Re: [Paddlewise] Arrogance reigns

Joe Pylka wrote:
> 
> >Yes, arrogance reigns and God protects drunkards and fools, as they say,
> >but so does the West Chester, PA Emergency Squad.
> >
> Which only underscores the victims' ignorance.  <snip>
> I am more bothered by the following interview, with the Emergency
> Director for Delaware County.  Sittling complacently behind his desk, saying
> that nobody has any business being on any river in a canoe or a kayak once
> the water rises.  You're only asking for trouble.
>         My concern is that, as has happened in other places,  the antics of
> the uninformed paddlers will impinge on the responsible activities of the
> knowledgeable paddler.  Especially when those access decisions will have
> been made by non-paddlers.  It wasn't that long ago that the famous incident
> occurred involving Davy Hearn and the Maryland Rangers......

I am in agreement with both Paul and Joe. It's not just ignorance and
arrogance. It's that in the eyes of the media and the public, they is
us. I'd bet that the news reports talked about the rescue of "two
canoeists" or "two paddlers," not "two lucky ignorant fools."

However, to set the record straight, it was the Park Police, I believe,
who arrested Davey, acting under the misinformed presumption that
because the river flows past their park, they can dictate who paddles
it. The Potomac is under the jurisdiction of Maryland DNR, and they had
not issued any kind of closure order.

AFAIK, nobody has the jurisdiction to close the ocean, thanks be.

Steve
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