will dehne

I wonder if I am the only one noticing a heavy negative publicity for dangers to unsupervised free outdoor activities?
Consider all the dangers supposedly lurking out there in the wild outdoors.
West Nile, Lyme, Skin cancer, Wasp/Bee stings, Spiders, Snakes, Sun poisoning, UV, Swimming unsupervised across lakes and rivers, Biking long distance alone, Climbing rocks alone, lightening and generally a fear of adverse weather, a rain is called a storm, a little snow a blizzard, a mild storm a hurricane

If I were to follow all the well meaning advise I would need to go outside covered head to feet, have medical support or better yet go in a health club or stay home.

OTOH there seems to be a hidden big problem with people sitting or laying in their homes and getting slowly disabled. This morning paper is about a 900# 33 year old guy needing a lift truck to get to a hospital because he may be sick.

maddmaxx 

This last weekend, friends from Maine described the folks that are moving there from Maryland and the NYC areas. They move because of the beautiful unspoiled country, and upon arrival start demanding infrastructure and services to make it more liveable.

I'm sure that they will want lifeguards on the lakes and ranger patrols on the bike trails to supress the animal risks!

stonecrd

I think a lot of this just has to do with too much media news and not enough to report on. They love train wrecks i.e. OJ all day every day, disease of the week, shark attacks, bear attacks etc. The news is all about entertainment not about facts anymore.

But of course there is Fox "Fair and Balanced"

Jet Travis

I've been a journalist or a PR person for a couple of decades. "If it bleeds it leads" is most assuredly true. Millions of people can get up, go to work, do a decent job, come home and try to take care of their families, and it will never be news. But if someone commits a heinous crime, you can be sure it will be on the front page. That's one reason I never watch TV news and only catch the headlines on Google or Yahoo once a day. That's more than enough. My thinking is that focussing on negative energy does little more than creating additional negative energy.

LynnH

I think that problem is everywhere, like society thinks there should be no risks in life and it is someones fault when the above listed things happen. Like we should have total control of all those things and if we are damaged by one of them, someone else needs to take that risk out of our lives. It is a very odd way of looking at life.

gcottay

Actually, the publishing company that provides my paycheck is pushing all those dangerous, free and sweaty outdoor activities because reader and advertising interest is so high.

George

maddmaxx 

But once the fringe elements put those pubs on the coffee table they revert to wanting regulations, safety, controls etc..................for everyone else.

stapfam

I try to encourage my Friends to come and ride with me- Last year I tried to get a few from the Gym to try offroading and the concensus was-"If it is done as an organised event through the Gym- We will try it" They would then be covered for any accidents and injuries that occurred through the Gym's insurance. They were not prepared to go out on a bike and try a few offroading skills- just to see if they would enjoy it.

Not many will take the risks that might involve enjoying themselves by taking a bit of "Danger" into their lives.

Artkansas 

I for one am happy about that. That leaves the backroads quiet and peaceful for me.

maddmaxx 

In spite of my previous experience in race cars, there was one (actually there are several) place that someone of my skill level would probably never get to go. That was Daytona Speedway in a stock car.

A couple of years ago, just to get the visual perspective right in my head I walked up to the front door of the Richard Petty Driving experience and plonked down my $100 for a 3 lap 160mph ride. You do not get to drive at Daytona, they don't trust anyone off the street at those speeds and in those cars.

Before I could get into the right seat of the car (helmet, horse collar, 5 point seatbelt and very little room for you legs as the toll cage is unmodified from the single seat version) I was required to sign a multipage waver form. Each and every paragraph in ther document ended in the phrase "you are aware that taking part in this activity could cause permanent injury or death. Initial here_______________"

In spite of having done 200mph in a funny car, the next 3 laps were the greatest ride of my life. I wonder how many would have walked away.

DnvrFox

If I get one more TV "Health Advisory" from a coiffed eagerly and continuously smiling news reader, I am going to scream.

Oops - there's one now!

AAAAaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggghhhhHHH!

howsteepisit

Don't forget the pharma industry creating or magnifying all kinds of conditions that we never heard of 20 years ago, all so they can continue to sell a never ending supply of drugs for the lifetime of the patient. This is a pet peeve of mine.

Coyote!

>>> I wonder if I am the only one noticing a heavy negative publicity for dangers to unsupervised free outdoor activities?

We should encourage fear of all things outdoors. Fewer people; more blessed solitude. I do my part to instill in locals an abject dread of the bears in the Shenandoah. Snakes, too.

Let 'em stay inside with NFL, NASCAR, OJ, Brittany, All Commercials All the Time, and the 24/7 Apostles of Alarm. May as well, Slavery to Media is well nigh complete here in the US. Hell, we probably couldn't counter the trend it if we tried.

OH. . .cycling content. Bears don't much like mountain bikes. . .too upright for 'em.

Terrierman

You should only exercise with safely designed, built, maintained, tested and certified machines in a climate controlled environment under a doctor's supervision with an AED hanging on a nearby wall. Either that or get out in it and have some fun. I like people just fine, but I like my out there by myself time too, and I NEED it to stay me. I think most of us do.

webist

Just a couple dozen years ago, a kidnapping or murder in the Northeast U.S. would only become known in the Southwest U.S. if someone wrote a book about it. Now, a car chase anywhere is carried live on multiple networks. The forced consumption of routine human activity even if negative, as "Breaking News" is rediculous.

Medical "news" is another area that irritates. Studies involving a dozen people with no control group are touted by the talking heads as though we should modify our behavior. Because 9 guys weighing over 500 pounds each got sick to their stomach after eating 150 hard boiled eggs in less than an hour is no reason for me to change my breakfast menu.

will dehne

I am happy to see that I am not so odd after all.
We used to go mountain and cliff climbing without the ropes. It was thought too wimpy to use ropes. Besides, rumor had it, you may pull down fellow climbers with you if you fall. BTW, that is when I have seen grown up guys cry like babies. Hanging by their fingers in a wall and fog all around. Well, we survived that one.
Swimming long distance without support can be a challenge. There is hypothermia and its all over.
Biking down from Mingus mountain at top speed, surrounded by cars, on a so so road, that was a scary moment.
Biking in Tornado weather in WI (where else?). A few years ago by Elroy. Branches flying through the air and lightening all around and no place to hide. I went into a ditch to wait out the worst.

Dchiefransom

Face it, we've become a very sheltered society in our safe urban environment. The local park is the closest many get to "nature". We've had calls to post signs on beaches telling people that the ocean is dangerous. Heaven forbid someone at a BBQ should find out where those juicy steaks actually come from.

guybierhaus

Is this the wrong thread to mention I ride without a helmet? All of last week I forgot my sun block. Tonight I was out 30 minutes after sunset with only a tail lite. Tomorrow I'm going to a country fair and eating frys.

head_wind

I am living in the same mid-western culture as you (CO seems to be 90%
Iowans) and have a completely different experience. Every day I read
the N.Y. Times and Wall St. Journal online and watch the murder and
mayhem local news on TV. Only the TV bares any resemblance to your
items and then _only_ West Nile. When I hike it is more crowded than
ever. There are cyclists all over the place. I learned to ski double-blacks
only to avoid crowds. For my own selfish reasons I wish you were right.

TruF 

I too get weary of the news. (Love that song, "Dirty Laundry." ) In my darker moments I think that we (in the USA) are turning into a country of risk-averse, self-loathing, PC wimps. It's a relief to turn off the radio and television and go for a ride. When I'm out and about, I see lots of folks walking, running, biking, gardening. And my own attitude changes for the better.

Skipper

Hells Bells! You have actually admitted to doing something sensible in the face of potential danger.

will dehne

Yeah, Big Difference, I have been were you and Denver Fox are and will not go back. Most bike trails were within hearing of an XPressway and many, many more people. Denver is a metro area.

In contrast we have WI, OH, IL, MN. I did 46 miles today and seen less than 5 bikers, walkers. My wife and I will Tandem 200 miles and expect to see less than 50 people during the week.
The above mentioned evils are published and are real but not in comparison to other dangers.

I hope my point is not lost: IMHO inactivity is the enemy and not the comparative little dangers activity brings.

talofa

The mainstream media it seems is made up of whiners, busybodies and wannabe control freaks. I just ignore it all and ride.

CRUM

I live in exactly the type of Maine you describe. My town is/was a magnet for folks from away to escape the urban sprawl found further south. The biggest problem is they buy some land and immediately post it so the previous outdoor activities, (XC sking, snow shoeing, Mtn biking, hunting, fishing, ATV-ing, etc are interrupted. Rather than demand better patrolling, they often demand we stay off trails we have used for generations. Seems a type of Yuppie barb wire mentality has begun to creep in up here.

I now have a brand new McMansion sitting in the old crop dusting air field behind my house. 3500 square foot behemoth with a pool and a huge 2 car garage. Talk about spoling the landscape. And instead of enjoying the property with walks, cycling, snow shoeing, or XC sking on trials I put in 20 years ago, they immediately bought a couple of ATVs, a couple of motorcycles and of course 2 new snow scoots. Tore those beautiful trails up in less than a month. They also cut down 75 acres of huge white pine so they could have a better view. And then 2 years later, they move to South Carolina and the house has now sat empty for almost a year with a $650 K price tag on it.

Empty is an improvement though. I may have to look at the house, but at least there are no more 2 cycle engines ripping around drowning out the silence I have become used to these last 40 years. My wife and I fantasize about winning some lottery somewhere so we can buy it and then tear it down.

maddmaxx 

A notice has been sent to your insurance company. Please expect rate increases in the imediate future.