Another aspect that has not been mentioned is the introduction of electronic
navigational gear, like a GPS, that has taken the place of a solid understanding of
topo maps and compass usage.
The Spot is another such device that when in the wrong hands may give the otherwise
inexperienced hiker a false sense of security and boldness.
Sure these devices have there place when used mindfully and in conjunction with
a solid foundation in navigation.
Am willing to bet that the +400 folks who checked out the "Lighting Safety Facts" thread
that the majority did not read the attached threads, because either they said "I know
what to do" or "It ain't doing to happen too me". Sure the likely hood is very small that
one will get hit, but those of you who have ever got caught in a precarious situation with
lightening bolts hitting the ground all around will never forget it, and have read up
on the safety precautions afterwards. Unfortunately we live in a society that learns
after the fact, many times we have to experience or witness tragedy before we are
scared into learning how to avoid such dangers, and because of many peoples short
attention span, and after some time the old habits will resurface again or people forget
unless one stays diligent on reminding, and re-educating one self on a yearly bases.
Do you remember this incident from 7 years ago:
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S ... 619625.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Of coarse this goes for all the other, more dangerous activities, that people die
from like climbing, river crossings, hypothermia, and numerous others.
MK, you are right, we are spoiled by the relative mild weather patterns here in the
Sierra which gives a false sense of security.
For example in the Rockies one should keep an eye on the sky at all times because
thunderheads can come up on one very quickly, and catch you in a less than safe
predicament like back in 2008:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/16 ... etail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
And yes, I am a lightning chaser, and understand the dangers involved, make an attempt
to lower my risks when possible, unfortunately everyone is at danger when a lightning
storm hits, there is no real 100% safe place to go when in the backcountry.
My point in this thread was to get people to understand that you can raise the odds
of survival with at least a basic understanding of these skills, and these skills need to
be practiced, so one can instantly recall what to do instead of guessing or thinking
about what to do.
I have witness folks pulling out small first aid books in an attempting to stop bleeding
from a major gash, if you try that when your solo your blood loss from the time
spent reading on what to do will have you go into shock.