Cliff diving without checking the water depth
From BearWiki
Claim: Jumping off a cliff without checking the water depth is a great way to get yourself killed.
One of the first rules of cliff jumping is to never dive into water for which the depth is not known. Taking risks in a survival situation is bad advice to begin with. Taking risks of a form that have a much better chance of killing you than of you surviving is particularly bad. Water depth cannot be accurately judged by looking from high above. In Copper Canyon, Bear does a more reasonable approach, measuring depth with a line. In the Rockies, however, he supposedly leaps without any checks, which is suicidal.
When being chased by a grizzly, don't kill yourself by jumping off a cliff. Standard advice, when facing a bear, is:[1]
- If you see a bear that is far away or doesn’t see you, turn around and go back, or circle far around. Don’t disturb it.
- If you see a bear that is close or it does see you, STAY CALM. Attacks are rare. Bears may approach or stand on their hind legs to get a better look at you. These are curious, not aggressive, bears. BE HUMAN. Stand tall, wave your arms, and speak in a loud and low voice. DO NOT RUN! Stand your ground or back away slowly and diagonally. If the bear follows, STOP.
- If a bear is charging, almost all charges are "bluff charges". DO NOT RUN! Olympic sprinters cannot outrun a bear, and running may trigger an instinctive reaction to "chase". Do not try to climb a tree unless it is literally right next to you and you can quickly get at least 30 feet up. STAND YOUR GROUND. Wave your arms and speak in a loud low voice. Many times charging bears have come within a few feet of a person and then veered off at the last second.
- If a bear approaches your campsite, aggressively chase it away. Make noise with pots and pans, throw rocks, and if needed, hit the bear. Do not let the bear get any food.
- If you have surprised a bear and are contacted or attacked and making noise or struggling has not discouraged an attack, play dead. Curl up in a ball with your hands laced behind your neck. The fetal position protects your vital organs. Lie still, and be silent. Surprised bears usually stop attacking once you are no longer a threat (i.e. "dead").
- If you have been stalked by a bear, a bear is approaching your campsite, or an attack is continuing long after you have ceased struggling, fight back! Predatory bears are often young bears that can be successfully intimidated or chased away. Use a stick or rocks or your hands and feet.
[edit] Analysis
- Support: Another example of over-dramatized and needlessly dangerous behavior endorsed by this show.
