I picked up the Trout fishing magazine at the Angling fair in Kelso yesterday and noticed that one of the large reservoirs in England has banned bank fishing due to safety reasons.

They feel that the anglers back cast is a danger to other anglers and the public. WHAT A LOAD OF TOSH.

I deal with this type of sh*e every day and I can tell you its getting worse, but this takes the biscuit. Anyone on here heard of an angler or a member of the public being hurt by a back cast? I personally haven't and I wonder whats next?

Its getting to the stage when they consider anything however remote that is likely to cause harm, will be banned. So lets start off a wee list to see what we can add to this "dangerous" list . Add as appropriate!!

What about:

Darts
Horse jumping
paragliding
climbing
boxing
wrestling.......

Any motorsport for (drivers and spectators, that poor spectator that was killed by a wheel that had come off in F1)
Those boys that do the red bull air race (I think it's a wee bit dangerous)
Javelin (Seen one of the wee guys that mark where you landing being speared)
Curling (Must be cold out there on the ice, might get frostbite)
Football (since they stopped using the magic sponge, players just seem to get hurt really easily now)

When I think of more I'll update. It's just a sad fact of life that the world has turned into this claim for compensation culture. I read a few years ago that a woman tried to sue Mcdonalds or Burger King (can't remember what one) for making her kid obese. Of course the woman was a size 8...........NOT.

__________________
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What seems to have actually happened is that as a result of an over enthusiastic Fishery Operator taking a mechanical digger to the rock face of one of Severn Trent's dams for to make better standing for his Bank Fishing Customers ( Judas Priest and they didn't drown the fool - you don't touch a dam - not ever - not unless you are called Guy Gibson and there's a war on ! )

The M.D of Severn Trent has decided that the best way of dealing with similar loonies in future is to take away the incentive to make better standing - so he personally banned all Bank Fishing !

This one is down to the operator by the look of things - thanks pal !

And , of course if you give a bureaucrat an inch - don't be surprised at what happens next - bureaucrats want no aggravation of any kind - it distracts them from contemplating their £450,000 pa salary , 120% bonus ,and interesting pension arrangements - go check Severn Trent's published accounts - sadly they don't give you the guy's address so you could go do something French Fishermen might by way of constructive protest !

Steve P

I asked my MP why Severn Trent were allowed to remove leisure facilities from what were publicly owned reservoirs.
Sadly, she just got fobbed off with the stock answer from ST that everyone gets

I for one think that the biggest hinderanceS of H.S.E. is WORK.

It cannot be far away when it will be just too unsafe to go.

Who wants to climb a ladder and walk around a roof without a parachute or some means of safley landing once you have fallen off ( On purpose of course ).

Mind you who would want to drive on the crazy roads to get to work.

Dave

Some wild places in scotland dont allow bank fishing until june, due to lambing season, to protect the ewes and their offspring, so it aint actually some thing new, however, Steves reason are pure comedy if that is why!!
regards
bert

I guess i am setting myself up for being shot here, but I am a H&S manager by profession.

I agree that H&S has gone a little bezerk over the last decade, but i don’t think its at the fault of the HSE. I blame the American culture of sue for everything and anything and some one will somewhere be liable.

The "no win no fee" services available now make it even easier these days, people can claim for anything..... (i had someone claim against a previous employer because the employee stapled her finger, with an office stapler.....)

Companies/ corporations are guilty until proven innocent these days. A claimant only has to show a "loss" has occurred it is then the company responsibility to show they have done what is reasonably practicable to reduce the risks. Then you have to consider vicarious liability

Any way back to the fishing thing

I can understand-ish why they have taken this approach, risk management 101 is, number 1: Can the hazard be eliminated (yes, anglers can be removed) so they have removed angling. ( i guess who ever is in charge followed the guide from the HSE to the letter). However the 'where reasonably practicable' comes back into it, which is a balance of likelihood x severity over costs.

I also think IMHO, that anglers/walkers etc at not as cautious as they used to be. I know not to walk behind someone when they are casting or as an angler to have a look before i cast, however i am glad i did the latter yesterday as some idiot of a mother hadn't got control of her child and well, luckily disaster avoided

Firing squad now open.........

You haven't left us much to aim at – that made too much sense, I'm afraid!

I think common sense has been removed and instead replaced with bits of paper that tell you what to do etc.

For the sake of a few idiots who have no common sense the rest of the country (soon to be all of civilisation) we all have to get the little certificate to say we are competent and have read the risk assessment/method statement etc on how to wipe ones backside in the toilet without falling over in the cubicle damaging ones self.

Health and Safety in its various guises whether insurance led or not has cost this country many millions of pound, maybe billions - who knows and it is getting seriously worse. It will come to the stage very soon that no one will be able to do anything at all with checking with the ever growing army of H&S Consultants/lawyers etc. I heard today that a school has banned the kids from wheel barrow races as they might hurt themselves, and the health boffins are saying the kids are too lazy and getting fatter by the week. No bl**dy wonder, they can't even take in sports.

Common sense hasn't been removed - its not a legal argument.

As a wise man recently told me Common sense isn't common anymore, and people play thick where you don't have the peice of paper in place.

I can understand the point of H&S as it does reduce serious accidents but i agree the line has to be drawn somewhere or we will soon be telling people to put the left foot in front of the right and vice versa

Ok so a school has banned 'wheel barrow races' it doesn't stop kids exercising after school/at weekends or having the correct diet, but lets not let this digress into how to raise your kids