What was the point of this mornings piece on BBC Breakfast about coasteering? (View Video)
Trailed during the programme along the lines of “Is Coasteering getting too dangerous? Should it be regulated?” the piece then seems to say go with an organised group and don’t throw yourself off a cliff after having a few pints.I would have thought that this applies to many things in life, not just coasteering. Should it instead have been trailed as “Are people getting stupider and should stupidity be regulated?”
Organised Coasteering is already one of the most difficult adventure activities to run within the AALA guidelines because of the mix of water and heights and requires an MIA to run the activity. MIA’s are professionals whose primary concern is safety, but as the instructor in the piece says, accidents do happen in an adventure activity where risk is involved. Operators have to run their activities according to strict guidelines and their risk assessments and insurance requirements ensure that they are as good as regulated. (Operators that cater for under 18′s are AALA regulated) As the BBC reporter says it is always a good idea to go with a professional operator.
As tragic as coasteering accidents are I would question the viability of regulating tombstoning. Boys will be boys and there will always be people wanting to push the boundaries. Is the next step to ban anyone taking part in and adventure activity without an instructor present and a full risk assessment in place?
I suspect this is the BBC just trying to sex up a pretty ordinary stort about one of their presenters having a perfectly safe and well organised jolly. So pleased don’t try and make everything controversial and call for regulation on the adventure industry, which already has an excellent safty record. Oh, and by the way you can’t regulate stupidity or do away with all risk in life.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
The media does seem to be filling airspace needlessly with controversy regarding coasteering. I guess they have a lot of gaps to fill in their 24 hours a day news reporting.
Coasteering like all adventure activities contains an element of risk that is why we do them. Providers of these activities are tasked with attempting to balance this thrill of challenge and adventure with informed risk assessment.
Risk and adventure are utterly essential in peoples development and in their day to day lives. At least they are in mine. I wouldn’t want to see a generation of molly coddled, overweight, console addicted, atrophied children out there!? Would you?
Matthew
http://www.CornishRockTors.com
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