Playing tricks on people

[Elaine]

Being a good girl I have realised that this deserves its own thread.

The Rock-on-the-head trick at sumps is not my idea of a nice trick to play on someone. In fact it is no better than holding someone's head under the water. However, I think that there is a place for some harmless fun in caves. After all, I like a good fun caving trip.

Once when I was waiting at Sump one in Swildons (being a girlie and not always being able to do the sump etc etc - you don't want to know!!) I was revising for an exam at the time and took some revision to do whilst waiting for my fellow cavers to return through the sump. I was well engrossed in my reading, and did not notice one of my group creep lightless and silently through the sump in the hope of catching me unawares. Suddenly he grabbed my welly. Goodness, didn't I jump! I called him all sorts of names as he dashed off back through the sump to Hugh to laugh at his success. But I laughed too, and it was a good happy memory. There is plenty of harmless fun and little pranks to play in caves. Gosh we don't it all to become too boring and sensible do we? Of course, you have to exercise a bit of common sense, but what is the harm in sensible fun?

What do you think? Have you had a trick played on you that was quite fun and harmless? Or should such silliness be kept out of caving which is after all a potentially dangerous place to play?

 

[darkplaces]

Making someone jump a bit is harmless I spouse, you instantly know you've been had. Unknowing trapped, falling, sliding, hungup with time to think, 'oops isn't life short' isn't much fun at all.

I always try the unconvincing 'ooo were lost' but everyone knows I cant get lost underground.

To be honest I don't really see much of pranks being played underground and its not boring at all, we (c**tplaces) are much too interested in everything else. I personally dont even like the 'boo' scares as it just feels pointless.

 

[Downer]

What do you think? Have you had a trick played on you that was quite fun and harmless? Or should such silliness be kept out of caving which is after all a potentially dangerous place to play?

I think I've made my views clear but I'll cast my vote for common sense. After all, there's no particular reason to avoid all pranks just because certain sorts are dodgy.

Not exactly a trick played on me but the very first time I visited Sump One in Swildon's - coincidentally also my third caving trip - I was with two gung-ho chaps half my age. At Sump One their characters changed. The one who was generally of the "go on, you can do it" persuasion (he had got me abseiling off a 90 ft viaduct) suddenly got all touchy-feely and started saying things like "you don't have to do this if you don't want to" while the other, who was a beginner like me, was all encouragement and "go for it". Well I went for it. Later I learned that they had bet each other a pint whether I would go through or not. It was nice to know they cared. 

I also seem to recall some shennanigans just above the Lavatory Pan involving holding the water back and then releasing it as someone squeezes through with their face down. Or maybe I learnt that one all on my own without being taught :alien:

And I must say I like the sound of that trick (some other thread) of creeping under The Coffin Lid in GC and sticking your hands up either side while someone goes over. MUST TRY THAT! Sod's Law says they won't screech in terror but will just say "thanks mate" and use my hands to help them up.

 

[cap n chris]

And I must say I like the sound of that trick (some other thread) of creeping under The Coffin Lid in GC and sticking your hands up either side while someone goes over. MUST TRY THAT! Sod's Law says they won't screech in terror but will just say "thanks mate" and use my hands to help them up.

Assuming that this "prank" works (i.e. is successful in scaring someone to a considerable degree) would it be unreasonable to suppose that an outcome might be that the person who is suddenly shocked will react by sliding uncontrollably back down the entire 8-10 metre approach of smooth slippery limestone most likely resulting in severe bruising or possibly breaking an ankle or leg. If so then it's clearly a superb prank which should be played on a regular basis. Not.

 

[cap n chris]

Playing tricks on people while caving is entirely out of order IMO.

 

[Downer]

And I must say I like the sound of that trick (some other thread) of creeping under The Coffin Lid in GC and sticking your hands up either side while someone goes over. MUST TRY THAT! Sod's Law says they won't screech in terror but will just say "thanks mate" and use my hands to help them up.

Assuming that this "prank" works (i.e. is successful in scaring someone to a considerable degree) would it be unreasonable to suppose that an outcome might be that the person who is suddenly shocked will react by sliding uncontrollably back down the entire 8-10 metre approach of smooth slippery limestone most likely resulting in severe bruising or possibly breaking an ankle or leg. If so then it's clearly a superb prank which should be played on a regular basis. Not.

Thank you  Cap'n. I stand corrected. That is precisely the sort of scenario that didn't occur to me when I read about it. I agree, then, NOT a prank to be played. Ever.

 

[Downer]

In fact, it illustrates just what is wrong with playing any sort of trick. The prankster can only imagine one outcome - good humoured laughter all round. The reality is that people react unpredictably and in different ways, including losing control in a critical situation.

 

[VivB]

I can see that a prank is designed not to have serious consequences, and just be a bit of humour.  I was in no danger with the stone taping thing, and apart from a totally unexpected visceral after-reaction,  actually just lay there head in the water, working out with logic what was happening.  i didn't have a shark attack or anything, and I'd do the sump again tomorrow, if i could. But it was such a different experience to caving with friends, and one i'll not repeat. So yeah, better to do stuff like that with people whom you know well, and are in on the joke, or you can expect to get lamped !

 

[MSD]

There are tricks you can play underground which don't have any risks associated with them. One I like to play in complex caves with novices is to lead them round and round a loop and see who notices first that they have been to the same place more than once. That seems to me to be to be both fun and harmless and actually mildly educational at the same time.

Mark

 

[Les W]

Roundabout chamber in OFD 1 is ideal for this 

 

[Downer]

There are tricks you can play underground which don't have any risks associated with them. One I like to play in complex caves with novices is to lead them round and round a loop and see who notices first that they have been to the same place more than once. That seems to me to be to be both fun and harmless and actually mildly educational at the same time.

Mark

That's a good one. Some good folks from the ACG  led me round Lionel's Hole as a novice, expecting me to get totally lost but I just pointed to the way out. Which is utterly amazing as I now get lost in Swildon's entrance series 

 

[menacer]

One I really enjoyed having played on me is in the little crawly bit between the way down to the wet ways and the top of jacobs ladder.
The guy I was caving with managed to squeeze into a rock shelf, and turned his light off, as I was going through, head down, unaware this bit of passage could possibly hold 2 people, he switched my lamp off. I switched it on, thinking i'd knocked it, he switched it off...and again....and again....when I went to give the light/helmet a knock, thinking i had a dodgy connection, he grabbed my hand....I jumped out of my skin.
Its a good little hidy hole 
small print disclaimer....please do not attempt to recreate this prank unless you are sure the person you are caving with doesnt have a heart condition, diagnosed or undiagnosed... :
.......That bits for the people who may not find it funny......

 

[Stu]

This one was told to me by a pal...

JH, Bitch Pitch, two man team de-rigging. Caver waiting near top getting somewhat frustrated at the slowness of colleague. Time is ticking and he's aware that the time he should be getting back to his misses is fast approaching. He remembers he has his mobile phone in his dry tub... a plan is hatched. Turns the phone on, proceeds to play his ring tone as if an incoming call is being made. Has faux chat with his girlfriend and explains in loud tone that it's not his fault but that of slower caver. Said slower caver hears this (as intended) and has a full 30 second rant about if she wants it doing quickly then to *%$^£%&* get down here and help out. Slower caver then asks how has first caver got 'phone reception... then bangs head against wall! The hint wasn't taken either.

 

[Downer]

...then bangs head against wall!

See, even the most innocent prank can be dangerous

 

[cap n chris]

or undiagnosed

Can't resist the obvious logical inconsistency.

How would you/they know?

 

[menacer]

or undiagnosed

Can't resist the obvious logical inconsistency.
How would you/they know?

It was for the benefit of the "play it safers" hence the roll eyes smiley......  I thought i may have been subjected to the ramblings of those who may think it dangerous and foolish to make someone jump...just in case they had a heart attack and died....so added undiagnosed to err on the side of caution..... :tease:

btw You have competition
An idle sunday morning with nothing much else happening, I thought I'd Don my best Anorak and look up some statistics....
Downer is averaging 12 posts a day whilst you are only on 3 a day..
Its true to say, Downer has only be playing for 4/5 days......will he soon catch up with your 5000+ posts???
A worthy opponant...but will he stay the distance???

If I didnt have so much needed doing round the house today I really would go out and do something more constructive....honest....
Please feel free to remove this message to the shit heap.....I think its a post worthy of the infamous Pile.....

Did I do good whitelackington???

 

[Downer]

btw You have competition
An idle sunday morning with nothing much else happening, I thought I'd Don my best Anorak and look up some statistics....
Downer is averaging 12 posts a day whilst you are only on 3 a day..
Its true to say, Downer has only be playing for 4/5 days......will he soon catch up with your 5000+ posts???
A worthy opponant...but will he stay the distance???

Heh heh. I was wondering if anyone would notice. Seriously, I probably won't keep it up but it's doing a wonderful job of getting my enthusiasm back. On the subject of which, does anyone have a hungry cat? I dug my undersuit out of "storage" and found the mice had eaten it.

 

[AndyF]

Seems like a steady trickle of pranks and tricks is coming out of the woodwork on this thread, and other people are condemning the "trick" in Swildons and all such pranks in general... here is my tuppanceworth..

Pranks and tricks are o.k. in the right context, i.e. within groups known to each other or harmless ones played on novices... it's part of a primitive "right of passage" into certain groups as you are mildly tested for your resilience and character. If the result is laugh all round, then it has served it's purpose and the group is brought closer together

Tricks should never be played maliciously to humiliate a person. If the purpose is to isolate someone then it is a bad thing.

Clearly it can go wrong, and tricks such as the Swildons one described are not acceptable if the the "victim" is as clearly traumatised by it as described.

Where is the boundary; hard to define and down to personal judgement...

 

[Downer]

p.s. You could be forgiven for thinking I intended to set the cat on the mice, but I was thinking more in terms of replacing my undersuit. (102 uses etc.)

 

[kay]

Pranks and tricks are o.k. in the right context, i.e. within groups known to each other or harmless ones played on novices... it's part of a primitive "right of passage" into certain groups as you are mildly tested for your resilience and character.

.......If the purpose is to isolate someone then it is a bad thing...

even when the purpose is to isolate a novice whose resilience and character is not up to scratch? 

Where is the boundary; hard to define and down to personal judgement...