[mr chaz]

On problems with contorted first moves; get established on the wall using any old holds, then bring one’s hands to lightly dab the start holds prior to continuing. (This one always seems to boil my piss, and I really shouldn’t care).

Those run and jump starts never saw me coming

[mrjonathanr]

Apologies for the long post.
I tried an indoor problem recently which looked great. Couldn’t do the first move! Persisted, got to the second, fell off repeatedly, then the third etc. Finally held the top, fell off matching. It was a real battle to get that far. Annoying.

Rested, then finally finished and matched, because falling off earlier, you’re kidding yourself about completing the problem. I think everyone on here would be the same. However, I really don’t care what anyone else does, it’s only a game after all.

Posting a video and presenting it as a successful ascent would be a game changer though, because that is a public statement. If I present my view to you, I have to accept you have a right to reply. Hopefully, courteously and tactfully.

Social media appear simultaneously public and private. People make public posts, but it feels like talking to a few people they feel secure with. Like here; it feels like I am talking to the other posters on ukb, whom I either know face to face, or have a familiarity with based on their posts. In reality, I’m just posting on the internet where anyone can see and comment- even harshly, if that’s what they want.

If I saw someone’s post presenting a non-ascent (to me, eg dabbed, wrong holds etc) as an ascent, I’d maybe shake my head and pass by, but it’s legitimate to comment. Needs to be done in the way that you would if you could look them in the eye and say it though. The reality is that it’s easy to post behind a keyboard something you’d do differently in person and it’s magnified because the person reading it will feel it’s intrusive, because their curated feed feels like their own protected space. Plus most people are looking for approbation, not a realistic take on their shortcomings.

It’s a generational thing, to some degree. Different demographics may have different expectations around internet etiquette. Personally, I’d avoid posting critically, because it can obviously be hurtful and that’s a crass thing to, depending on who is on the receiving end. However, I don’t think you can be aggrieved if you make a public statement and it gets an honest response from the public, that’s cakeism, you need to reconsider how the platform works in that case.

[User deactivated.]

The worst are the 'comp blocks' with set starting feet. Usually, this means the first move is pulling on with one foot on a hold and the other smearing the wall in a perfectly reasonable position, then being forced to do a ridiculous foot match on the designated starting foothold before bringing it back to where it was. I don't follow this rule anymore.

[spidermonkey09]

around his waste is a chalk bag....

Looks were exchanged in the crowd.

No wonder.

[tommytwotone]

Just popping in to say that people climbing obviously overgraded problems but still taking the grade and propagating it through social media is a far more heinous crime then a cheeky power-shart jet boost off a spotter's face.
The former is very rarely called out and almost always met with protestations when it is.

As you were.

There was a spate of this about ~5 years ago with every man and his dog posting "psyched to tick Pebble Wall at Caley today" type spray, then accompanying it with a video of them doing the much easier c.6c line about 2 metres to the right of where Pebble Wall goes.

Don't get me wrong "not Pebble Wall" (or whatever it is) is a decent enough problem (I've done it, but am under no illusions I've climbed a c.7b slab) but it's just not Pebble Wall!

[Dingdong]

Theres currently a video doing the rounds of someone doing “David” at mother cap - when in reality they’ve traverse left to the easier 6A+ on the arête. Even in their description they mention that they may have gone off route but how excited they were to do their first 7B. These are the kind of things where we should be leaving a comment or messaging them to gently  tell them “back around”

[Wellsy]

When it goes to people climbing off line I think it is very reasonable to contact them, if you know them, and mention that they have gone off line, as otherwise that can mislead others into thinking the wrong line is the right one. That's not piss taking or bullying and nobody could accuse it of being that. If you don't know em it could be considered a bit odd but still reasonable imo. That's a bit different from a dab.

[tommytwotone]

The Pebble Wall thing was so prevalent that you'd have spent lots of time on it - I think it was as was mentioned above.
Someone does it (wrong), posts up, others see sees the video...the spiral begins.

[Wellsy]

Theres currently a video doing the rounds of someone doing “David” at mother cap - when in reality they’ve traverse left to the easier 6A+ on the arête. Even in their description they mention that they may have gone off route but how excited they were to do their first 7B. These are the kind of things where we should be leaving a comment or messaging them to gently  tell them “back around”

I know this person and I'm going to quietly discuss it with em but I definitely don't think that I'd ever have that conversation publicly or post their vid to say "look at this!" Etc

[Dingdong]

Theres currently a video doing the rounds of someone doing “David” at mother cap - when in reality they’ve traverse left to the easier 6A+ on the arête. Even in their description they mention that they may have gone off route but how excited they were to do their first 7B. These are the kind of things where we should be leaving a comment or messaging them to gently  tell them “back around”

I know this person and I'm going to quietly discuss it with em but I definitely don't think that I'd ever have that conversation publicly or post their vid to say "look at this!" Etc

I did send them a message gently letting them know they’d gone off route and that the main crux is directly above the crack - whether they care to take the advice and take down the video is their own decision

[spidermonkey09]

Interesting ethical/moral question; if you send a private message and nothing comes of it, is it then ok to comment publicly saying 'to anyone hoping to repeat this problem, this isn't the correct line and has missed out the crux.' ?

[User deactivated.]

Interesting ethical/moral question; if you send a private message and nothing comes of it, is it then ok to comment publicly saying 'to anyone hoping to repeat this problem, this isn't the correct line and has missed out the crux.' ?

My ego would decide. If it's a random problem I've never done and have no intentions of trying then I couldn't care less. If it's my hardest ascent and someone's trying to cheapen it then I'll write War and Peace slating them. Most problems will fall somewhere in the middle 

[Stabbsy]

The Pebble Wall thing was so prevalent that you'd have spent lots of time on it - I think it was as was mentioned above.
Someone does it (wrong), posts up, others see sees the video...the spiral begins.

I'd always wondered how much the guidebook was to blame on this one (the Total Climbing one). The photo is taken from the side so the lines aren't obvious. I can remember doing the 6C (in error), saying to my mate "there's no way that's 7B" and then trying to the left.

There was a similar misunderstanding when another mate told me he'd done Sewer Rat Connection (7B+) at Almscliff. I said "f**king hell, good effort" as I'd had a couple of sessions on it and was making minimal progress. We ended up at the crag together some months later and he pointed out what he'd done, which definitely wasn't Sewer Rat and was about 7A despite what the Total Climbing guide had to say. It continues to amaze me that people can't tell the difference.

[Teaboy]

It continues to amaze me that people can't tell the difference.

I’ll say it again, they absolutely can! (or it might just suit their style…..)

[tommytwotone]

The Pebble Wall thing was so prevalent that you'd have spent lots of time on it - I think it was as was mentioned above.
Someone does it (wrong), posts up, others see sees the video...the spiral begins.

I'd always wondered how much the guidebook was to blame on this one (the Total Climbing one). The photo is taken from the side so the lines aren't obvious. I can remember doing the 6C (in error), saying to my mate "there's no way that's 7B" and then trying to the left.

There was a similar misunderstanding when another mate told me he'd done Sewer Rat Connection (7B+) at Almscliff. I said "f**king hell, good effort" as I'd had a couple of sessions on it and was making minimal progress. We ended up at the crag together some months later and he pointed out what he'd done, which definitely wasn't Sewer Rat and was about 7A despite what the Total Climbing guide had to say. It continues to amaze me that people can't tell the difference.

I think that it part of the issue - I checked yesterday and for as much as I don't really like 27crags, in this respect they are correct!

[Br0mley]

Speaking of Sewer Rat check out this vid, with a criminal level dab

[webbo]

Speaking of Sewer Rat check out this vid, with a criminal level dab

Not the best example to use given Jon’s no longer around to defend himself.

[mrjonathanr]

Interesting ethical/moral question; if you send a private message and nothing comes of it, is it then ok to comment publicly saying 'to anyone hoping to repeat this problem, this isn't the correct line and has missed out the crux.' ?

My ego would decide. If it's a random problem I've never done and have no intentions of trying then I couldn't care less. If it's my hardest ascent and someone's trying to cheapen it then I'll write War and Peace slating them. Most problems will fall somewhere in the middle 

Ah, a sort of Anna Karenina of bouldering guidelines?

[remus]

It continues to amaze me that people can't tell the difference.

I don't think it's that surprising, bouldering grades can feel pretty whack sometimes. Some of the 'hardest' stuff I've done on grit was in a session, and then there's plenty of stuff 4-5 grades below that which has taken me 3+ sessions. Luck based scrittle etc.

[Br0mley]

Speaking of Sewer Rat check out this vid, with a criminal level dab

Not the best example to use given Jon’s no longer around to defend himself.

Ah fair, my bad. Wasn't aware of that

[Wellsy]

The Pebble Wall thing was so prevalent that you'd have spent lots of time on it - I think it was as was mentioned above.
Someone does it (wrong), posts up, others see sees the video...the spiral begins.

I'd always wondered how much the guidebook was to blame on this one (the Total Climbing one). The photo is taken from the side so the lines aren't obvious. I can remember doing the 6C (in error), saying to my mate "there's no way that's 7B" and then trying to the left.

There was a similar misunderstanding when another mate told me he'd done Sewer Rat Connection (7B+) at Almscliff. I said "f**king hell, good effort" as I'd had a couple of sessions on it and was making minimal progress. We ended up at the crag together some months later and he pointed out what he'd done, which definitely wasn't Sewer Rat and was about 7A despite what the Total Climbing guide had to say. It continues to amaze me that people can't tell the difference.

It amazes me that people can! A lot of grading is (imo) utterly nonsensical. Especially on grit.

[jwi]

Once I told some happy people at the crag that the 7a route they had all climbed was not the 7b+ to the left of what they climbed, as clearly indicated in the guidebook they held in their hands, and that they had not in fact all onsighted or flashed an 7b+. I have no idea why I bothered. 100% will not repeat.

[Will Hunt]

The Pebble Wall thing was so prevalent that you'd have spent lots of time on it - I think it was as was mentioned above.
Someone does it (wrong), posts up, others see sees the video...the spiral begins.

I'd always wondered how much the guidebook was to blame on this one (the Total Climbing one). The photo is taken from the side so the lines aren't obvious. I can remember doing the 6C (in error), saying to my mate "there's no way that's 7B" and then trying to the left.

There was a similar misunderstanding when another mate told me he'd done Sewer Rat Connection (7B+) at Almscliff. I said "f**king hell, good effort" as I'd had a couple of sessions on it and was making minimal progress. We ended up at the crag together some months later and he pointed out what he'd done, which definitely wasn't Sewer Rat and was about 7A despite what the Total Climbing guide had to say. It continues to amaze me that people can't tell the difference.

It amazes me that people can! A lot of grading is (imo) utterly nonsensical. Especially on grit.

If you're climbing on problems which have been recently developed or had little traffic then this is because people don't make any effort to challenge the FA's grade any more.

It's crazy that when people get consistently shut down by a particular grade then flash or otherwise piss a climb given that grade they don't seem to stop and wonder whether the grade could be wrong, especially on relatively new stuff.

Excuse my complaining. I was slightly triggered in this regard at the weekend and still not over it.

[tommytwotone]

...this is because people don't make any effort to challenge the FA's grade any more.

Well I can think of one exception that proves the rule there!

[teestub]

Excuse my complaining. I was slightly triggered in this regard at the weekend and still not over it.

It’s ok Will this is a safe space, tell us where the bad man misgraded