I understand it happens a lot, but why? do these people just not pay attention to the fact that they are runing out of rope? Or do they not look down and see that their rope isn't long enough? I know I'll just rapel to the end and jump, thats a great Idea...
On the North Face of Concord Tower, there are a wad of rap slings about half way up the second pitch. After topping out on the short third pitch, we rapped off the top assuming we would reach the slings.
Wrong.
My partner almost slid off the ends because he was looking at the terrain and not the tail of the ropes. The ropes ended 10 ft or so above the slings.