Re: [Paddlewise] PFD/Safety equipment debate

From: D Lee <snorkler_at_juno.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 19:24:26 -0700
I see the PFD issue like I see the seat belt issue.  Some people say you
don't need to wear a seat belt in a parking lot at 5 mph, or they claim
they don't need one driving to the grocery store where the speed limit is
<25 mph.  Or statistically they can drive 100,000 miles before an
accident is likely to happen.  But when that drag racer comes across the
intersection at 65 mph and clobbers them, they won't have time to put it
on.  Or when the kid coming the other way bends over to pick up a nickel
that he dropped, and crosses the center line, you've got a 50 mph head-on
collision that isn't going to wait until you buckle up.

Similarly, you might not need a PFD 99.9% of the time, but if and when
you do need it, you might not have time to put it on.  Let's say you're
drifting down a river and tip on an unseen log or rock, knock yourself
unconscious when falling, and your paddling partner doesn't look back for
a minute or two.  Life is full of freak accidents, and the odds favor
those who take prudent measures.

Darrell Lee
Alameda, CA
snorkler_at_juno.com

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Received on Tue Aug 22 2000 - 19:43:32 PDT

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