# Man dies testing Big Island Zipline



## LisaRex (Sep 22, 2011)

Aw, this is just terrible news.  One man is dead and another was injured after testing a zipline on Big Island.  The tower collapsed.  I hope it's not Sterling or Bryce, my most awesome Maui guides.   

http://news.yahoo.com/hawaii-zip-line-accident-leaves-1-dead-1-022035469.html


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## slip (Sep 22, 2011)

I'll have to show this to my wife. We'll be there in 3 weeks and she wanted to
go on a zipline.


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## tompalm (Sep 22, 2011)

The news says it is closed for now.  But, maybe it will be open in three weeks.


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## Passepartout (Sep 22, 2011)

I've wondered why people don't think that zip-lines, white-water rafting, bungee jumping, even downhill skiing and oh-so-many other seemingly risky activities are indeed risky activities. They aren't Disney rides. People can-and do get hurt. Even killed. Sympathy to the friends and lived ones of the person killed in this accident.

Jim Ricks


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## tompalm (Sep 23, 2011)

Passepartout said:


> I've wondered why people think that zip-lines, white-water rafting, bungee jumping, even downhill skiing and oh-so-many other seemingly risky activities are indeed risky activities. They aren't Disney rides. People can-and do get hurt. Even killed. Sympathy to the friends and lived ones of the person killed in this accident.
> 
> Jim Ricks



You got that right.  A couple more things I wonder about:  why people will take incredible risk in places where they might get hurt and there is no doctor.  They had a zip line in Icy Straits Alaska, small town of a few hundred people and the medical office there is probably limited to someone that got trained to drive an ambulance and do CPR.  If an accident happens there, someone could be in pain for a long time before they ever get to a hospital. Bad place to break a leg, or put a zip line.  

Also, I met a man who was in his mid 60s that tried to bicycle down Haleakala and lost control of his bike.  He ended up in the hospital for three months.  When I talked to him, he was on his way for testing in a special clinic in Cleveland, but he lived in Florida.  He said that nobody told him that the bicycle tour down hill was dangerous and not safe for an older person.  Gee, go figure, it is always somebody else's fault.


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## Conan (Sep 23, 2011)

tompalm said:


> Also, I met a man who was in his mid 60s that tried to bicycle down Haleakala and lost control of his bike. He ended up in the hospital for three months.


 
To their credit, the guys that ran our bike trek down Haleakala kept a close eye on the group especially at the start of the trip. One girl (and she was in her 20's) wasn't in good control and they made her get off and ride in the van for the rest of the day.


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## suzanne (Sep 23, 2011)

Really sorry to hear this. We were planning to do this zipline next Nov. while on the Big Island. I understand there is 2 of them. One at either end of the Island. We wanted to do this one as it goes down along a waterfall. And Yes, we know the risks. We have ziplined before in Costa Rica. It was awesome. 

Suzanne


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## LisaRex (Sep 23, 2011)

I've Ziplined and gone whitewater rafting more times than I can count.  I've done the bike ride down Haleakala and did the night snorkeling trip to see the manta rays.  I've gone on hot air balloon rides. Everything has its risks, including driving on a highway on any given day, and I base my decision on what threshhold of risk I'm willing to take.

My mother once asked me why in the world I wanted to visit the active volcano on Big Island.  She thought that that was needlessly risky.  I told her that I'd rather die living my life than to miss out on life because I was afraid I might die.


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## Talent312 (Sep 23, 2011)

My former in-laws, as they got older, became more afraid to leave their house lest some terrible accident befall them. They became rather reclusive. Sad, really.

But the closest I ever came to parachuting was when, as a kid, I jumped off the roof of our house holding an umbrella.  Needless to say, I learned something that day.


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## ampaholic (Sep 23, 2011)

Passepartout said:


> I've wondered why people don't think that zip-lines, white-water rafting, bungee jumping, even downhill skiing and oh-so-many other seemingly risky activities are indeed risky activities. They aren't Disney rides. People can-and do get hurt. Even killed. Sympathy to the friends and lived ones of the person killed in this accident.
> 
> Jim Ricks



Ahem, even Disney rides have some risk. I used to be a serial roller coaster rider (over 1000 rides) - never got hurt. 

An acquaintance of mine rode one just once and he got a dislocated thumb because he fell during disembarkation.

Go figure.


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## Passepartout (Sep 23, 2011)

ampaholic said:


> Ahem, even Disney rides have some risk.



Yes, even Disney rides have some risk. What I was getting at is that we all need to assess our own tolerance for risk. Mine is certainly lower than LisaRex's. Right here in our little town, we have the highest bridge anywhere that is legal to jump (parachute) off any and every day. People come from around the world to do it. People die every year. Not a lot, but some. Those who do, and their families, are tragically affected.

We are happy that someone- like the guy who died in Hawaii, ride the ziplines, roller coasters, run the rapids, test the parachutes, coast the bicycles down Haleakala, and do all the 'risky' behavior before the venues are open to the public. I may take calculated risk, but choose not to be someone else's guinea pig.

To each their own. For me, I'll watch the zipliners and BASE jumpers.

Jim


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## LisaRex (Sep 23, 2011)

Talent312 said:


> But the closest I ever came to parachuting was when, as a kid, I jumped off the roof of our house holding an umbrella.  Needless to say, I learned something that day.



It's not the falling that hurts; it's the sudden stop!


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 23, 2011)

LisaRex said:


> It's not the falling that hurts; it's the sudden stop!



Kind of like Maxwell House Coffee - good to the last drop.


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## AKE (Sep 23, 2011)

There have been more deaths in Hawaii from shark attacks than ziplines... is anyone going to stop swimming ( a safe sport in most people's minds)  in the ocean?  Simllarly a number of tourists have been killed in Hawaii in sightseeing helicopters, once again a safe thing in most people's mind.  Yes its risky but so is crossing the street.  Like an earlier poster, you can sit and worry or you can live... I know what I have done and will continue to do.


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## linsj (Sep 23, 2011)

LisaRex said:


> I told her that I'd rather die living my life than to miss out on life because I was afraid I might die.



I'm with you, Lisa. One of my favorite book titles is _The Crime of Living Cautiously_. Didn't read the book, but it convinced my friend to go parasailing in Hawaii with me.


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## PigsDad (Sep 24, 2011)

Talent312 said:


> But the closest I ever came to parachuting was when, as a kid, I jumped off the roof of our house holding an umbrella.  Needless to say, *I learned something that day*.


9.80665 m/s^2 ??


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 24, 2011)

PigsDad said:


> 9.80665 m/s^2 ??



Only if the house was in a vacuum.


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## MuranoJo (Sep 26, 2011)

This happened when we were there last week.  Very sad.  As we heard it, this particular company had some past issues with safety.  

We did ziplining in PV, MX, and had a great time.  I'm glad we tried it at least once.


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## Kona Lovers (Sep 28, 2011)

LisaRex said:


> I've Ziplined and gone whitewater rafting more times than I can count.  I've done the bike ride down Haleakala and did the night snorkeling trip to see the manta rays.  I've gone on hot air balloon rides. Everything has its risks, including driving on a highway on any given day, and I base my decision on what threshhold of risk I'm willing to take.
> 
> My mother once asked me why in the world I wanted to visit the active volcano on Big Island.  She thought that that was needlessly risky.  I told her that I'd rather die living my life than to miss out on life because I was afraid I might die.



Right on!!


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## Ricci (Sep 28, 2011)

That's what makes the world go round.  Thank God we are all different.  I've gone hang gliding, zip lining, glider riding, whitewater rafting, and I LOVE old wooden roller coasters.  I'm approaching 60 and enjoying life while I can....still waiting for the cautious factor to settle in.


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## chester1122 (Sep 30, 2011)

*Zip Line recommendations?*

My husband just did the zipline at Whislter in Canada and loved it.

He wonders if people would recommend the zipline near Hawii


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## LisaRex (Sep 30, 2011)

chester1122 said:


> My husband just did the zipline at Whislter in Canada and loved it.
> 
> He wonders if people would recommend the zipline near Hawii



Okay, first of all you cracked me up when you said a zipline near Hawaii.  "Near" Hawaii would be the Pacific Ocean.  

I did the Haleakala Skyline Ecotour Zipline on Maui and quite enjoyed it.  My B&B mates in Big Island claimed that the one on Big Island was better, but I don't know which one she was referring to.  There is one on the Kona side and one on the Hilo side.  The latter was the one where the accident occurred.  

I hope that the company, if it remains open, has enough sense to bring in a structural engineer to ensure that the lines are safe.


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## Timeshare Von (Oct 1, 2011)

Very tragic indeed.

Many activities come with risks and it is unfortunate when there is any loss of life or injury doing things that we like to do on vacation.  Hawaii especially has a lot to entice you to live on the edge, zip-lining included.

Prayers go out to the family of the man killed . . . and to the other for a full recovery.


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## Kauai Kid (Oct 3, 2011)

Lets test zip lines with 500# bags of coffee from now on. Senseless death.

Sterling


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## artringwald (Oct 15, 2011)

My son-in-law didn't fly because he was afraid to fly. He didn't eat meat because he was afraid it might be tainted. He died when a driver passed out, crossed the interstate, and hit him head on. Each year over 30,000 people die in car crashes in the U.S. If you want to be afraid of something, be afraid of driving.


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## jlr10 (Oct 15, 2011)

I have ziplined on Kauai twice.  I felt safe enough the company and equipment that I ran off the side of the cliff (Ok.  I didn't mean too, but I was short and the ground disappeared faster than it did for everyone else...the first time.  The second time I ran on my own) I had a blast and had no injuries whatsoever.

I was hiking in Kokee, reached the top of the hill, and was walking on level ground.  I slipped on the ground and broke my ankle.  My workout buddy was with me.  Her comment was she was sorry I hurt my ankle but that we had just completed the best hike she had been on in her life.  Totally made it worth it, and pretty much summed up why we were hiking in the first place.  Both activities were 'dangerous' but I was injured on the safest part of either activity.

I have ziplined, hiked on sides of cliffs and ridge trails, white water rafted, done helicopter tours, jumped off a rope swing, and ridden in small private planes.  I am short and fat and out of shape and people are amazed I would try these things.   I'd like to be the one showing up in heavendirty, sweaty and mud streaked saying "That was fun, and a life well lived!" I may not be a daredevil, but I am not going to sit on the sideline in case something bad might happen.  I will use common sense and do what is best for my body and comfort level. Which means I will continue to hike and zipline, etc.,  but no way in the world am I getting on the Tower of Terror at Disneyland again.


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## Kauai Kid (Oct 17, 2011)

artringwald said:


> My son-in-law didn't fly because he was afraid to fly. He didn't eat meat because he was afraid it might be tainted. He died when a driver passed out, crossed the interstate, and hit him head on. Each year over 30,000 people die in car crashes in the U.S. If you want to be afraid of something, be afraid of driving.



Another one to be really afraid of is cigarettes.  Local community college will be banning cigarette smoking on their campus.   


Sterling


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