UKH

Can't see a thread on this, a number of MR teams have reacted quite strongly to this. I'm in MR and whilst I certainly enjoy what I do, some of his comments are a tad extreme.
Any views?


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/13/mountain-rescue-becoming-sport-r...

In reply to JamButty: Do'nt think CB comments are at all extreme, more like spot on.

In reply to JamButty:

I think if you try to imagine CB making the comments with a twinkle in the eye, and a light attempt at humour (it was a literature festival rather than a BMC debate!), you realise he wasn’t really making a serious point.
Essentially saying MR teams actually enjoy what they do is not very controversial.

In reply to JamButty:

Extreme, comments did you think were extreme?

In reply to JamButty:

I don't think he was having a jab at MR but simply saying that although what they do is voluntary and valuable, they do get something back out of it for themselves. If you just read his words and remove the narrative from the writer for the Telegraph, it doesn't read anything like as harsh.

I remember a couple of years back descending Lords Rake in the snow. I didn't have my winter gear and decided half way up to back off due to the snow being quite compact. As I was coming down, a lone MRT guy on his way after me asked if I was ok to which I said "I'm all good thanks". He was quite keen to set me up with a rope and lower me down. I replied that if he was wanting to practice his skills then I would be quite happy to be a meat dummy but lets not call it a rescue as I was managing quite well. It was all good, I thanked him for his work and went on my merry way.

MRT should be proud of what they do and there's no problem with them enjoying it and even feeling a bit of a superhero if they like that. They do save lives, and if they get a bit of fun out of it or even an ego then good for them.

In reply to Lion Bakes:


"Saying he was not worried about unprepared climbers needing to be rescued

If you get yourself into a difficult situation and you can't cope with it so you call in the mountain rescue, firstly you're going to have to pay for it and people don't seek that"

For example.... as he recognises, we're volunteers not like the Alps, so it is frustrating to see comments like this from a senior mountaineering figure, whether tongue in cheek or not.

In reply to JamButty:
Good decisions come from experience

Experience comes from bad decisions

We all learn along the way

Luckily in Britain we have people who are willing to go help others when experiance/bad decisions happen

Edit - missed help

In reply to JamButty:
What he actually said was

'Saying he was not worried about unprepared climbers needing to be rescued, he argued that, on the contrary, people should be encouraged to get out of doors and into the wild'

Likewise your other quote was preceded by and I think referred to

“In the Alps, mountain rescue is all by helicopter but once again there's an industry there: people are being paid to do it. So I don't think you need worry about that.

“If you get yourself into a difficult situation and you can't cope with it so you call in the mountain rescue, firstly you're going to have to pay for it and people don't seek that.”

In reply to JamButty:

Its good to know that folks are competing to be first to carry me down the mountain

In reply to JamButty:

Pretty sure his comments about team rivalry was meant in a light hearted way, but to make them into the headline shows the work of a desperate and ignorant sub-editor

In reply to JamButty:

possibly the least controversial interview bonington as ever given. I suspect some people (e.g. mr butty) are looking for any excuse to slag him off.

In reply to graeme jackson:

another Bonington interview
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/oct/14/chris-bonington-mounta...

Must have a new book to sell

In reply to JamButty:

That is not really an extreme comment. He is right, more people need to be getting outdoors without needing to fill in and file a risk assessment or go on a course first.

In reply to JamButty:

As someone who was a MRT member and search dog handler (now well retired) I can honestly say that I enjoyed my time in MR. We used to have fun - training and evenings in the pub, it was as much a social thing as a rescue thing, but surely that's what the great outdoors is all about. When it came to the real thing, then we were professional, the levity was kept for afterwards when the job was done. For some though, it was an ego trip. I can remember one relatively new team member having a right grumble when, after we had all turned up at the starting-off point to search for a missing person, the police informed us that they were safe and well. As far as I was concerned, any callout that ended in a person being found unharmed, even at home, was a good thing. Much better than the tragedy of discovering an injured or worse, a dead walker/climber.

I have enjoyed the outdoors for 6 decades and joining the MRT was a way of putting something back. However, I do notice a trend among some teams now of an elitist attitude coming to the fore - posy vehicles, "uniforms" and an attitude towards foolish people that really isn't all that necessary. I'm sure we've all done foolish things on the hills, but have been lucky enough to get away with it!!