How much will playa dust scratch clear vinyl (a zorb)?

[Simon of the Playa]

you guys are so mean...

[lucky420]

^^^ bwahahaha

Well he isn't listening to THEM!

[Drawingablank]

From what I understand this was 65 mph and come out of no where. I believe in total it lasted about 7 hours. If it took about 20 people to keep this well anchored shade structure from blowing away, seriously what chance do you think a Zorb has.

[media]

[gaminwench]

we're long past Page 2.

Gloves off, fuckos.

[Token]

we're long past Page 2.

Gloves off, fuckos.

Yes Mam!

So why you FKO's Darwin Blocking this guy?

You seriously think a giant beach ball is going to maime or kill someone?

So fucking what if the beach ball plows into a camp.

Oh fuck! You all switched to lag bolts so there is no more rebar to puncture the gerbil hobby house!

That's what you get for continued pussyfication of Burning Man.

[Jovankat]

At 60pmh it could literally kill someone.

It may be a bubble but it does still have a mass, even if it's only say 10 pounds at 60mph that could easily knock you over. Bones could be broken. If you do happen to land on a piece of rebar it COULD FUCKING KILL YOU.

Yeah it's probably pretty unlikey but the damage it could cause is potentially fatal. Anyone who has ever had any thing at all to do with risk assessment knows that you have to weigh the potential outcome against the likelihood and when there is a potential for death you be the fuck careful.

Here is a much smaller ball moving at a much slower speed. It takes this kid out. Now use your imagination. Bigger ball moving faster, that's a broken neck right there. Regardles of the damage the playa does to your heard as you hit the ground.

[media]

Happy burn night! Hope you didn't plan on ever walking again!

[lucky420]

Omg so could fire, scaffolds, mv, heat, dehydration, alcohol, rebar, campmates...


Better stay home

[lucky420]

This slippery slope is killing meeeeee

[maladroit]

Jovankat: Most accurate Burning Man video ever

[sparr]

Have I under-estimated how fast the wind can pick up on the playa? ... I don't think anyone has actually answered this question.

Are you seriously saying you don't think anyone has adequately warned you that this is potentially dangerous?

No. You quoted fourteen different people, only two of whom had anything to say on the subject of how fast the wind speed changes on the playa. I've put my question in bold above, in case you had trouble picking it out of what you quoted before. That is the question I was referring to one post later when I quoted myself and said "this question". At no point did I ask the question "Is this potentially dangerous?" which seems to be the question you want to talk about. That's all well and good, but don't pretend that talking about that is an answer to the questions I've aked.

Omg so could fire, scaffolds, mv, heat, dehydration, alcohol, rebar, campmates...
Better stay home

Thank you. I tried to say this earlier with the bit about loaning out nailguns and ladders, but your list of examples is so much better.

[maladroit]

Have I under-estimated how fast the wind can pick up on the playa? ... I don't think anyone has actually answered this question.

Are you seriously saying you don't think anyone has adequately warned you that this is potentially dangerous?

No. You quoted fourteen different people, only two of whom had anything to say on the subject of how fast the wind speed changes on the playa. I've put my question in bold above, in case you had trouble picking it out of what you quoted before.

sparr, welcome to ePlaya! Congratulations on preparing for your first trip to the (real) playa. I'm sure you'll have a great time! We recommend that all first-timers read ALL the information available online, starting with this excellent resource (be sure to follow all the links and read all the sub-sections!): http://burningman.org/event/preparation/

I've gone ahead and located a relevant section and quoted it below. Good luck on all your preparation plans, read and absorb as much as you can, and see you in the dust!

Securing Your Structure
The Black Rock Desert is a place of extreme weather. While conditions are generally pleasant, you can expect severe wind, lightning, rain, hail, and dust storms at any time during the year, usually with very little warning.

The biggest challenge to any structure, from a small camping tent to an 80-foot-high wooden man, is the force of the wind. Anything you bring out there should be securely attached to the ground for just this reason. Larger structures run the risk of tipping over and crushing someone, and smaller ones like camping tents may be blown miles down the playa, never to be seen again. Keep in mind that 75-mph winds are a common occurrence. In wind like this it is difficult to even stand up on your own two feet. Do everything you can to plan for it accordingly.

Also keep in mind that anything lying around your camp that is not secured down, like garbage, plastic bottles, paper, art or anything else, will get blown downwind when you least expect it. It is your responsibility to take back everything that you bring in, from the largest structure to the smallest bottle cap or cigarette butt. Keeping everything secured means you won’t have to spend hours or days searching for it later.

[Meat Hunter]

I am thinking that 'tis time to be locking this thread also.

This horse is so dead that there is not even enough of the greasy spot left in the road for the buzzards and crows to feed on.

[mdmf007]

I am thinking that 'tis time to be locking this thread also.

This horse is so dead that there is not even enough of the greasy spot left in the road for the buzzards and crows to feed on.

Yup, I agree.... This one has been asked and answered and now is going in loops.

MDMF007

[Eric]

Mod Note: after discussion, this the zorb & jeep window threads have been merged (so earlier posts in this thread might not "flow" well), and unlocked. As stated above, if you think the discussion is going in circles, you are free to stop reading it.

[Jovankat]

Have I under-estimated how fast the wind can pick up on the playa? ... I don't think anyone has actually answered this question.

Are you seriously saying you don't think anyone has adequately warned you that this is potentially dangerous?

No. You quoted fourteen different people, only two of whom had anything to say on the subject of how fast the wind speed changes on the playa. I've put my question in bold above, in case you had trouble picking it out of what you quoted before. That is the question I was referring to one post later when I quoted myself and said "this question". At no point did I ask the question "Is this potentially dangerous?" which seems to be the question you want to talk about. That's all well and good, but don't pretend that talking about that is an answer to the questions I've aked.

I've quoted 14 different people who are either outright saying this is a bad idea or voicing concerns. Are you really saying you're going to ignore 12 of them because their concerns don't answer the specific question you're asking? Does your brain really truly function in that way? Yes you never asked "Is this potentially dangerous?" but that question has been repeatedly answered in the affirmative. You not having originally asked the question does not invalidate the answers. Do you really only process and consider information presented to you in the form of an answer to a direct question you asked? Your pathetic attempt at snark with " in case you had trouble picking it out of what you quoted before" is laughable considering the difficulty you apparently have comprehending the information presented to you.

I'm going to ask a couple of simple questions of you now, please answer them as precisely as you expect your questions to be answered for the information to be worthy of your consideration.

- Do you understand that a lot of experienced Burning Man attendees have concerns about your plans for your zorb and your attitude to public safety?

- Do you plan on taking any of these concerns on board?

- Do you understand that if caught by the wind your zorb could indeed do serious damage?

- Do you care if your zorb injures someone or damages something (even if you're not the one operating it at the time)?

- Do you understand that people put a lot of time and effort into their burns and being knocked down and injured by a run away zorb would be devastating?

I assume you'll be so kind as you take the time to answer these questions directly since you have repeatedly asked for your questions to be answered again when many folks here feel they already have been.

Omg so could fire, scaffolds, mv, heat, dehydration, alcohol, rebar, campmates...
Better stay home

Thank you. I tried to say this earlier with the bit about loaning out nailguns and ladders, but your list of examples is so much better.

No one is posting here about being reckless with any of those things. I can also avoid most of those things by, you know, avoiding them. A zorb at 60mph will be a kinda hard to outrun. On the other hand I can be sure to keep myself hydrated and not drink too much booze and not climb a dodgey looking scaffold or ride a dangerously driven MV and not et too close to open flame etc etc etc. The comparison doesn't really work. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this isn't so much about the danger of a zorb as it is about how dangerous Sparr's attitude to securing his zorb is.

[theCryptofishist]

*Fishy contemplates just how to put together a pun on "self-abzorbed."*

[Popeye]

If you could put blinky's on it, tie it to a tether and fill it with heliumhydrogen it would look amazing floating through the city. Then if it ran across a certain octupus we could have some great flame effects.

[sparr]

I'm going to ask a couple of simple questions of you now, please answer them as precisely as you expect your questions to be answered for the information to be worthy of your consideration.

As much as I've allowed this thread to be pulled off-topic, and the mods are enforcing that off-topic-ness by closing other threads that I tried to start about the things people seem to want to discuss here...

No. I am not going to discuss anything further in this thread that isn't about playa dust scratching clear vinyl. I will not be contributing to this horrible derailment of the thread any further.

[gaminwench]

no threads have been closed.

[ygmir]

*Fishy contemplates just how to put together a pun on "self-abzorbed."*

auto sponging?

[maladroit]

Guys I have the solution.

We're all wrong here, sparr is the visionary. 100% serious!

OK so a runaway zorb could seriously hurt someone, right? They'd be knocked off their bike and impale a piece of rebar through an eye socket every time, no doubt about it.

WHAT IF EVERY LAST ONE OF US IS PROTECTED INSIDE OUR OWN ZORB?

[lucky420]

no threads have been closed.

The safety thread has been closed

[Sic Pup]

Can mine have "Douche" emblazoned across it?

Or is that self-evident ala Segway?

[lucky420]

Guys I have the solution.

We're all wrong here, sparr is the visionary. 100% serious!

OK so a runaway zorb could seriously hurt someone, right? They'd be knocked off their bike and impale a piece of rebar through an eye socket every time, no doubt about it.

WHAT IF EVERY LAST ONE OF US IS PROTECTED INSIDE OUR OWN ZORB?

need a sled for your slippery slope?

[tamarakay]

No, they unlocked it too.

Am I the only one who thinks he's just fucking with jovancat and she's a little slow on the uptake? Bueller?

[Jovankat]

I'm going to ask a couple of simple questions of you now, please answer them as precisely as you expect your questions to be answered for the information to be worthy of your consideration.

As much as I've allowed this thread to be pulled off-topic, and the mods are enforcing that off-topic-ness by closing other threads that I tried to start about the things people seem to want to discuss here...

No. I am not going to discuss anything further in this thread that isn't about playa dust scratching clear vinyl. I will not be contributing to this horrible derailment of the thread any further.

I'll just take that as a "no" to all my questions then. Which makes you a horrible, self centered dangerous person. Thread drift is a normal, that's how conversations work. You can't expect people to answer your questions when you won't engage in conversation with them when they raise valid concerns.

No, they unlocked it too.

Am I the only one who thinks he's just fucking with jovancat and she's a little slow on the uptake? Bueller?

Nope. I know him from reddit, this is not the first time he's been this painfully obtuse. If he is a troll he has incredible dedication to his character, like I'm talking over months and multiple topics and across sites. And even if he *is* a troll haven't we all agreed that we need to think about the lurkers when we post? At this point I've given up on convincing Sparr what a waste of a ticket he is but I'm hoping others can learn from his fucked up attitude, real or not.

[tamarakay]

Jovancat, the list of things that you feel you need to lecture people on is getting longer and more tedious. It must be exhausting to have to be so in charge all the time. You have made your point, or rather points. If he brings the damned zorb its on him. At this point he's fucking with you and making you sound completely unhinged and bonkers. Go drink some water and maybe eat a clif bar.

[maladroit]

I'm not seeing unhinged or bonkers, just exasperated and concerned. I'd like to see this long list of things lectured upon, preferably with links to threads.

[tamarakay]

Here you go.

index.php

[Jovankat]

If I am all over the site lecturing folks all the time how come you can't even manage to spell my name right?

And as Eric said earlier, if you don't feel a thread is being productive, feel free not to read it. Oops was that too much like lecturing? I hope not cause your post kinda sounds like you're lecturing me about lecturing.

Unfortunately if he brings the zorb and it hurts someone while it will indeed be "on him" that person will still be injured no amount of "told you so" directed at Sparr will change that. That is the point that he, and now you it seems, can't grasp. I've had my burn fucked and ended up in hospital in Reno, I can assure you it's not something I'd wish on anyone. Sorry that I give enough of a shit about my fellow burners that Sparr's (and now your) nonchalance is frustrating enough for me to continue to speak up.