Hacker News Reader

Comment by wldlyinaccurate | Hacker News Reader

I don't really understand what you're trying to convey. You cite many scenarios where you could die going about your everyday life, but then criticize free soloing as being significantly more risky and "reckless".

The major difference between getting into a car accident and taking a fall while free soloing is that while free soloing, you are in control of nearly all of the risk factors. Free soloing routes that are beyond your capabilities, or climbing in bad weather -- that is reckless. Free soloing routes which you have practiced many times with protection -- to me, that's less reckless than cycling to work during rush hour.

View on HN

> while free soloing, you are in control of nearly all of the risk factors.

That "nearly" is the kicker, though.

while cycling (ie to work) on roads with cars, you are in full control of all dangerous elements... ooh wait

Well, it's a combination of the likelihood of uncontrollable risks, and the severity of the consequences. Sure, you can die from someone else's mistake while cycling (or driving) on a road, but in the vast majority of cases you'll get away with some bruises and scratches (hard numbers: in 2012 in Germany, there were 74,776 road accidents involving a cyclist, but only 406 of those were fatal), whereas if you're free soloing and a hold breaks off mid-move high in a route, it's game over 100% of the time.

Certainly not in 100% of the cases. You might have just gotten over an edge, it might be an easy move where even a hold breaking can result in a recovery, or you might fall 30 feet and still be alive. As an analogy try taking an indoor V1 and making every hold spin, etc. There are plenty of folks who can climb that unreliable route.

Also, an analogy for a hold breaking mid-move is a heavy truck in rain slamming into you and the concrete wall behind you as you're cycling.

The only problem is that soloing inspires others to do the same thing and not all of them are going to be as good and some might die as a result.

True soloing should be done without filming it, I guess.

That makes no sense.

I'm pretty sure that I would die during the first play from scrimmage if I suited up and tried to stand in for a middle linebacker in the NFL. The burden in this example, as in yours, is on the idiot who is so inspired, not the one with exceptional athletic skills.

I think that amazing activities should be freely filmed. The more inspiration in this world the better. If people less good at climbing than this guy are inspired but then bite off more than they can chew, we don't need to darken the light that inspired them.

I think 'the problem' you've mentioned is too fundamental and general to guard against. Live and let live. People who do potentially lethal activities for which they are ill-equipped can be advised, but who knows where they get their inspiration from? If not a video of someone free-soloing maybe they'll be inspired by the latest film.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com