Paratroopers hurt in NASCAR pre-race show

ESPN.com ^ | Feb. 23, 2003 | ESPN.com

[Justa]

"With wind like that, why on earth were they allowed to do this?????"

The all-volunteer jumpers were obviously out-voted.

[whipitgood]

Automobile racing: how kids learn to appreciate and consume alcohol and tobacco. Truly a barbaric sport if there ever was one. Go out there and watch rich idiots drive loud, inefficient multi million dollar cars at high speeds around in a circle. See them blow up hundred thousand dollar engines and wear out one thousand dollar tires in just a few laps. See them crash and total those cars and get killed and maimed, sometimes even the spec-taters get it. Wow, do they pay you to watch this?
Sorry, I worked for one of those idiots for a few years. Once he offered to let all his employees come to a race and watch him spend money. I was sort of excited until I found out how much I would have to spend just to get in. Oh yes- the prize money. Most of the time the prize money covers about 5-10 percent of the expenses. But only if you get first place.
Flame suit on.

[Rebelbase]

"Where exactly is Rockingham in NC?"

Its close to the NC/SC border, east of Charlotte.

[kjam22]

I noticed that they showed a shot of one of them in the air. But nothing of the landings. I thought it was a bit strange. And there was an awkward moment when it seemed like nothing was happening and nobody was doing much talking.

It was definitely to windy to be parachuting.... in my humble and uneducated opinion.

[Gary Boldwater]

As a veteran of aircraft carrier catapult launches I can assure you that your statement:

"Military parachuting is the only place where you can get killed by burning, projectile impact, drowning, blunt trauma, and falling all at the same time!"

Is not exclusively true to only parachuting. Parachutists also don't go zero to 150 mph in 3 seconds.

[Cogadh na Sith]

Yeah, I guess that is true!

Parachutists also don't go zero to 150 mph in 3 seconds.

No, but they go from 108 mph (terminal velocity) to 18 mph in 3 sec.

Occasionally they go from 108 mph to zero in a tenth of a second, but they don't walk away....

[Cogadh na Sith]

True, but it is stupid to jump in the high winds reported.

You can jump the square canopies at higher ground winds than the parabolic standard chutes. I blame unpredictable gusts.

[bribriagain]

"At least they didn't parachute into a Great White concert"

Can't wait for their July 4th concert.

[Cogadh na Sith]

Automobile racing: how kids learn to appreciate and consume alcohol and tobacco. Truly a barbaric sport if there ever was one. Go out there and watch rich idiots drive loud, inefficient multi million dollar cars at high speeds around in a circle. See them blow up hundred thousand dollar engines and wear out one thousand dollar tires in just a few laps.

You say that like it's a bad thing. It's all the things that make America great.

It's the American version of Buzhkazi.

[bribriagain]

"Is not exclusively true to only parachuting. Parachutists also don't go zero to 150 mph in 3 seconds. "

I made the steam for the catapults on the JFK many years ago. Saw a couple of your associates plunge into the North Sea. Both lived, thank goodness. Lost some Phoenix missles along the way, sadly.

[bribriagain]

"I'm just an Old Corps Jarhead who did my five jumps at Benning just after the balloon went up in Vietnam, BUT I still have enough memory of the basic course and the sense to not jump in high winds of 20 MPH Plus!"

Thank you.

But my remarks about Janeway stand.

[tet68]

Ya know, if they had to carry a goat with their left hand
it would be that much more interesting.

[Riley]

The last time I went skydiving I was blown into an oil pumpjack and was in a cast for 10 months.

Aghhh. That's GOTTA hurt!
My last jump, I oscillated really badly due to ground wind and landed on my tailbone on a rock. Knocked the wind out of me- but a friend of mine was on his first jump and about to land.

Unable to breath at all, I collapsed my canopy, gathered it up in my arms and ran to where he was going to land. Almost made it there before I got my wind back.

[Riley]

Parachutists also don't go zero to 150 mph in 3 seconds.

No- but the reverse is true. :-)

[Riley]

It's the American version of Buzhkazi.

I'm not an auto racing fan- I'm more of a motorcycle guy. I really like that characterization though!

[whipitgood]

OK, I'll bite... What's Buzhkazi?
In my rant I forgot to make my point. It would be a shame for even one of the US military to be injured or killed showing off for the car race crowd. Waste of good talent IMHO.