Re: [Paddlewise] Jim--upset about placing his kids in danger

Matt,





Your ideas on this are very welcome. I keep going around in circles on this
issue. When I first started paddling, I used to say that everybody paddling in
the same group as me, had to WEAR their PFD. After a lot of discussions with
other paddlers and friends, I came to the conclusion that I wasn't the Paddle
Police. If someone chose not to wear a PFD, I would tell them that if they had
so little regard for their own life, that they should not expect me to put my
life in danger to help them if they were in trouble.





Now I've come full circle again. Although it sounds like my previous attitude
was a live and let live one, I don't think I could stand by and not help
someone if they were in trouble. Therefore, since I will have to put my own
safety at risk, I insist that those paddling with me do all they can to insure
their and ultimately my safety by refusing to let someone come along unless
they WEAR a PFD and USE a spray skirt.





Anytime, I start to feel a little complacent, I dig out my well worn copy of
"Deep Trouble" and re-read it again.





Steve Holtzman


  ----- Original Message ----- 


  From: Matt Broze 


  To: Paddlewise 


  Sent: December 14, 2001 5:05 PM


  Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Jim--upset about placing his kids in danger








  Matt said:





  I'd suggest approaching him in as non-judgmental a fashion as possible (he's

  not a criminal just ignorant). Maybe say something like this: "I've started



  kayaking and have been reading stories about kayaking accidents (on


  Paddlewise or maybe in Deep Trouble) and I was surprised to learn how easy a

  capsize can happen, how hard it is to recover from one and just how


  debilitating cold water can be to someone who's in the water.........





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