Gym Climbing Right-of-Way

Mark E Dixon wrote:

Anyone who knowingly and voluntarily climbs into a position where an adjacent climber can fall into him/her is a complete idiot.

The "experienced" climber who scolded the OP is both a rude busybody and hopelessly stuck in 1965.

Yup and yup.

Haven't even read past page one, but first one up has right of way in the gym, period. (At least in polite company and among those who are smart enough to know that gravity can be a harsh mistress.)

JaredG wrote:

+1.  I feel like most of the other responders must climb in uncrowded gyms and/or treat it like a social event.

I see you've never been to Movement Denver... First one up has right of way, and no, you (third person generic asshole you) are not busier than that person on the TR, or you would be up on the moon board anyways.

Thats why sometimes I just wait in my car outside of the gym until its not crowded then I rush it in and work on the problem.

It’s good to read that other people run into silly situations at the gym.

So I have one, you and two of your regular gym partners are leading. Two different routes. Both routes overlap each other. After I lower my friend a couple arrive before he unties, step on the lead rope, don’t say anything and start tying into the TR. I tell them we’re not finished. I get a dirty look from the guy but they walk away. Who’s got the right? Just kidding I know who’s right.

it's interesting that nobody has really brought up one of the main culprits in this scenario - ie the routesetters.  the gym that i currently go to on occasion is really, really bad about this sort of thing.  they have all sorts of lead routes that traverse back and forth over various bolt lines, etc.  the other night we saw a route that litterally would hose 1 bolt line to your right, and then cross back to the left and hose the 2 bolt lines on the left.

on another occasion i was leading a route that was at my limit, looked down and some guy on TR had traversed absolutely drop dead directly below me.  i was on bad holds and thought i was going to pitch.  luckily, he fell first and swung back to the left, then i fell really shortly after and would have plowed into him.

this kind of crappy route setting just gets everybody pissed at each other (at best) and could result in a lot worse.

Fehim Hasecic wrote:

A swing you said

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-AiRzPhXNGY

Yea i go to a gym that doesn't do retarded stuff like that we have ropes setup logically for routes. Our biggest swing would be maybe 5ft at most to the right of where she came off.

It sucks not being able to see the anchor in that swinging video, I'm curious as to how she swung that far. My first guess was poor belaying but it didn't look too bad.

Another thing to consider that proves that climber A has priority is what happens when Climber A gets to the top and lowers before Climber B gets to the top? They'll be lowering right onto Climber B.