Numptys

Burt

Burt

New member
Guiding in Goatchurch today and was amazed at a string of over 20 (there were swarms of them, too many to count) kids with approximatley one lamp between 3 coming out of the Main entrance. To top it all, a few of them were wearing sandals! It soon became apparant that they had only gone to the bottom of the main chamber, but even so....

Any more classic numptyness out there?
 
anfieldman

anfieldman

New member
Well I think I can top that one.
Goatchurch too. I was 'resting' outside the Tradesmans Entrance when a guy walked up with a 3 year old girl and a 4 year old boy. No helmets, no rope, just small lights. He told me he was taking the two of them into the main entrance, down the giants stairs and around to exit at the Tradesmans!
I told him that he would need a rope on the way out of the tradesmans but he told me ' I've done this cave a few years ago so we will be fine'. Ten minutes later they were back with the little girl crying her eyes out. It turned out that she was just afraid of the dark. So he told her 'You stay here and we will be back soon'. He then left this little girl alone with me, a complete stranger! He then came back after about 15 minutes telling his son that they would come back 'when they had some rope'. I was petrified that something really bad would happen.

 
A

andymorgan

Guest
Burt said:
Guiding in Goatchurch today and was amazed at a string of over 20 (there were swarms of them, too many to count) kids with approximatley one lamp between 3 coming out of the Main entrance. To top it all, a few of them were wearing sandals! It soon became apparant that they had only gone to the bottom of the main chamber, but even so....

Any more classic numptyness out there?
Click to expand...

If they were only doing the Main Chamber (I presume the entrance chamber), so what. It is hardly Penyghent Pot! Were any rescued, did any die?
 
cap n chris

cap n chris

Well-known member
Sandals?! - well equipped, then. Nothing to worry about. At least they weren't wearing flip-flops and sunnies.
 
Brains

Brains

Well-known member
Did a P bolt rigging guide trip in Nettle Pot, Derbys once in a fertiliser sack and furry as I had forgotten my oversuit... and a retro trip in Swildons recently to the 20 in shirt, trousers and cotton boilersuit... but at least I had a change of clothes to go to the Hunters in
 
SamT

SamT

Moderator
Funny how ones perception of a cavers ability is based on the clothes and equipment they have.

Its the "all the gear - no idea" brigade that you have to watch out for.



 
D

damian

Active member
SamT said:
Funny how ones perception of a cavers ability is based on the clothes and equipment they have.

Its the "all the gear - no idea" brigade that you have to watch out for.
Click to expand...

:clap: :clap:
 
Elaine

Elaine

Active member
Burt said:
Guiding in Goatchurch today and was amazed at a string of over 20 (there were swarms of them, too many to count) kids with approximatley one lamp between 3 coming out of the Main entrance. To top it all, a few of them were wearing sandals! It soon became apparant that they had only gone to the bottom of the main chamber, but even so....
Click to expand...

Good for them.
 
I

ianball11

Active member
You wouldn't be saying that if one of them had got injured.  What's happened to cub scouts "Be Prepared"

You've got to admire their spirit of adventure though.

Ian B.
 
I

ianball11

Active member
We wer exiting out of Alum by Dollytubs once when we were confronted by a group coming the other way, obviuosly beginners in jogging bottoms and jumpers and trainers.  Trying to get across plank pool or maybe double shuffle the big guy fell in.  Being so big as he was though the wave of water that washed past us was amazing!

Not really a fool hardy act but certainly funny to watch, made better by the five minutes we were watching him try to get across each time getting alittle further and looking a lot more likely to fall in.
 
Hughie

Hughie

Active member
ianball11 said:
You wouldn't be saying that if one of them had got injured.  What's happened to cub scouts "Be Prepared"

You've got to admire their spirit of adventure though.

Ian B.
Click to expand...

What makes you think they were cub scouts?

Good for them, I say.

This wet, drippy attitude that society seems to like irritates me immensely.
 
P

Peter Burgess

New member
Burt said:
Guiding in Goatchurch today and was amazed at a string of over 20 (there were swarms of them, too many to count) kids with approximatley one lamp between 3 coming out of the Main entrance. To top it all, a few of them were wearing sandals! It soon became apparant that they had only gone to the bottom of the main chamber, but even so....

Any more classic numptyness out there?
Click to expand...

So they just explored to the limits of the old show cave? I hope they enjoyed it. Maybe a few will remember the trip when they are older and want to do more.
 
SamT

SamT

Moderator
Hope Burt doesn't think this was a flaming by the way. I think you provoked a good reaction there  8) but I dont think anyone was getting at the OP Original Post. Welome to the forums Burt.
 
Burt

Burt

New member
Cheers Sam, you've got the right end of the stick. It was merely an observation, indeed a quick glance at the guidebook shows a victorian Lady in full feathery hat regalia at the bottom of the showcave.

When I was about 14 myself and a couple of mates slept a night in the dining chamber, I suppose if I had seen that now would I call myself a numpty? We shouldn't wrap ourselves or our kids in cotton wool; it's good to be challenged or scared now and again. But I would not like to be in the teachers' shoes if something had happened to one of those kids on what was obviously a school outing.

I'll stand againgst the wall now and prepare to be shot down by someone!
 
cap n chris

cap n chris

Well-known member
Burt said:
indeed a quick glance at the guidebook shows a victorian Lady in full feathery hat regalia at the bottom of the showcave.
Click to expand...

Did she look ANYTHING like this?

032005-wonderwoman.png


No, thought not.  :coffee:
 
Elaine

Elaine

Active member
Sorry Burt, I read your original post as a criticism of groups (kids) exploring the entrance of Goatchurch with only a few torches between them. Not really sure what you did mean, but never mind!!

Met a man caving with a white stick tonight! Is that numptiness?
 
Bob Smith

Bob Smith

Member
my mum will not be pleased that photo got out! she never told me she knew chris well enough to let him take that snap though :-\
 
ian mckenzie

ian mckenzie

New member
Here's the thing:  I don't care what country you're in, the first time anyone goes underground they're totally unprepared for what's there. Why would they be otherwise?  I certainly was... but my first silly foray led to a thirty year life of caving that I've never regretted. In fact, my greatest regret has been in not recognizing the potential of other newbies, simply because I allowed my perception to be clouded by their kit and lack of preparedness.  Some of those 'newbies' are now amongst our club's hardest pushers.  And in the Canadian Rockies, a 'hard pusher' is a force to be reckoned with...
 
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