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Is this what the UK is like?

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BOD

BOD

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 20, 2004
2,186
17
the Sundaland paleotropics & W. Australia
rainforesttrails.blogspot.com
"In England we have this irritating habit of labelling and sanitising our natural sites. You can't walk through a forest without bumping into a wooden stake painted with a red arrow to 'guide' you, or visit a ruin without tripping over a poster showing how it would have looked like in 100BC... if the Phoukham cave (in Laos) had been in Devon, it would have had properly cut and gritted steps leading to it, with a metal handrail. There would have been plenty of signs bleating about the dangers of the climb...

I felt lucky to be risking my life on this unblemished rock"

Natacha Du Pont Du Bie in her book Ant Egg Soup writing of her journeys in "the unspoilt natural landscape of Laos"
 
Many years ago it was suggested that the Manchester Corporation ( who owned all of the land around Thirlmere at that time ) should put a handrail near to top of Helvellyn to prevent people from falling into the steep sided combe ( hanging valley ) whilst enjoying the view from the top. To my surprise it was never done.

Cheers, Michael.
 
It definitely seems that the nanny state mindset of the UK creates the scenarios described by Natacha Du Pont Du Bie.

I was reading recently on the grough about people who seriously believe that mountains in the UK should have their accident blackspots clearly sign posted. You would think that people venturing into the mountains would be inherently aware of the potential dangers, devoid of the need for red-bordered triangle signs with pictures of matchstick men falling over cliffs.
 
My brother has an excellent phrase for the mindset.

Wee Johnny fell in the Clyde ! Quick, fill it in! "

No, it's not really that bad, but publically managed sites have to deal wtih Health and Safety, potential injury and litigation, access issues, yadda, yadda, yadda......
Tedious, but most of the signage is actually relevant, and many folks actually appreciate both markers for walks/ cycle tracks and the information boards close to monuments.

Loads of places where there's no indication anyone's been there anytime in the last thousand years though :D

cheers,
Toddy
 
I think the rule of thumb is that if you have invited people to a beautiful place in the country (for example in a National Trust leaflet) you'd better be sure to make it safe and warn them of the dangers. My brother was installing steps on the May Island in the Firth of Forth this year for that very reason on behalf of the RSPB.

If folks are flocking to a place of their own accord and by their own research no one has to worry about the 'elf and safety.
 
gordonmac said:
It definitely seems that the nanny state mindset of the UK creates the scenarios described by Natacha Du Pont Du Bie.

I was reading recently on the grough about people who seriously believe that mountains in the UK should have their accident blackspots clearly sign posted. You would think that people venturing into the mountains would be inherently aware of the potential dangers, devoid of the need for red-bordered triangle signs with pictures of matchstick men falling over cliffs.
Click to expand...
sign_has_sharp_edges.jpg
 
I was gutted to find a visitors book on N Rona....

(Even more gutted; someone else found it and neglected to tell us until on the boat)
 
Yes, I'm afraid it's true - the UK is full of Moaning Minnies like Natacha Du Pont Du Bie, endlessly whinging about any consideration being given to people other than themselves.

It's a nightmare.

;) :D
 
People may think this is not entirely true, but sadly it is. Along the A55 going towards Bangor, as you go away from Conwy just before entering a tunnel , you can look up and see a sign at the top of the ridge. For years I wondered what the sign said. On one of our many strolls me and the good lady eventually went up to have a look.

It said "Warning, Steep Drop!". Sorry but I didn't have my camera.
 
Along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path there are signs saying "Cliffs Kill!"
I keep looking for the cliff with a Kalashnikov....

Cliffs dont kill - stepping off them does!
 
I often go hiking along the edges of cliffs and see those silly signs. Seems to me like the authorities have simply done some "bean-counting" and statistics. For example:

zero silly signs = 10% chance that someone will fall off.
10 silly signs = 2% chance that someone will fall off.

So for a small investment they reduce the fall off risk by a certain percent.

Then they compare the cost of people falling off (lawsuits, ambulances, rescue teams, helicopters, etc.) to the cost of the silly signs. The less expensive wins.

Cynical but I reckon it's the truth. That's our world, unfortunately, in 2009.
 
It always amuses me how some people moan about the 'nanny state' and then when they or one of theirs has an accident they soon complain about how something should have been done and try to sue...
 
gregorach said:
Yes, I'm afraid it's true - the UK is full of Moaning Minnies like Natacha Du Pont Du Bie, endlessly whinging about any consideration being given to people other than themselves.

It's a nightmare.

;) :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, absolutely. Have a pint on me.
Sanctimonious, self-righteous, self-important, pompous little...
 
It depends where you go. I find that once you are 100 yards off the main trail then you leave all the rubbish behind (empty botles, health & safety nonsense... everything). It's just you and Nature, which is how I like it. Of course, if you go to a well known spot that Joe Public & Family go to a lot then you will find all that H&S stuff, which is an unfortunate byproduct of the Nanny Sate. My problem with all that stuff is the country is not getting any safer depite the millions of pounds of our hard earned taxes being spent to make us safer; all us sensable law abiding folk get out if it is less freedom... Moan over.
 
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