me : you are a cave diver yes no problem and... you are a paraglider ! Ok for the flyng sport it's more expensive. The insurances company are for me the best risk manger . And just for close my intervention , for me diving isn't a dangerous sport, when my soons dive i'am relax, when they ride mtb downhill or off pistes skiing i'am more nervous.

cmalinowski

07-26-2010, 08:59 AM

... There is also no 'turning' a skydive. Very nice :)

OFG-1

07-26-2010, 12:09 PM

MORGAN

07-26-2010, 12:19 PM

Are you dating Rosanne Barr?

Laugh, Gasp, Choke, LOL! I should know by now not to open any of your posts when I'm eating or drinking!

I think I may have just aspirated a Kalamata olive.

Mike

Steve Thacker

07-27-2010, 09:23 AM

I can tell you from personal experience from just this past week. I did four uneventful dives at Ginnie, both swimming and scootering, had a great time with DivinDoc, returned home, took my road bike into the dive store I own, and damn near got killed on US 41 while riding in the brand new bike lane. I told the shop manager as I arrived that morning, "..you know, cave diving is infinitely safer than biking down US 41."

metaldector

07-27-2010, 05:06 PM

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A kickboxer has died after she was seriously injured at a local fighting competition Sunday. More on the story here http://www.wesh.com/news/24398047/detail.html
The 34 year old woman, was fighting at the 12th annual IKF World Classic at the Orlando World Center Marriott when she was hurt. A trainer said she was hit with a vicious hook to the head.

But she knew the risks. Better ban this sport, or get the politicians lined up!

cmalinowski

07-29-2010, 02:12 PM

...with a vicious hook to the head.Is there any other kind?

DanRite

07-29-2010, 02:39 PM

Are you dating Rosanne Barr?

Its either Rosanne or Perez Hilton

adam0321

08-02-2010, 08:24 AM

training for the iron man in bay co I saw my life flash before my eyes a few times.. during spring break on my bike I have been hit with mcdonalds bags and bottles etc etc

with a few exceptions, i've come a lot closer to getting killed cylcling in Bay Co FL than caving

adam0321

08-02-2010, 08:28 AM

I am in the marines, jump out of planes, play with explosives, get shot at, dive with military equipment, ride cycles(triathlons) and cut trees down (arborist) in my free time for extra money. I cave dive to be safe

KarsticGator

08-02-2010, 09:01 AM

IMO, vertical caving in wet conditions can be WAY more dangerous than cave diving. Climbing out of Thunder Hole (Jackson County, AL) in a raging waterfall, was a puckering experience.

adam0321

08-02-2010, 09:28 AM

well in wet caves (diving) the whole gravity thing isint really a factor

KarsticGator

08-02-2010, 10:31 AM

well in wet caves (diving) the whole gravity thing isint really a factor

you mean the ones that are completely flooded!

adam0321

08-03-2010, 07:42 AM

yes

battles2a5

08-04-2010, 08:38 AM

I think cave diving is one of my saner hobbies. I view road biking, mountain biking, motorcycling, rock climbing, all to be more dangerous. Especially road biking and motorcycling. I've been doing a lot of reading about high altitude mountaineering and I think that climbing 8000m peaks is probably the most dangerous participatory sport in the work. If you summit Everest you have a 10% chance of not making it down. Annapurna has a 40% fatality rate. That's right, 4 deaths for every ten that make it. Makes cave diving look tame.