Maybe there should just be a moron tax?

[rootabaga]

Um, yes. These idiots should indeed be required to pay any cost associated with their rescue.

Man in inflatable bubble attempting to run on water from Florida to Bermuda rescued by Coast Guard | abc7news.com

 

[olbriar]

My hat's off to the guy for trying something like that but... I'm in no mood to fund his attempts and failures.

 

[zuben el genub]

Why didn't he have a support system like long distance swimmers?

 

[Stuntman]

Why didn't he have a support system like long distance swimmers?

Exactly what I was thinking. When people tried to swim the English Channel, they always took precautions in case something bad happens and they could not continue. This person should have at least funded any precautionary measures in case he needed to abort his attempt.

I'm not sure of what can be done to prevent this in the future. I figured that there are laws that require any vessel to be deemed seaworthy. Perhaps, the coast guard can force him to abandon his attempt due to the risk involved and the fact that his contraption is likely not sea worthy. It would at least force him to get a special permit to do such a stunt. The permit would at least force him to finance any safety measures and precautions himself before he sets out on this stunt. If someone has any knowledge of maritime law, please let us know if there is anything that can legally be done to at least force people like this to finance their own precautionary measures.

 

[dan330]

if lucky... he could travel 10mile per day average? wind and wave and currents would be in play.
so... 1000 miles... would be around 100days? 3 months?

if he got really lucky and had wind to his back the whole time.. maybe 20 miles a day.
so 50 days.. 1.5 months.

where would he get food to last that long?

 

[mikedt]

Exactly what I was thinking. When people tried to swim the English Channel, they always took precautions in case something bad happens and they could not continue. This person should have at least funded any precautionary measures in case he needed to abort his attempt.

Yup, people that swim the English Channel have their own support crew with a boat, which presumably is seaworthy, properly equipped and can make it, which they fund themselves or with donations, in case they can't complete, weather deteriorates, etc. It would be stupid try and swim the Channel without support.

Not like this moron in an inflatable on his own, and asking the coastguard for directions... WTF!.

People have rowed across the Atlantic and Pacific on their own. Middle of the Atlantic and Pacific is beyond the coastguard, and presumably if one did get into trouble, may hope for a nearby ship to come and rescue, if not...game over.

Remember this from last year?
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/attempt-rescue-stranded-ship-antarctic-ice-21360550
Who paid for that rescue in the end?

 

[sfbloodbrother]

wow, that's quite the feat, but he didn't plan it out very well.

 

[dan330]

so .. what about people who attempt to climb a mountain? and get into trouble...

 

[Stuntman]

so .. what about people who attempt to climb a mountain? and get into trouble...

I know that there are emergency beacons you can get. My cousin had a serious leg injury while skiing. Another skier realised she needed an airlift and happened to have such a beacon and activated it to get her taken to a hospital.

 

[dan330]

no.. I am asking about... the cost of such rescues on mountains and other high risk crazy adventurers that find themselves in trouble. who pays for it????

 

[Stuntman]

no.. I am asking about... the cost of such rescues on mountains and other high risk crazy adventurers that find themselves in trouble. who pays for it????

Here in the Province of British Columbia in Canada, the government funds the BC Search and Rescue. The funding is for equipment and training. The rescuers are mostly volunteers, I believe.

 

[Stuntman]

If you are on a plane and spot someone named, "Jack", be careful how you greet him. "Hi, Jack!"

 

[jefboyardee]

It's an old tax:

The Powerball lottery: is it really a stupidity tax?

Most people view lotto tickets as throwing money away, but the poor don't have many legal options available to get rich

 

[sntaylor]

I believe in Scotland, if you require mountain rescue, particularly a helicopter rescue, and you have appropriate gear then your fine, if however you went out in sandals, shorts and t-shirt with no change of clothing etc etc then you get billed/fined....if not then it should be! Lol

 

[Stuntman]

It's an old tax:

The Powerball lottery: is it really a stupidity tax?

Most people view lotto tickets as throwing money away, but the poor don't have many legal options available to get rich

Some countries actually let their banks fail and didn't bail them out.