Easy there! I think all of us feel that we are experienced to one degree or another. And, most of us are. What is hard for an individual to judge is just how experienced anyone is, including themselves; the ego gets in the way. The amount of time someone has spent involved in an activity does not really correlate with experience. There is a continuum between, for example, twenty years of experience and a year of experience repeated twenty times. I don't think anyone is qualified to say where they, or others, fall on this line.

Sociological research has repeatedly shown that experience will improve a persons performance up to a point (generally around ten years); beyond that point, added time tends to restrict the scope of a persons response to the unexpected (the autopilot effect). And yes, I am most likely a candidate for the autopilot effect myself. The book "Extreme Survival" illustrates the effect quite well.

I think it is presumptuous, at best, for any of us to judge others by what they say; what they actually do is a much better guide. Most of us here have a pretty good idea of what Jimshaw has done and is doing. Few of us, if any, have an idea of your resumé. Sure, Jim can be a cantankerous old toad; he has earned the right; not yet as sure about you.