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> The use of parachute equipment not adapted for cliff jumping, the need for jumpers to find exit points by trial and error and difficulties associated with ret
by eunoia 11y ago
> The use of parachute equipment not adapted for cliff jumping, the need for jumpers to find exit points by trial and error and difficulties associated with retrieving injured jumpers led to a relatively high number of fatalities. This resulted in Norwegian authorities making BASE jumping from the Troll Wall illegal on July 25, 1986.
From the Wikipedia article. It's not like BASE is illegal overall here in the US either, we still have Bridge Day and such.
You hit the crux of the argument though, some parks don't want jumpers because they represent an inordinate drain on their resources and risk to their personnel.
- cromulent 11y agoI didn't mean to hit that crux, but yeah :) What I was trying to say was: In Norway they say, don't jump here please, jump over there. The reasons in the wikipedia article are no longer valid apart from the instability of the wall and talus.
- mikeash 11y agoSounds like a case where externalities are screwing with the decisions. If rescue costs are high but borne by the public then the jumpers are basically abusing it. But of course outlawing the activity doesn't actually stop it. It's a lot like illegal drugs. It's a fun activity that's bad for the participants and exposes external costs on society. Seems like the standard solution of "legalize, tax, and regulate" would also apply here. Rather than simply ban these activities, maybe they should be made to bear the costs of rescue, either by putting liability on to them after the fact, or charging a fee up front.