Mountain Rescue Leader Hits Back At Press

I am all for charging people for the cost of the rescue if they have been completely neglegant as it appears this old geezer was (Obviously don't have all the facts but...). Did he really think that his walking companion would just not care? how much does a quick phone call cost?

Fair enough if you prepare well, act responsibly and are unlucky or have an accident then god bless the rescue services for being there. But to be the subject of a search that could be very easily avoided and not risked the lives of the mountain resuce guys is just plain stupid.

He could even have popped into the local police station or phoned them to say he was safe, but NO!!

deserve's to be charged if you ask me, might stop them doing it !!

and it also means the funds will be there for the people who genuinely need the mountain rescue.

Posted: 22/05/2002 at 17:14

Is it not more likely that this 'charge' the daily comics refer to is indicative of the charges that "would" have been incurred had the rescue people "actually" charged for their services, if you see what I mean?

It seems a common area for tabloid journos' gross exaggerations, always misrepresentative of the truth.

It p***es me off. A lot.

Posted: 22/05/2002 at 17:28

Very difficult to charge for,he didn't ask to be resued, as far as we know he didn't actually get lost, and he definately didn't need resuing.
It would be a very slippery slope, next thing you know couple of day trippers see people apparently "in trouble" hanging off a rock face and they phone out mountain resue, and the poor climbers get billed for it.
There's more logic in billing people who need rescuing.
Maybe they should charge whoever phones moutain rescue, after all they are actually the ones who caused the expense.

"Hello this is mountain rescue, your call is currently in a queue, please have your credit card number handy..."

If they are going to start charging then everyones going to have to get insurance (or face losing their houses) and that is in none of our interests.

Posted: 22/05/2002 at 18:11