An interesting take on Rescues and Searches

A friend forwarded me this this morning. It seems like a well written, thoughtful essay about the criminalization of risk. Plus, he starts with a quote from Edward Abbey.

http://www.chauvinguides.com/conditions.htm

We could just link to all the other threads on this subject, but that's no fun.

In my heart I believe there should be a sign at every trailhead that states "Enter at your own risk. You probably won't be found or rescued if you get lost or injured. You may die cold, in pain and alone. Entry acknowledges you understand this." But then some bushwhacker or illiterate would sue because they didn't get the message.

Chip said:

But then some bushwhacker or illiterate would sue because they didn't get the message.

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If they sue after they get rescued that would be really ungratefull but they could always be fined an equal amount.

If they weren't rescued, then no problem, natural selection has done it's job.

Chip said:

We could just link to all the other threads on this subject, but that's no fun.

In my heart I believe there should be a sign at every trailhead that states "Enter at your own risk. You probably won't be found or rescued if you get lost or injured. You may die cold, in pain and alone. Entry acknowledges you understand this." But then some bushwhacker or illiterate would sue because they didn't get the message.

Click to expand...

How about a sign like this one:

http://www.nelsonrocks.org/disclaimer.html

Chip said:

But then some bushwhacker or illiterate would sue because they didn't get the message.

Click to expand...

Substitute hiker for bushwacker and then you have it right.

dms said:

Substitute hiker for bushwacker and then you have it right.

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I think he was referring to the fact that a bushwhacker might not see a trailhead sign

Some of the warning signs in Rocky Mountain National Park used to begin "Mountains Don't Care" and go on about how nature doesn't take your feelings into consideration, of course by now they have probably given the mountains sensitivity training

And if it costs NH $175,000 annually for rescues, that is less that 10 cents per hiker not the $30 to $50 for insurance in Europe