I see a lot of group paddlers contemplating leaving somehow incapacitated paddlers arguing that it is in their best interest. I have a lot of experience with group paddling, I am an aggressive intermediate and usually paddle with beginners and sometimes a few highly experienced people. Maybe it's the way I way I was brought up, maybe it's just local culture, but if I was ever abandoned by paddlemates because I was sick, slow or somehow incapacitated - I would see to it that my companions get a paddle to the head when I made it to shore. Abandonment is not an option. If they can't reasonably take care of themselves in certain situations - Don't put them in it. I expect the same respect when my life is in jeopardy. If someone is wussing out and a hurricane is closing in - tow em if you have to, the fact they are out there in such conditions is partly your fault and thus your responsibility to help them out. If they openly admit to being suicidal then yes, by all means try to help - if you can't help - screw em. I hope the reason no one is responding to this thread isn't because safety is underrated - it's that the moral fiber of this "community of paddlers" wouldn't let a friend in need down. Why paddle with anyone who disregards their and thus your safety? We shouldn't even be discussing this. You have a moral obligation to help them out. - Even if the legal duty isn't there. If a paddle partner was walking on thin ice over a fast moving river and fell through - Would you help? If you have an association to the person - by the laws governing public policy - you must. If it was a complete stranger you have no legal duty, but provided you are a person with any goodness in your body you still have a moral obligation to exhaust all means of rescue before you throw the towel in for them. All for one, One for all. Enough of this trivial thread Phil Huck thekayaker_at_yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free _at_yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Apr 01 1999 - 16:41:43 PST
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