Saved by a camera

[scanker]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/4747112.stm

A bit frightening really, that they go up Pen y Fan without a torch, map or a compass, but they had room for a camera!

At least they were found safe, but it required "About 40 members of Central Beacons and Brecon Mountain Rescue teams" and a S&R dog. :notworthy

 

[leon-1]

Well you cannot say that it's down to youth, they are from Cardiff so should at least know something about Pen Y Fan and the Beacons as it isn't a massive way away.

Generally irresponsible I think is probably the best way of putting it and I would like to think that they would make them pay (financial not flogging, although:Thinkingo ) for the time and effort that the rescue teams put in.

 

[redflex]

Some people seldom consider others when heading out, just asume someone will come running when they are stuck.

Trouble is some people will always end up doing this kind of thing

 

[Pappa]

It does amaze me how often I see people wandering up Pen y Fan in trainers, jeans and a jumper or tracksuit top. I've even saw a woman heading up in high heels once :yikes: . The weather can change so rapidy up there it's daft not to take basic precautions.

Pappa

 

[Biddlesby]

Good tip with the camera flash, though.

 

[AlexRowan]

"The pair knew the land"

"They both walked off the mountain"


So why was it precisely that they needed 30-40 people to "save" them??

 

[Wayland]

Presumably because they couldn't see well enough to get down without a torch.

 

[AlexRowan]

I spose... still, seems like a pretty weak reason to me!

 

[zambezi]

Presumably because they couldn't see well enough to get down without a torch.

Mayhap their night vision was impaired by the repeated camera flashing...

 

[bushtuckerman]

but they had room for a camera!

I believe this was their phone which did in fact help them off the mountain, but yes, very stupid not to have a torch or three. I don't really think there is ever a 'good' reason to get stranded up a mountain so let's not judge too harshly, everyone makes mistakes. I don't suspect there are often perfect candidates for rescuing in that they have no blame whatsoever attached to them, seems unlikely to me anyway.

I didn't undertsand exactly how 40 people were needed but i think maybe that was just to do with how many felt like helping, what they used were pairs of eyes i guess, in order to locate them, so the 'rescuers' may not have had to do much except for the group that went up. Who knows?

 

[Minotaur]

Most mobiles these days, have a torch built in, I use mine to map read in the car all the time.

I surpose it is what kills people, you think you know the score so you do not take the right steps to get out without help.

 

[capacious]

A few weeks ago, some scousers (scousers are people from Liverpool, for all you yanks out there, and are generally disliked across England/Britiain/The Universe) took their kids up to the top of Snowdon. A 2, 3 and 5 yr old. They went up in jeans, and thin jumpers. They had no water proofs. No food. No way of preparing hot drinks. All three children were found in later stages of hypothermia, and are still in hospital. The parents, as moronic as they are, were also too selfish to give what little clothing they had to their children.

This may just be me being me, but it seems that some people are just too stupid and ignorant to be allowed to reproduce. The stupid f****** morons.

(edit: I've just noticed this is mentioned at the bottom of that article)

edit: Do you think that all people that just assume that if the weather turns someone will come for them, ever stop to think that the rescuers themselves could die trying to find them? All because they didn't have the wits about them to take a torch. The selfishness of modern man is astounding. Orwell was right....

 

[bushtuckerman]

let's not ignore that this is a mancunian speaking

but yeah i feel your frustration with those particular idiots! with some people it's like

 

[stone]

I didn't undertsand exactly how 40 people were needed but i think maybe that was just to do with how many felt like helping, what they used were pairs of eyes i guess, in order to locate them, so the 'rescuers' may not have had to do much except for the group that went up. Who knows?

You're right. Most times the search and rescue members get a page or text message on a call out and not always know to the extent on what is going on until they get to the search base or command post. That amount of searchers on a big area like a mountain side actually is quite low once you are out there and spread out. Usually around 2-3 will stay at the command post for communications to the members and local authorities etc, and the rest will split up into groups for doing grid searches, advanced teams, first aiders, trackers, etc.

If it's snowy and cold and your looking for evidence and end up dumpster diving for the local police, you may only get a handful of people, but when there are people stuck or lost and really need your help, we find that a LOT more members will turn out. It's a shame really that people don't plan a little before heading off into the countryside, and unfortunately we get to see 'Natural Selection' up close somedays...

 

[scanker]

No doubt that particular family was very ill-prepared for any eventuality and should never have set out IMO but to jump from those two people (I'll give the kids the benefit of the doubt!) to say all scousers are like that and "generally disliked across England/Britiain/The Universe" is a bit strong IMO. That's regionalist.

 

[capacious]

let's not ignore that this is a mancunian speaking

but yeah i feel your frustration with those particular idiots! with some people it's like

Actually, I'm from Surrey, and I'm moving to Swansea in 6 months.

I'm terrified at what my accent will end up like (I've also lived in Shropshire, so it i currently southern/manc/farmer ).

No doubt that particular family was very ill-prepared for any eventuality and should never have set out IMO but to jump from those two people (I'll give the kids the benefit of the doubt!) to say all scousers are like that and "generally disliked across England/Britiain/The Universe" is a bit strong IMO. That's regionalist.

I've never met anyone who had anything nice to say about any scouser that wasn't a beatle. I even know a few scousers who can't stand scousers. So it can't be just me

 

[Wayland]

Caaarrm Down, Caarm down.....

 

[capacious]

I'll try..... (breath in, and hold... and out... in.... and out.......)

 

[Big John]

edit: Do you think that all people that just assume that if the weather turns someone will come for them, ever stop to think that the rescuers themselves could die trying to find them? All because they didn't have the wits about them to take a torch. The selfishness of modern man is astounding. Orwell was right....

I don't think they do stop to think...at all! They think they'll be fine, after all it wasn't raining/dark/cold when they got up in the morning and they don't take food or drinks with them when they go shopping on a saturday morning! Some people just don't have any common sense. To take the kids with them as well in unforgivable though.

 

[bushtuckerman]

I think something which shouldn't overlooked is the fact that british weather can change very rapidly, and this coupled with the modern lifestyle (invloving comforts of freelanders and air conditioning when out in weather which you would otherwise be cautious of) allows one's comfort level to stray into a dangerous carefree territory all too easily. It's certainly irresponsible to bring along children, but, it doesn't sound like it was intentional given their carefree attitude. selfish, yes, but only in terms of the children, mountain rescuers know why they're there, and it's to do nothing more than rescue people who have made a mistake somehow, whatever that may be, and it's to be expected that the number of people to do so will rise. what else can you expect? astounding? not at all.