RNLI to Blame?

Praxinoscope

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A tragic accident, but I never really considered lifeguard patrol of beaches to be a RNLI function anyway, although they seem to have adopted this responsibility recently.
But a rather stupid comment from the Police, which seems to be fairly standard nowadays.
 

johnalison

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In all the years we had childhood holidays in Cornwall, I don't remember ever hearing about a lifeguard being anywhere, or of any casualties. I know Treyarnon fairly well as we used to surf there, an activity which was invariably carried out while lying prone in those days. Everyone knew that it was dangerous until there was an incomng tide. Before that you could swim in the wonderful natural rock pool there. We also played around in small boats and inflatable dinghies. Have people just become more stupid?
 

FlyingGoose

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Unfortunately deaths around the UK coast in Summer is inevitably, and the RNLI are a charity and have no responsibility to man these beaches but they do .
It is for the individual to use their own risk assessment and then decide if they want to go into the water .
What gets me is how many so called experienced people of the water, surfers, kyakers, etc do not understand ripe tides and how they work
 

sarabande

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Unfortunately deaths around the UK coast in Summer is inevitably, and the RNLI are a charity and have no responsibility to man these beaches but they do .
It is for the individual to use their own risk assessment and then decide if they want to go into the water .
What gets me is how many so called experienced people of the water, surfers, kyakers, etc do not understand ripe tides and how they work


The RNLI does have a form of responsibility for those beaches where they are paid contractually to provide lifeguards. The RNLI now having withdrawn service, it is apparent that local voluntary lifeguarding functions are being set up to fill the gap.

Far too many people are incapable of performing an effective risk assessment for surfing, and typically a family might buy a board or inflatable from one of the many surf shops by the beach and then head out to sea without any training. Do tell us how you would change that situation. The scale of the problem is clearly without your experience as rip tides are but one of the many risks of using surfboards, kayaks, and inflatables.
 

Stemar

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Of course it's the fault of the RNLI. Nothing to do with people ignoring this sign.
 

FlyingGoose

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The RNLI does have a form of responsibility for those beaches where they are paid contractually to provide lifeguards. The RNLI now having withdrawn service, it is apparent that local voluntary lifeguarding functions are being set up to fill the gap.

Far too many people are incapable of performing an effective risk assessment for surfing, and typically a family might buy a board or inflatable from one of the many surf shops by the beach and then head out to sea without any training. Do tell us how you would change that situation. The scale of the problem is clearly without your experience as rip tides are but one of the many risks of using surfboards, kayaks, and inflatables.
Oh here we go again , the RNLI are still a charity ,FACT they offer life guarding service under contract, FACT . but they are still a charity and if under contract, they should fulfil it,.
What has people buying dinghies got to do with my post ? do you think were you live is the only beaches in the country
I have studied Oceanography , as part of some of the many Higher education courses I have, also a dam fine surfer in my day if I say so myself, and have been living and breathing the sea since I was born. makes me an expert, NO but I dam well know a ripe tide and how they work not difficult all to do with physics and wave action I can teach you if you like ,
 

dunedin

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Like many others, I suspect that the RNLI was taken entirely by surprise when Boris/Dennis leapt from full lockdown to full free for all to be back crowding the beaches from 13 May. I doubt that the RNLI were expecting that, and i am pretty sure that they weren’t given any notice by the Government to do any planning and recruitment of seasonal lifeguards.
I guess all the people out there were applying their “instinct”.
 

BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo

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The other issue to consider is whether or not the Local Authorities have asked for the Lifeguard cover to (re)commence.

Many local councils in tourist spots have reacted to the relaxation by keeping local services such as public toilets and car park closed in order to discourage visitors so I suspect this may the case here.
 

FlyingGoose

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:cry:
That is not a reasoned reply to my comments, but an egocentric rant.
Your are getting tiresome and boring may I suggest if you do not like what I post which is evident in your constant trolling of me then you put me on ignore or do not read any of my posts, this will allow you to relax in the knowledge that I am always right and you are wrong .and then we can get on with enjoying the forums
Your need to troll me as an elder statesman one can only assume your rather lonely and feel the need to attack everything I say that does not conform to your opinion
You do have the choice may I suggest you take it , as I can do this all day every day.
As they say never Argue with an Aspie, as I have put you down so many time with facts that it hurts me to do so anymore . as I am starting to feel sorry for you ,
 

duncan99210

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To bring the RNLI lifeguards back onto the beaches requires firstly a request from the local authority (which comes along with a guarantee of payment): secondly recruitment of the lifeguards and finally, training. That’ll take at best a week or two. So a government announcement relaxing the restrictions to allow sea swimming (and by implication surfing) with no effective notice to local authorities means that they’re playing catch up. That stinks of government by central fiat as opposed to one of consent and consultation, as does the ill thought through return to school saga: yes it needs to happen but if you don’t make sure that you’ve got the support of local authorities before you make the announcements you wind up with the cake and arse
party that’s going on at the moment!
 

FlyingGoose

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Life guards on beaches are a luxury not a right , and those that venture on the sea be it boating, surfing , swimming need to take their own actions into consideration
The sign clearly said no life guards and dangerous conditions,
It then becomes their own risk and in many ways their own stupidity
Lets see, weather forecast is for a Weather bomb to hit , and an inexperienced sailing couple take their boat out and it gets hits and some one dies,
Plenty of sailors on here will critique it to the end
Risk assessment is throughout life, every time you step out the door you should be assessing risk subconsciously, weather, driving, etc,
But people will die , through not assessing risk and plodding along , I suppose that is Natures way like on the animal kingdom , survival of the fittest , both physically and mentally
 

oldmanofthehills

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the problem is the blanket statement "dangerous conditions" etc treats the public as stupid not merely uninformed.

If such signs were placed spelling out the dangers it would be better.

The more expansive fixed signs do list dangers but in such a way that any uninformed member of the public seeing a surfer out there will think they are being bullshitted by a pleasure hating authority. Considering the lack of respect shown by present government to the voters punters are right to suspect authorities at times.

if the notice boars finished with "Be sure you enjoy your sport make sure you understand the dangers" it would command greater respect.

As for the Rib overturning that was first mentioned, almost certainly going too fast then hooking or bouncing unevenly on roller.
 

FlyingGoose

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the problem is the blanket statement "dangerous conditions" etc treats the public as stupid not merely uninformed.

If such signs were placed spelling out the dangers it would be better.

The more expansive fixed signs do list dangers but in such a way that any uninformed member of the public seeing a surfer out there will think they are being bullshitted by a pleasure hating authority. Considering the lack of respect shown by present government to the voters punters are right to suspect authorities at times.

if the notice boars finished with "Be sure you enjoy your sport make sure you understand the dangers" it would command greater respect.

As for the Rib overturning that was first mentioned, almost certainly going too fast then hooking or bouncing unevenly on roller.
A very good point and is one of my bugbears is the blatant signs with no information to inform the public and treating then as stupid ,
A good sign showing them the dangers and what to look out for , this helps the public make a better decision
 

JumbleDuck

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A tragic accident, but I never really considered lifeguard patrol of beaches to be a RNLI function anyway, although they seem to have adopted this responsibility recently.
It's not so much a responsibility they've adopted as a commercial opportunity they've spotted. Councils pay through the nose for RNLI life guard services.
 
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