Another idiot gets stranded in The Pit

[Fulk]

I hope I'm not the only one who feels uncomfortable about putting a sign on the Pit though. The implications associated with this response to the incident go much further than just dealing with this one hazard. I can see pros and cons and I'm more than happy to go with the flow if there's massive support for it. But I don't like the idea. In the same cave system not so long ago there was someone who free dived into Mud River Sump 1, believing it to be Rowten Sumps. Mud River Sump 1 is getting on for 30 m long. There was talk at the time of putting a sign there to warn people that it's not the Rowten Sumps. We dealt with this in what I feel is a more appropriate way (the line was rebelayed underwater so "normal" cavers probably wouldn't see it).

You can't put warning notices up on every hazard in a cave system. Think what happens if a sign disappears, say, due to a flood, or someone who disagrees removing it; the next group assumes they're going the right way because there's no sign telling them otherwise. There may be better ways of achieving the desired objective.

Well said, pitlamp

 

[droid]

+1


As for pillorying....it's a fine line between sticking an incident up on here as a warning to others, and leaving yourself open.

In this case, I like the self-deprecation.
There, but for the Grace of God.

 

[Cave Mapper]

Yes, Pitlamp makes a good point, and I'd personally hate to see our caves (or hills) littered with safety notices. But I guess I wouldn't have an a major issue with a discrete (but obvious) sign at the top of the pit in Simpson's - there have been too many identical incidents and the pull-through route is already very much a man-made affair with all those bolts.

Alternatively, we could have a big notice at the bottom of the pit, out of sight of the main through traffic. It wouldn't need to be as discrete and the wording wouldn't need to be subtle

 

[langcliffe]

There, but for the Grace of God.

I did something similar once, descending Pool Sink. I was feeling really laid back and enjoying myself as I abseiled down the first pitch, and when I got to the bottom I started to pull the rope down. I then realised I was on  the ledge.

My first reaction was to jump up and down trying to reach the rope 20' above my head. That didn't work.

My second reaction was to look around for someone else to blame. That didn't work either.

My third reaction was to actually look at the problem, and I soon realised that I could climb down the rest of the way.

It did teach me not to lose concentration when making significant decisions.

 

[dunc]

Yes, Pitlamp makes a good point, and I'd personally hate to see our caves (or hills) littered with safety notices. But I guess I wouldn't have an a major issue with a discrete (but obvious) sign at the top of the pit in Simpson's - there have been too many identical incidents and the pull-through route is already very much a man-made affair with all those bolts.

Alternatively, we could have a big notice at the bottom of the pit, out of sight of the main through traffic. It wouldn't need to be as discrete and the wording wouldn't need to be subtle

As I started reading your post I thought, don't like the idea of anything at the top - it's just nannying and would set a dangerous precedent, why not the bottom or hung down the shaft part way out of sight - I then read the remainder of your post. At least at the bottom it would be out of sight to most and only seen, possibly, by those that descend in error.

 

[langcliffe]

It wouldn't need to be as discrete and the wording wouldn't need to be subtle

We could have a competition  for the best wording...

 

[dunc]

It wouldn't need to be as discrete and the wording wouldn't need to be subtle

We could have a competition  for the best wording...

How about the words of the last man stuck down there from the moment when he realised what he'd done?

 

[Cave Mapper]

"Oh Bother!" ?

 

[paul]

"Oh Bother!" ?

Maybe "D'Oh"?

 

[dunc]

Very admirable for the calm and collected words, in that situation my initial language would have most definitely been more salty! 

 

[Alex]

Probbably similar to the words I uttered at the bottom of the second pitch in Aqua mole when I found I had been de-rigged on.

 

[Cave Mapper]

Probably similar to the words I uttered at the bottom of the second pitch in Aquamole when I found I had been de-rigged on.

When someone de-rigged on me in Gaping Gill, I realised I'd better shout up the pitch in case they were still within earshot. I'm normally a quite bloke, but on that occasion I really did shout as loudly as I could - something to the effect of "You've taken my ropes, please bring them back". I can't remember the exact words, but nobody heard them.

 

[Pitlamp]

"Oh Bother!" ?

 

[bograt]

I'd go for "WRONG SHAFT, TW*T"

 

[Brendan]

'You probably didn't want to pull that down'
or
20 things to do while waiting for cave rescue
1 Eye spy
2 Tie as many different knots in your rope as you can
3 Name the 10 countries with 4 letter names
etc etc

 

[droid]

Twist the knife...leave a phone book down there

 

[paull]

wonder if this sign would help at the bottom 

 

[Alex]

When someone de-rigged on me in Gaping Gill, I realised I'd better shout up the pitch in case they were still within earshot. I'm normally a quite bloke, but on that occasion I really did shout as loudly as I could - something to the effect of "You've taken my ropes, please bring them back". I can't remember the exact words, but nobody heard them.

Come to think of it my words where actually HELLO!!!?

 

[Paul_L]

There is a route through the pit for the more agile caver, notoriously difficult to find and traverse, as mentioned in the original post, the guy at least knew of its existence and attempted to find it. perhaps if some one more experienced with that route could offer guidance others may be ale to self rescue? it's been twenty years since I did it, or at least 'think' I did it, I have no recollection of the route...

 

[Paul_L]

I don't like the idea of signs in caves, too nanny, however, it would be funny to find this at the bottom