Re: [Paddlewise] Philosophies on Risk

>Part of the "problem" of PaddleWise is that it houses both elite
>paddlers of long experience and high skill with newcomers and others of
>lesser skill and experience.  

And there are always that group of intermediate paddlers (myself
included) who have progressed in learning skills rapidly, but have not
had the years of experience (to use a "Doug-ism") think
three-dimensionally.  Some of these paddlers go on to become old, expert
paddlers.  I want to become one of those people.  Some of these paddlers
get too cocky in their perception of their own abilities and get in way
over their heads--this is occurring more and more in WW paddling.  I do
not want to become one of these people.  I appreciate all the caveats
the expert paddlers attach to their reports, but it really boils down to
personal responsibility.  If a person has it, they'll heed the warnings
and stay near their limits to learn and become more skilled boaters.  If
a person lacks that responsibility, no amount of warnings on a listserv
will teach them the requisite responsibility.

>Sometimes in the wake of telling a tale of
>a risky situation overcomed through will and skill, a euphoria emerges
>in the listener who might overlook that will and skill and think it is
>okay to try the same without the will and skill.

And sometimes an irresponsible boater will go off and try something
daring and stupid without will and skill, and without any ideas from
experts who have overcome risky situations.

>Their element of "risk" is greatly reduced by that familiarity.  It
>doesn't hurt, as Scott has attempted, to keep reminding ourselves of
>that as a reality check on enthusiastic imitation.

I think you hit the nail right on the head here, Ralph.  We should judge
our element of risk based on our own familiarity, and not someone
else's.

Shawn

-- 
Shawn W. Baker          0                                    46°53'N
© 1999            ____©/______                              114°06'W
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^\  ,/      /~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
baker_at_montana.com    0        http://www.missoulaconcrete.com/shawn/
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