Standing too far away from the rock

I saw someone mess up their ankle standing too far away.

I messed up someone with my lack of experience lead belaying. I was too far from the wall and caused the leader rope burn on his leg. He fell past the first bolt clipping ths second. I got my shit together after that!

I tried to teach a friend is very subject when I saw he was standing too far away. I told him five times stop standing more than two or three feet from the wall. You could get busted up or drop me. He persisted so yelled "take" at the top. I fell when I was almost on him. The fall still caused him to take a couple unbalanced steps and get pushed up against the wall. He lowered me to the ground then we had a come to Jesus meeting. He asked him what would happen if I took a real lead fall and what if no Grigri?... He still doesn't have a clue! Lucky for me I have other partners.

Does anyone here get the ol " what? I'll catch you" when you know that person cant give a good catch to save your life?

O.L.D.S.A.G. wrote:It seems like it would be hard to place an opposing nut when climbing a .13 route. I mean do it if you can, but it's not always possible.

Then use a cam for your first piece

ChefMattThaner wrote: Then use a cam for your first piece

sometimes all you get is a nut placement.

GO

No injury, but I did once pull a girl off her feet who was belaying me standing too far from the cliff. Dragged her toward the cliff about ten feet, and I think I hit the deck, though not from very high up.

GO

climbing coastie wrote:I was leading in the gym on an overhanging section and told my belayer to take. Instead of taking in slack she stepped back. I outweighed her by a significant amount and when I let go she got yanked forward while letting go with her brake hand. ... Luckily she grabbed the rope (above the ATC) and slowed my fall so I didn't deck too hard.

I have seen similar events happen, and I have been pulled more than I thought possible at the time towards the first piece when I began lead belaying.

But I also don't mind my belayer moving away from the first piece if it is reasonably safe to do so, e.g. my belayer significantly outweighs me, a large amount of friction exists in the system, ect. I would be irritated by a rule in a gym, effective as it may be, that specified how far one can stand from the wall.