Safety rant - don't be that guy

C_Run - good stuff - great FACT based addition to the conversation. Debated whether to buy a drysuit for AK - response from experienced AK paddlers was an almost universally affirmative YES, usually based on personal experiences.

There was a guy jogging yesterday without his rape whistle or helmet. I stopped him to make sure his mom wrote his name in his underware ....

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was it clean?

I'm torn on this topic.  I don't want anyone to tell me what I HAVE TO do.  I'm a thinking animal and I take my chances.  If I screw up and die so be it. 

Here's the rub:  If enough people leave their common sense at home when venturing out on the water, to the mountains, into traffic, crossing railroad tracks, etc, the government will step in.  Areas will be closed.  protective equipment will be legislated and hours of access will be limited.

Personally, I believe that we've done a disservice to humanity by errecting so many obstacles to natural selection.  It's just one more step toward Idiocracy and a failure to thrive society.

-Spot-

i gotta agree

It's an interesting topic. I wonder what safety cops' motivations are. Are they truly because they care about the well being of others, or because it gives them an opportunity to feel like they are smart and others are stupid. I suspect more the latter, but it's possible both are true at the same time. 

I catch myself thinking this way fairly often on the water (like others are idiots). But ultimately, who frickin cares.

if i had that job my main motivation would be a paycheck.

"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own,
and no obstacle should be placed in their path;
let them take risk, for God sake, let them get lost, sun burnt, stranded, drowned,
eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches -
that is the right and privilege of any free American."
--Edward Abbey--

from the home page of NWKA.......

+1... I might help if they show some signs if intelligence; don't struggle & follow instructions, need to be at least as smart as a dog.

OK, one last statement And I am done. I've thought a lot about this subject and this is the final layer of the onion. I talk to people who are about to make grave mistakes because I, ultimately, am selfish. I do not want to make that choice of whether to save that guy/gal or not. I have had to make the choice and it isn't fun. Do you risk yourself to save a life?

A inebriated guy walks into heavy current to relieve himself after several warnings not to. Gets dragged into the current makes three feeble attempts to swim and disappears under the surface. Choice: Do you wave goodbye, rejoin the party and toast natural selection? Or. Do you run downstream, watch the bottom and jump in to save that life? All the while knowing that the largest rapids of the river is just a 100 yards down stream.

I still have nightmares about that choice!

Wobbler (selfish) VanDyke

I got two little kids that need a father, drunk guy is on his own.  There's a difference in saving someone that got into trouble on accident, vs saving someone who got in trouble intentionally.

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I just don't think there are hard and fast rules here.  If I perceive a substantial risk of something bad happening, I'll say something.  If I'm in a situation that I may be able to help out and I perceive a substantial risk to my own safety, well, sorry, not much I can do there.  But how do YOU define substantial?  It's a personal assessment that varies from individual to individual.

-Allen

Two years ago, I would most likely be in the water after the drunk guy. Today, with my little girl waiting for her daddy to get home so she can give him a big ol' sloppy kiss, I'm with Lee. Drunk guy, bon voyage.

For me it depends greatly on the individual in trouble. If it is some one I know personally I will push my self more than for a complete stranger. Also I agree with Lee ... If you are in trouble for recklessness I have less compassion than incidental trouble.
Help if you can but I'm not risking my neck for reckless thrill seeker I don't know. 

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I generally wear my PDF about 90% of the time I'm in the kayak.  I'm not worried about me falling out, I'm worried about some PBer not seeing me.  I'd like my body to float.

It kind of sucks when the temp hits 100F over here though.

I can only remember one time not wearing a dry suit ... Sometimes the cold side of the mountains have their advantages.

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I fished Clear Lake on Tuesday after work.  I thought about wearing my dry suit.  Actually put it on.  Then took it off as I began to roast 10 seconds after zipping it up.  But that lake is no more than maybe 20' deep, and where I was fishing it was probably more like 4-5' deep.  Water temp was around 60-65F.  In other words, there was no need for a dry suit.  Even if I fell in, bonked my head and floated around for a couple hours before someone noticed I was in trouble I'd still not have succumbed to hypothermia.  Head trauma perhaps, but not hypothermia.

I've been suffering from head trauma for a long time. Falling on a rock aint gonna change a thing.

When I'm out with someone fishing I always explain any extra dangers I know of. If a complete stranger come by, he should make better friends. On this sight I only give safety advice when it's asked for. Mostly because all that someone needs to say is i'm going fishing and 11 safety cops jump on them like a drunk blonde at a frat party.