Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com wrote: >Well, FWIW, here are a few thoughts that come to mind, for better or worse... > >The trick is using money to innocent the paddler without getting the government involved, and not running up the price of kayaking with a bunch of add-on costs. But, what if paddlers were only charged more for ignoring safety (or at least the awareness of safety issues)? > >For instance, suppose the retailers and manufacturers offered an industry sanctioned, organized, and administered safety course. The course is free. When you pass, you get a certificate or something. > >The retailers increase the price of EVERYTHING in the store by 1%. When you buy from them and show them your wallet size certificate (or put your certificate number on file in your outfitters customer account file) you are given a 1% "safety discount". Those who never took the course are not given the discount, would pay 1% more than the rest of us, and thereby fund the program - no cost to the manufacturers, retailers or to you and I who are safety aware. > >So, would the unaware, care? Well, if I'm buying a $2800 boat, the 1% is significant. If I'm buying a $5 whistle, it isn't.... until I buy a whistle, pump, flares, dye, signal mirror, etc etc. Pennies begin to add up to big bucks. Once a paddler realizes that taking the safety course can save them some significant dollars, and the course itself is free, maybe they'll take the course. > > Hi Rick. This might work, but the 1 percent would be a bit low. Since most of the people we truly need to reach are in the recreational market they aren't going for the $2800 boat. If I am buying a $500 dollar boat with say $100 in accessories ($75 for a "good" paddle and $25 for a cheap PFD because the Coast Guard says I HAVE to have one) the "penalty" is only $6. Would I feel that $6 is worth the time and effort of attending a safety course? Probably not. (Personally, I took the Power Squadron safety course as soon as I started boating, but that is me.) If you increase the rate to 5 or 10 percent then you are making an impact. For a $30 savings I would be more interested. The next problem would be getting all of the mass merchandisers on line with the program. The dedicated shops for the most part are already preaching safety to any who will listen. The only way I can see the *Marts of the world getting in on this is if the manufacturers offer an "instant rebate" on all purchases by a person who has passed the course. Mass merchandisers really don't want the extra bother. If we could get the manufacturers (who already have their own group, so they could be talked to as one group rather than individually) to add the "fee" on before the retailer gets the product and then donate all non rebated proceeds to the safety organization we are talking about creating here (minus a fee for the manufacturers trouble in keeping track) it might work. The final problem would be in setting up the teaching organization in the first place. This might well be handled by the ACA, BCU, or The Canadian equivalent (sorry, I forgot the name!) in their home countries. After all, these organizations already teach safety to all who want to attend. This way the attendance fees would be paid by "the system" rather than the individual. This would also result in these organizations having more money to pursue safety education. The idea isn't full of holes, but it wouldn't be an easy task. Mike Noyes Chester, NH http://gsinet.net/~mnoyes/ -- Paddling along through fog so thick that only one's thoughts are visible, your reverie is abruptly shattered by the ancient cry of a great blue heron as she lifts uncertainly from the brilliant blue of a mussel-shell beach witnessed only by the brooding, wet spruce....your passage home seems as much back through time as it does through space. Mark H Hunt *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Apr 17 2002 - 07:31:03 PDT
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