Teaching safety by example

[The Kraken]

Most accidents are caused by gravity, in one way or another. I think it should be outlawed.

 

[FreeFloat]

Bike helmet laws? I didn't know about those. What kind of a spineless society would even accept such a thing?



I couldn't believe it when they passed seat belt laws...I'll bet burglers love all the seatbelt road blocks they set up everyplace on the weekend. As a taxpayer I'd rather they park a cop in front of my property to keep an eye on things while I'm not there. I don't give a darn who wears a seatbelt and who doesn't.

You must be a Darwin Awards fan

Seriously seatbelts are a proven safety measure. I suppose I do kinda agree with you though that if an individual decides he'd rather accept the risk of driving around while not wearing one, he's unlikely to affect anyone else with his demise in an accident. Other than his grieving family, or any passengers in his car..........

If the technology is available, proven, and not terribly inconvenient, I don't see why people still argue against using it. Perhaps I should strap a tank on my back and go diving... no BC, I can lose all them pesky weights......... no SPG or safe-second required either, after all, just breathe til it gets hard then come up, right? And safe seconds are for wusses who can't buddy breathe.

 

[simbrooks]

Keep in mind though that nowadays there's sort of a "panic mode" about "protecting" kids in every possible way.
Jeepers Creepers how are kids supposed to experience anything these days when everything comes pre-sanitized and tamed down for them?? It's no wonder they grow up without any appreciation for risk!!!

Have you also noticed how many parents sanitize their kids with throw away wipes. I think part of being a child is rolling in the dirt, getting used to bacteria and having a healthy immune system, how can you have that if the "nasty germs" are wiped off you immeadiately or you arent allowed to play in those areas anymore? Personally i think the world is slowly getting madder and madder by the day, there are so many things that have gotten so convoluted and messed up by people trying to fix problems that arent there. Kids are a little more fragile that adults (except senior citizens), but they are rubbery and bounce for that very reason of surviving the kinds of things kids normally (and we all used to) do.

Saying that i wear a bike helmet and seat belt (unless driving the car from the drive to the next street), PFD's are generally for wimps though, but i had to wear them to participate in sailing, windsurfing and kayaking events in the past. Like Cancun Mark i feel my skills in those sports are enough to stop injuries in all but the most extreme conditions (then i wear the PFD in those big bad conditions), however the speeds in biking can be a bit much at times and the surface to land on a little harder than water to truly be sure everything will turn out fine

 

[murphdivers286]

I agree some people take safety too far, but I also agree some people don't use enough safety. (Think about all of the diving accidents, most dealing with safety problems) Some people believe "better safe then sorry".

I know kids are to experience life, but do they have to end up in the hospital or the morge to experience life.

I do agree with the original post, you should try to be a role model for your children. Not the old, "do what I tell you, not what I do!" speech.

 

[RIDIVER501]

Since there is already the law of gravity, should we call it the outlaw of gravity, or the amendment of gravity?

 

[glbirch]

Keep in mind though that nowadays there's sort of a "panic mode" about "protecting" kids in every possible way. Not that I disagree with seatbelts, bike helmets, lifejackets, etc, but sometimes the pendulum swings too far. Playgrounds are being torn down because the steel aparatus that have entertained kids for generations are being deemed "unsafe" and they are being replaced (when they're even replaced) by weird shaped plastic formed structures that are so "safe" they're boring. Kids aren't being allowed to climb trees, etc. Where I used to live was a family where the mother would walk beside her daughter whenever the daughter would ride her bike down the paved laneway........the daughter was 10 or 12 years old.

Jeepers Creepers how are kids supposed to experience anything these days when everything comes pre-sanitized and tamed down for them?? It's no wonder they grow up without any appreciation for risk!!!

just my 2psi............"feel free to breathe it or leave it in the tank", as someone else once said

Now there's an argument I've had more than once, and a point that I am in comlete agreement with. Sadly I think it is partly driven by the lawsuit-crazy society we have these days. Kid hurts himself on 'dangerous' playground equipment. Parents sue for $1,000,000 and win. Every other playground in the country reacts to protect themselves from a similar lawsuit by getting rid of equipment. Etc.

 

[simbrooks]

Now there's an argument I've had more than once, and a point that I am in comlete agreement with. Sadly I think it is partly driven by the lawsuit-crazy society we have these days. Kid hurts himself on 'dangerous' playground equipment. Parents sue for $1,000,000 and win. Every other playground in the country reacts to protect themselves from a similar lawsuit by getting rid of equipment. Etc.

Can they take all that spare/scrap steel and use it to help increase the steel supplies that are currently dwindling??

Not that there has been any kind of gas shortage or price increase lately, but someone is making big from selling plastics for these new softer playgrounds and at least they are using old tires for something sensible in that padded flooring stuff - but kids dont need that, cuts and scrapes are part of being a kid - suck it up parents!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Now there's an argument I've had more than once, and a point that I am in comlete agreement with. Sadly I think it is partly driven by the lawsuit-crazy society we have these days. Kid hurts himself on 'dangerous' playground equipment. Parents sue for $1,000,000 and win. Every other playground in the country reacts to protect themselves from a similar lawsuit by getting rid of equipment. Etc.

You've nailed it. Safety laws are less about protecting potential "victims" than about protecting potential defendents.

Safety advocates weren't the ones who got seatbelt laws passed ... that would be the insurance companies.

On the other hand, I also agree with the original premise. Kids learn by imitating their parents ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Lightning Fish]

Bike helmet laws? I didn't know about those. What kind of a spineless society would even accept such a thing?



I couldn't believe it when they passed seat belt laws...I'll bet burglers love all the seatbelt road blocks they set up everyplace on the weekend. As a taxpayer I'd rather they park a cop in front of my property to keep an eye on things while I'm not there. I don't give a darn who wears a seatbelt and who doesn't.

British Columbia has bike helmet laws, though it isn't enforced. There is also a helmet law for motorbike riders. One of the big arguments for these laws is it is our tax dollars that keep the injured alive and a head injury can be permanent and expensive. I know my tax money can be put to better uses (such as education, cancer research, etc.), when there are safety devices to help prevent an injury in the first place.

Bill.

 

[HarleyDiver]

I never have understood why so many people think they have the right to tell me how to live my life. As far as I am concerned ALL laws telling me what I have to do to "protect" myself are a bunch of crap.

And if I crack my head open falling off my Harley, LEAVE ME BE, Its my problem not yours...

End of rant...