More stupidity, less responsibility

This is Dave Young's Forum.
Can you really bridge the gap between reality and training? Between traditional karate and real world encounters? Absolutely, we will address in this forum why this transition is necessary and critical for survival, and provide suggestions on how to do this correctly. So come in and feel welcomed, but leave your egos at the door!
Post Reply
MikeK
Posts: 3665
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 9:40 pm

More stupidity, less responsibility

Post by MikeK »

Do we really have to explain to these people how dumb an idea this is?

http://www.local6.com/money/4239256/detail.html
local6.com
Teens Leaping For Thrills In 'Garage Jumping' Trend

POSTED: 2:52 pm EST February 28, 2005
UPDATED: 12:18 pm EST March 1, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Teenagers in Orlando, Fla., are leaping between 80-foot high public parking garages in a new trend called "garage jumping," according to a Local 6 News investigation.

Local 6 News reported that the thrill seekers are vaulting themselves between garages in downtown Orlando.


Tim Bargfrede told Local 6 News that he was following friends when he attempted to garage jump and did not make it to the other side. Bargfrede fell six stories and was knocked unconscious on impact.

"I just didn't make it," Bargfrede said.

Bargfrede survived the 80-foot fall but was injured.

"The first time I came to the garage after my son's accident, I looked over and I just about broke out in tears," the boy's father Tim Bargfrede said. "I can't believe he actually survived. He looked like he was near death."

Video

Report: Garage Jumping Is Dangerous New Trend

"He (Bargfrede) is not he first person, he is not the second person, there have been four or five other individuals before him that did this," family's attorney Vincent D'Assaro said.

The city of Orlando owns one of the downtown parking lots next to a private parking garage owned by Orlando Tower LP, according to Local 6 News.

Orlando Parking Garage Director Samuel Vennero admitted he was aware of at least one other incident where a garage jumper didn't make it to the other side.

"I don't think we recognized it before as a danger," Vennero said.

There are no safety fences in place on the parking garage.

D'Assaro is filing a lawsuit against the city of Orlando and the private garage owner for making little effort to correct a potential deadly risk.

"There was a very, very short length of fence that was completely ineffective in preventing this from happening," D'Assaro said.

Orlando Tower LP, the private parking lot owner, refused to comment about their responsibility, according to the report.

Since Bargfrede fell, the City of Orlando erected a partial fence but there's still room for someone to take a dangerous dive.

The family says that's not good enough and that both garages need to take responsibility before a garage jumper loses his life.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

Copyright 2005 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
I was dreaming of the past...
User avatar
gmattson
Site Admin
Posts: 6068
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Lake Mary, Florida
Contact:

as long

Post by gmattson »

as the courts rewards stupidity with big cash settlements, people will continue to blame others when they exercising their personal right to act dumb.
GEM
"Do or do not. there is no try!"
Mark Weitz
Posts: 397
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2004 4:27 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Post by Mark Weitz »

Wow, that's really stupid. :!: Looks like we've got serveral contestants for this year's Darwin Award. I can understand, sort of, skate boarding off park benches, hand rails and such, though again the chance of head trauma, open or closed 8O , is still high with this activity if helmets aren't worn. But jumping between 80 ft buildings, now that takes a special form of stupidity and failure of judgement. Amazing what kids will do in a group - "uh, my friends went for it so I thought I'd..." :roll:

I'm amazed at how big the disconnect is between a person's raw intelligence and just plain old common sense. A Toronto man was killed several months back when his car stalled on the 401. His car was fortunately in the right lane so he didn't have far to walk to the shoulder. Well, he was determined to push his car on to the shoulder. A concerned citizen driving by slows down - traffic moves between 100-140km on the 401- tells the guy to get his but off the road as he's hanging around in a live lane. Nope, he's got work to do, so he keeps trying to shove his car, which isn't going anywhere. The woman takes the nearest exit and informs the police at the cop shop about this guy. Then another concerned citizen slows down, tells the guy he's in a live lane and about to be killed by traffic, but nothig doing, he's got work to do. She takes off and cell phones the police to come save this guy.

The police didn't get to him in time. An 18 wheeler approaches his lame car, and from up high in his cab he can clearly see he needs to change lanes to avoid the "boulder". Unfortunately, the woman driving her jeep too close to the trucks rear bumper can't see squat, so the truck moves, and whamo, she smashes into the car, killing the man and critically injuring herself.

Yeah, I know, different issues in the stories but the theme is here is profound lack of judgement. Really amazes me.

Mark
User avatar
Van Canna
Posts: 57244
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am

Post by Van Canna »

I could tell some stories of stupidity resulting in fatalities out of my work "archives"_

Many times our investigative group would hold meetings [round table the exposures] and the usual comment was "natural selection"_ Only way to look at it.

Some people are dead before they are even born. :(
Van
User avatar
Bill Glasheen
Posts: 17299
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY

Post by Bill Glasheen »

As the father of a pre-adolescent male...

It's worth noting that there's some very interesting research going on now which shows boys in particular often have uneven development of the brain. The judgement centers in these boys sometimes doesn't fully develop until the mid-twenties.

Is this natural selection? I don't know... Sometimes you have to wonder. Is it natural selection when a girl does something stupid and gets pregnant? Is it natural selection when a kid with incredibly poor judgement travels away from home, goes to a new land, does "bold things" and then settles down one day and spreads his genes there?

It takes all kinds.

Parents and martial arts instructors, you've got your work cut out for you.

By the way, this jump thing is not new. Someone started a thread on it on my forum. Typical adolescent stuff - for some anyway. Every generation comes up with its own brand of stupidity, and fortunately many survive in spite of themselves.

- Bill
User avatar
gmattson
Site Admin
Posts: 6068
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Lake Mary, Florida
Contact:

Growing up in Minnesota

Post by gmattson »

on the Mississippi, I lost many of my childhood friends while growing up. Peer pressure is a primary source of stupid tricks for a kid. "I dare you to climb up to the top of that 50 foot tree and stay there while I chop it down"! (Yes, I did that -being the "runt" of the gang, I was a natural target for those kind of things.) "Lets all skate on the lake", while the ice sheets are so thin they roll like waves as the kids skate on them"

We were very creative, looking for exciting and dangerous "kicks". Fortunately, I only spent a few years with this gang before being moved to a farm, where the most dangerous thing I did was playing bull fighting with the male Goats!

Thinking about growing up, it is amazing the so many of us survive!
GEM
"Do or do not. there is no try!"
Mark Weitz
Posts: 397
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2004 4:27 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Post by Mark Weitz »

It's difficult to separate how much is nature and nuture in teenage behaviour. But it's not just teens. The papers are filled daily with stories about poor and/or non-existent judgement and there are so many factors that come into play.

I'm very mindful of how peer-pressure is such a huge factor in a child's development, the need for accpetance from one's peer group often eclipsing better judgement and good advice. I'm sure this will always be a problem with raising kids but I plan to do whatever I can proactively to get my kids using their heads when confronted with peer pressure.

My daughter is turning 6 soon, my son is 4 months old so I've got some work ahead of me. I'm sure many parents out there can appreciate how difficult it is to instill good judgement in your kids when your up against the powerful combo of teenage hormones, brain development, and need to be cool.

And I did a lot of this stuff, jumping off the roof of my best friend's garage just to see if we could do it. :roll:

Mark
User avatar
Bill Glasheen
Posts: 17299
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY

Post by Bill Glasheen »

Mark wrote: My daughter is turning 6 soon, my son is 4 months old so I've got some work ahead of me.
You are still within your window of opportunity, Mark. Somewhere in the early teens, you will know nothing and your children (and their ever-so-smart friends) will know it all.

Then one day, your grown kids will discover that somehow you suddenly got real smart and learned a lot! :P

- Bill
Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.

Don't you ever ask them why,
if they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh
and know they love you.

And you, of tender years,
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth,
They seek the truth before they can die.

Teach your parents well,
Their children's hell will slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.

Don't you ever ask them why,
if they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh
and know they love you.
- CSNY
User avatar
gmattson
Site Admin
Posts: 6068
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Lake Mary, Florida
Contact:

Martial Art confidence

Post by gmattson »

is a very important benefit for kids and one of the reasons so many dojo are filled with kids.

I remember the many youngsters who grew up and came back to the dojo, telling me about how karate saved their lives. Not in a street fight, but by being transformed from the "follower" into the leader of their group. Moving on from becoming a gang thug into a person who taught their peer group how to have fun without getting into trouble.
GEM
"Do or do not. there is no try!"
User avatar
Panther
Posts: 2807
Joined: Wed May 17, 2000 6:01 am
Location: Massachusetts

Post by Panther »

This reminds me of being young and following along as a group did something stupid... Then, when Mom and Dad got ahold of you, they always came out with, "If they jumped off a cliff would you do that too?" (I know there's lots of folks that are old enough to have heard their parents say the same thing... ;) )

When I was younger the answer was always "Noooooo..."

I guess this answers the same question for the current generation of teenagers.

"Duh... sure, why not?"

Think?

That presupposes two brain cells to rub together first! :lol:

(OK, it's not funny but... Naw, it's so funny that we should all rejoice that they are removing themselves from the gene pool!)
Post Reply

Return to “Realist Training”