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Stop saying 15-Jan-2015 At 9:52:40 AM Wendy

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On 15/01/2015 peteclimbs wrote:
>Re: the tug system
>
>I love it when you're climbing somewhere tall and windy and comms are
>tricky and your climber gives, say, two tugs to signal that they're safe,
>so you start taking them off belay. Halfway through the process of removing
>the rope from belay device they give another couple of big ol' tugs to
>make sure you got the message. Hopefully you know how to belay on a munter.

Climbers pulling the rope in whilst you are taking the rope out of the belay device happens all the time. Is it dangerous? Um, i don't think so. Just annoying. But use more tugs than 2!

Imagine you have a load of rope drag and you hoik up the rope, grab it in your mouth, then reach down to hoik up another. That could seem suspiciously like 2 tugs. And why repeat the tugs to confirm the message? Do it once, give them a moment to take the rope of belay then start taking in. If it feels like they are still on belay, given them another moment to take the rope out. If it still feels like they are on belay, well, they haven't been sure about your message and are being suitably cautious and keeping you on. keep taking the rope in and they will have to deal.

No one is going to die for having to feed rope out through a belay device, it will just be a bit tedious. Put them on belay and give 4 more tugs. Leave enough slack/time for them to take the belay device out, then start taking in. If they haven't managed to get the device out, well, it's not a safety issue to have it on the rope whilst they climb.
General issue is still - thinking about what you are doing and err on the side of caution.