2007 Matrix: gripes

If I ever make it back to your neck of the woods, I'll take you climbing and rappelling. If we don't have Scouts along, I can cut out some of the redundant rescue gear so we can travel a little lighter and easier. Better yet, come out here and we'll go to Devil's Lake State Park in Baraboo, WI

Here is a site with pictures of some of the climbing areas:

I was going to mention something about pic 26 before I clicked on the link!

Although I have done some mild rapelling, I guess I never told you I'm a coward who's agorophobic...?

You can't see the ground in pic 26, but my head is probably only 6 or 8 feet off the ground (note the seams on the boards) because when I was up higher, the picture didn't turn out very well. My rap rope is locked off on the rescue 8 on my harness so I won't slide on the rope, and a belayer is standing by to tug on the rope in case I screw up (or down) ;-)

BTW, I think it is "acrophobia." Heights bother me too! You get used to it after 5 or 10 minutes standing on the edge, and as a buddy says, the rush during those 5 or 10 minutes is the next best thing to sex, and since we're married, we go rappelling ;-)

Um, I think you're correct:

"Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder which primarily consists of the fear of experiencing a difficult or embarrassing situation from which the sufferer cannot escape."

But I *AM* Agoraphobic, too! Esp when hanging upside down from a rope, no matter HOW far up! ;)

Man, I get the shivers watching someone do this in a MOVIE!!!

I did go to the deck on the World Trade Center (Well, the Observation 'floor', since it wasn't a deck...) and stepped down into one of the window wells they had so you could look down. STILL gave me the willies, and all I could think of was the glass popping out like the building in Boston...

It was a rush, though.

I used to work in W. Springfield and had to drive 391 to get to work. 391 is level with a couple of 5-story buildings, and one morning they were retarring the flat roof on one. Guy was right at the edge, looking down at his work, and that made my knees weak. NOT the job for me!!

If I can get an 11 year old Boy Scout to lean backwards over the edge and rappel 50 feet, I should be able to coach an old Yankee over. ;-)

BTW, we don't let the kids rappel upside down or face first, military style. The upside-down thing is only necessary if someone is hung up on a rope and panicking-flailing, and the rescuer does not want to get too close to the victim. The rescuer locks off above the victim and flips upside down to reach the victim and secure a pick off strap, then work at untangling the victim.

Thanks! Yeah, if I look at as a safety feature to let me know when a tire has developed a leak I haven't noticed, it's a nice feature.

One question--my owner's manual talks about the traction control system, but I didn't see there it says that little disclaimer to the effect that "If you didn't pay extra for this feature, they you don't have it, dum-dum!" However, I don't really remember it listed as an option otherwise I probably would have remembered it, and the light for it is replaced with a handy coin holder that appears to hold nearly a buck in quarters...

But now, you strap on fifty pounds and run to the top, and when you get there you're experiencing "minimal wheezing." Why you poor, decrepit old codger, you. ;-)

I tried rappelling years ago and thought it was fun. Now you need a "victim"? Is this a new torture? How times have changed! :-)

-Dave

When you turn the ignition to the on position without starting the car, there will be a "Trac Off" light illuminated. Also, if the car has traction control, there should be a "Trac" switch somewhere.

Yeah, it is tough getting old!

If a lot of people rappel on the same rope using a rappel device that looks like a figure 8, the rope becomes twisted. If someone at the top does not occasionally shake the twists out, it will eventually curl up and get stuck in the rappel device, leaving the rappeller hanging. Also, if the rappeller is wearing loose clothing, it is possible for the clothing to get caught up in the rappel device, leaving the rappeller hanging. If the rappeller does not know self-rescue techniques, the instructor has to drop another rope next to the rappeller and rig some foot loops with accessory cord so the rappeller can step into the loop and take pressure off of the rappel rope so it can be untangled. As long as the instructor knows what he or she is doing, the rescue (more like an assist) is easy and safe.

I don't have it because I didn't see it as an option.

I think Toyota hired unemployed Chrysler engineers to design their web page.

Traction control comes with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and is listed in the "options" link for the Matrix.

I, OTOH, really like the driver's seat height adjustment in my Corolla

- I have it at the highest position it'll go.

This was my main (albeit, it's fairly minor) gripe about the Matrix, & one reason I'd not consider buying it. I found the instrument panel's chrome-colored trim to be a distraction - kept noticing those silver-y circles in lower peripheral vision. Disliked it intensely. A friend bought one a few months ago & loves hers - to each one's own.

But I noticed this immediately when I was given a Matrix as a loaner one day. Did you get into the car & take it for a test drive before buying it?

Despite these little things that you don't like, the car should drive well & last a l-o-n-g time since it's basically a Corolla in different clothing.

Cathy

Finally, they f***ed up the speedometer by

Ray,

My last comment was only meant as a joke - hope you didn't take it otherwise!

I've only tried with some friends years ago. One guy had the gear and we were in the woods, and he was doing all the instructing. I remember it was fun, and as long as precautions such as what you mentioned it's actually safe! Have you ever had to rescue any of the victims - I mean, scouts?

-Dave

AHA! Is this the prescribed "way around it"? Ya know, to each THEIR own is wrong, and we all know the old saying is, "To each HIS own".

I had a friend in an English class, and he was the only male in the class, and it galled the teacher to no end because she had to say, "And I expect everyone to present his assignment on Friday."

I figured you were joking about the victim, but I wanted to explain that getting a victim unstuck is not all that difficult or dramatic. ;-)

I am pretty conscientious about untwisting the rope from the top of the rappel because it will feel kind of stiff when rigging the rappel device. I have never had a rappeller get hung up because I untwist the ropes and make sure all loose clothing is secured and hair is tied back or tucked under the helmet.

I have had quite a few scouts get to the 35 or 50 foot level of the climbing tower level and get too scared to rappel down or climb down the ladder (which is equipped with an auto-belay fall protection system. In those situations, I usually rig another rappel rope next to the first one, attach a pick-off strap to the rappeller, and rappel next to them. There is always a belayer on the rappel rope, and we rap on two ropes for an extra measure of safety. At the natural areas where we go, there is usually a way to walk down if someone who does not want to rappel.

In the case of cub scouts (6 - 10 years old) who have climbed onto the platform at the 20' level of the tower and who are too scared to step off and hang from the belay rope to come down, I climb up and try to calm them down. The kids who get that scared will sometimes start to cry, and that gets the other kids scared so if I can't calm him down in a few minutes, I rig the rappel ropes, attach the pick-off strap to the cub scout, and with a belayer still on the cub scout and another belayer for me, I pick up the kid around the waist with my left arm and rappel with my right. It takes less than 5 seconds to rappel 20 feet so it is a quick and safe way down.

Gotcha! Just wasn't sure if you knew I was joking..

I'm sure you've had your share of rescuing the 6-10 year olds! Still sounds like fun - for the warmer weather :-)

-Dave

I generally only have to "assist" 1 or 2 people a year off of the tower, out of the 500 or so I lead on climbing outings, and those are the ones who didn't heed my advice to "don't look down." ;-)

Warmer weather is approaching :-D

I may run up to our camp in Wisconsin to do some maintenance on the tower in May, and we're also trying to plan a climbing trip for the troop in May, I'll help teach an instructor class in June, and 4 Saturdays at summer camp in June and July for Cub Scouts. Hopefully, I can get in at least a dozen climbing days in this year.