GPS and PLD's

[Jasper]

Tpday's New York Times has and option piece by David Roberts on the expanding use of GPS and PLD. A good read as always.

 

[Peakbagr]

Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/opinion/when-gps-leads-to-s-o-s.html?_r=2

 

[Tom_Murphy]

PLBs - my experience

My wife bought me a PLB and insists I take it on all solo trips.

I would only use it if I was trully immobilized [broken bones in lower extremities] or had a head wound that affected consciousness AND was on a slightly used trail with little chance of fellow hikers.

I am aware of it in my pack when I am on solo bushwhacks and solo winter camping trips, so subconsciously it might be enabling me to do a few things that I would not have attempted without it. I don't think "ok I have the PLB so here goes" but I also know the thing is there, if that makes sense.

That said, I bailed out from an extended solo trip this winter due to a long term forecast of -20F temperature overnight temps.

 

[DougPaul]

One of the things missing from these "technology will lead us to ruin" articles is some real statistics for the situations before and after the introduction of the technology in question. For instance, how many unnecessary rescues were called out simply because people were out past their expected return time? Cell phones and some PLDs enable hikers to tell people that they are simply late but OK (or call in help for a real emergency...), but also make it easier for hikers to make potentially frivolous calls for help. Similarly GPSes may help some to get to places where they should not go, but have also prevented some from getting lost.

These technologies are double-edged swords replacing an imperfect prior system. These doomsayers often (generally?) forget that the prior system was also imperfect...

Until these articles start presenting the entire situations before and after with real statistics of all pros and cons, then I give them a great big YAWN.

Doug

 

[Remix]

Another frivolous opinion peace which provides no statistics on how many people were actually saved by locater technology....or how many might have been saved if they were required to carry such techology.

The obvious solution is to penalize the people who misuse the service instead of blaming technology.

A day is going to come when the state or forest service is going to get drones for SAR ( and poaching/illegal camping/compliance with environmental laws and building codes/natural resource surveys) - when it happens, I am sure people will point out loudly that personal locater technology could be used in place of drones.