Specious reasoning I think and a nice distinction. As I said I think you’re on a very slippery slope - it is arguable that virtually any negative outcome can be categorised as self-inflicted and therefore just deserts, merely blameworthy or a source of Schadenfreude. Burn yourself cooking? Drown in your pool? Crash your car? Poison yourself with CO? Why should those be considered less blameworthy than injuring yourself helicopter skiing?
I am not sure why extreme sports would be differentiated from other types of ‘extreme’ activity either - I have an old schoolfriend who runs extreme marathons and does those 100km runs in the Antarctic/Arctic/Atacama desert/Gobi etc, if she breaks her leg, should she be treated differently from someone on the Ross iceshelf doing research, who has the same injury?
Does the amount of sponsorship money she raises for good causes make a difference?
I’ve just been looking back on the thread and why we got to speaking about extreme sports in the first place. I don’t think I ever mentioned anything negative or the word ‘blameworthy’ when doing extreme sports and I’m all for everyone choosing their own lifestyle and living as they please. Leisure and pleasure are personal to each and every one of us. For me there are poles of difference between someone working to raise money for other people and someone engaging in an extreme leisure activity for their own personal pleasure on their own. I was simply implying that people who engage in ‘obviously’ dangerous sports for their own individual pleasure should be financially responsible for themselves (and I’m certain that they are). The idea was that people’s lives are their own and don’t ‘belong to anyone else’. The risks they take are also their own for which they should take responsibility. As far as treament is concerned, I never suggested that anyone should be treated differently.
Cooking although a leisure activity for some is also a fundemental part of most people’s daily lives, as is driving. However, personally and this is really only my opinion, I don’t consider helicopter skiing as a necessary part of most people’s daily lives (unless of course it’s their job for which they’re paid).
Surely the answer isobvious, and it isnothing to do withmoral high tone oranything other than Business Decsison made by and through th Actuarial Judgements of Insurance Companies. In other words the number crunchers who look at where and what claims are made against them (and other Companies) and identify and assess the risks accordingly;
There seems to be a fantasy around that Insurance Companies are there to serve you, which is not true. They are in business to make a profit like very other company. Take out a Life policy and see what they regard as risks - and what payments they should be made for them to accept the risk and still profit. Lifestyles eg Smokers, sports people of all types, hobbies, and jobs are all part of the equation.
I don’t know but I would think that the RNLI and orther such organisations also need to carry insurance, and probably their fundraising allows them to pay for this? NB I stand to be corrected on that, but I did have a Swiss Helicopter Rescue Service client at one stage - and I know they couldn’t put their aircraft in the air without insurance. Yes it wasn’t a charity or government operation, but no matter things have to be paid for - and make no mistake very often the people who are rescued are the first to try and find ways to sue the rescuers! Look at Doctors and Hospitals as very good.example of this.
I have often thought that people should have to sign a disclaimer before receiving treatment. When medical people make a mistake, there should be an investigation to enable procedures to be put in place to prevent a recurrence. And of course, malpractice should be punished. But any medical procedure carries a risk and taking millions out of the Health Service in claims and legal expenses just makes it harder for them to provide an adequate service.
I suspect that the first two of those have already paid through duties levied by the Government on fags and booze. Drug addicts don’t have any money. The obese are victims of an immoral manufactured food industry that should be taxed out of existence.
Hi Timothy, I’m not sure that smoking, drug taking, alcoholism and obesity are 'hobbies, sports and leisure activities I’d put down on my CV either … I’d consider them more as ‘life choices’ and an entirely different kettle of fish. The subject was initially about resposibilty for oneself when engaging in extreme sports. …
Norman, absolutely correct. Yes the RNLI have liability as do the REGA. I have a liability on my model aircraft and the real one which includes me as well. So you are correct on the life policy as well, mention Motorcycling flying or parachuting and you can see the agents eyes glowing with glee and they rotate like a one armed bandit.
I was just surprised at the list of extreme sports given as they are quite different to what I would have expected to find. I would never have considered roller blading to be an extreme sport.
- this was in reply to the comment about the ‘slippery slope’…
… I’d consider them more as ‘life choices’ and an entirely different kettle of fish. The subject was initially about resposibilty for oneself when engaging in extreme sports. …
