Dangers at Sea, Dangers on Land

[StuM]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Yeah...??
Prove it...

Guess it's time for someone to do a poll on wearing PFDs

[Downline]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Yeah...??
Prove it...

I remember watching a movie a couple of years ago. Can't remember the name but clearly remember Jack Nicholson proclaiming that 95% of all people are wrong.

[JPA Cate]

Yeah,

And I heard that 93.79% of all statistics are made up on the spot. Like that one. ;-)

Ann

[rgscpat]

No doubt, millions of lives could be saved each year if our governments would just have the courage to do the right thing and ban or at least regulate or require training for spoons. Spoon abuse likely contributes to vastly more mortality than guns, anchors, PFD non-use, sharks, shipping containers, pirates, nuclear reactor accidents, strikes by booms, or personal watercraft.

And who was it who said that routine is far more lethal than adventure?

[Coops]

Statistics have proven that 75% of people make up 3/4 of the world's population.

Coops.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

The odds of that are so infinitesimal as to be not worthy of mention.

I expect the issues of kids cruising being lost to be considerably less likely than a kid being shot at school in USA. At least thats what we read in the press.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Most people these days are wrapped up firmly in cotton wool.

I am called a crazy old Coot because I live to enjoy my life, I do know the risks I am taking, Its all calculated, I am prepared for most, I look to the worst case, any thing below that is a Bonus,

Everyday Mundane Dull things I do for me, Terrorize and scare the crap out of most people I talk to,

Oh Thats so dangerous, I could never do that, Thats because they never tried, Or too lazy to get off their Butts and have a go,

Or some one told them it is Dangerous,

I taught a woman to ride a motor bike when she was 61, She had never been on a Motor bike before,
She got her licence and bought her own bikes, Ended up on a 750 CC Kwaka, At 64, She rode quite well,

That Freaked so many people out it wasnt funny, YOUR GOING TO DIE, Temporary Citizen, Good Grief, Give me a break, Get a life,

One thing a lot of people seem to miss is,
You cant base other peoples experience on your own, Or lack off,

Unless you have actually done it, You dont have a clue, Reading it on the internet is not doing it,

Safety in anything, Is how you perceive it to be, If you think its dangerous, dont do it, It is your choice,

Some things I wont do, Bungee Jumping, throwing myself out of a safe airplane,
Unless I have to, I wont swim in the Ocean either,, I consider that Dangerous to me,

PS, I am very Capable, In all I do,

Doesn't alter the fact that bike riding is is inherently dangerous than driving a car with airbags these days. As you indicate everyone has their own fears.

I personally struggle to understand people on the water who don't swim and love being in the water..

My passion is diving including spearfishing including interactions with plenty of sharks and yet I have no intention of risking my skin with a bike on the busy roadways.

Guess everyone has their own perception of danger.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by StuM

Guess it's time for someone to do a poll on wearing PFDs

LOL... no need... how many threads have been on here where folk go on about always clipping on and how a PFD's like a second skin.. even in perfect conditions..
I know I've had flak in the past for not using these.. and seeing as its roughly been 1 in 20 who are in agreement with me I figured it was a fairly safe statistic with CF members..

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by downunder

Doesn't alter the fact that bike riding is is inherently dangerous than driving a car with airbags these days. As you indicate everyone has their own fears.

I personally struggle to understand people on the water who don't swim and love being in the water..

My passion is diving including spearfishing including interactions with plenty of sharks and yet I have no intention of risking my skin with a bike on the busy roadways.

Guess everyone has their own perception of danger.

I can swim, I used to go spearfishing with snorkel and Weights, Had a 4 foot seas snake six inches from my face In Mackay Harbour and the rocks along the beach, Where the channel is, Its full of big sharks, Big deal,

Is that Big Groper still there with the spears hanging out of it, Under the wharfe,
I just prefer not to go into the water, Unless necessary, Thats my choice,

Cars with air bags, Modern technology, Its great, No Doubt, One of my vehicles has them, Sides and front,

Its Cotton Wool your wrapped in, They still have to cut whats left of you out of it,

Like Atgatt on bikes, They think they wont get hurt with Full Leathers on, Duuuhhhh.
I started off, Riding Speedway Solo, Precautions there, Dont hit the Wall,
Brakes are, Turning the Motor Off,

Like I said, Prepare for the worst, anything less, Is a walk in the park, But thats Eminently Dangerous as well, You might get Mugged,
A Gum tree might drop a branch and still kill you, On a dead still day,

The day you stay home in bed because the vibes are wrong for you, Thats the day the aircraft engine comes thru your roof, and kills you in bed,

Common sense isnt so common any more,
If you have Fears, Thats also your choice on how you deal with it,

[Mr B]

95 Kilometres per hour on Port Phillip Bay yesterday, Thats also Bass Straight's weather as well,
From Adelaide to Eden, Victoria and Tasmania, All copped it,
Its only separated by a half Kilometre of the Rip,
I was standing on the banks of Western Port Bay yesterday, Seen it with my own eyes,
Nice day, not to be out there,
It came across from Perth, Great Australian Bight, also known as the Southern Ocean, If you want to be Pedantic about it,

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Downline

I remember watching a movie a couple of years ago. Can't remember the name but clearly remember Jack Nicholson proclaiming that 95% of all people are wrong.

So... I take it your assuming Nicholson's Hollywood scriptwriter was in the 5%...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

Perceptions matter. In a famous experiment a Dutch town removed all road signs, markings, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, and even most sidewalks and bike paths.
The result was significant reduction in traffic fatalities. That's because everyone perceived the situation as more dangerous, and thus paid more attention to their surroundings. As a result everybody ended up safer...

On a sailboat we are constantly interacting with our surroundings. At least, to me that is the essence of sailing. I think that sailing teaches a lot about being aware of your surroundings, and the risks and opportunities it presents (just like many other outdoors activities). I think that making your children part of that is doing them a huge favour, even at a very young age.

And I think that people tend to worry to much about their kids nowadays. A child is probably less likely to suddenly need the kind of medical attention that requires immediate hospitalisation than an adult.
Kids don't often get strokes or heart attacks...

The results were not nearly as convincing as you make out

"The Laweiplein Shared Space "squareabout" in the small town of Drachten, has been the subject of much hype. Many claims are made for a low accident rate here but the evidence does not support this. In fact, this one intersection was the scene of more cyclist crashes and injuries than the conventional Dutch roundabout a few metres to the east. The Laweiplein causes injuries to cyclists at a rate higher than all nineteen roundabouts in Assen combined. Blue flags for crashes, yellow where injuries have occurred."


dave

[goboatingnow]

Lets face it.. dangers on sailboats boil down to peoples preconceptions and backgrounds..
95% of folk in this forum likely wear a life jacket all the time on a boat.. won't leave the cockpit without clipping on.. 50% likely even clip on in the cockpit..
As for operating anchors, windlass's, winches etc.. if one is used to manual work no problem.. if a keyboards more your forte.. unfamiliarity creates uncertainty therefore = dangerous
I do not use life jackets or harnesses.. ever.. no matter how bad the weather.. I anchor bare foot.. and by hand if the boat is under 35ft.. going up a mast is a laugh.. and I stand up driving my dinghy.
Danger is like Porn... each person has a different perception..

PS: Confidence in ones own physical capabilities plays a large part as well

All very good phil, I would take serious issue re not using harnesses, Ive personally seen it save two people.

The point is , fate only has to catch you napping once...., somewhat like Steve Fosset or Steve Irwin, and remember there is "no fool like an old....."

The issues are simple , being careful and taking precautions does not mean we (they , you ) are wrapped in cotton wool.

Dave

[K_V_B]

And don't forget Tabarly. Never wore a harness or life jacket...

Then again, that's maybe how he wanted to end.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

All very good phil, I would take serious issue re not using harnesses, Ive personally seen it save two people.

The point is , fate only has to catch you napping once...., somewhat like Steve Fosset or Steve Irwin, and remember there is "no fool like an old....."

The issues are simple , being careful and taking precautions does not mean we (they , you ) are wrapped in cotton wool.

Dave

LOL... I tend to be pragmatic about these things.. been told I'll die of lung cancer, liver or kidney failure, heart disease, STD etc most of my life.. so a life jacket and life line are somewhat trivial things to fret about..
If its fun or gives you pleasure it'll get ya sooner or later..
So far.. soooooo good..