Slashdot Mirror
National Park Service Says Tech Is Enabling Stupidity
theodp writes "The National Park Service is finding technology to be a double-edged sword. While new technologies can and do save lives, the NPS is also finding that unseasoned hikers and campers are now boldly going where they never would have gone before, counting on cellphones, GPS, and SPOT devices to bail them out if they get into trouble. Last fall, a group of hikers in the Grand Canyon called in rescue helicopters three times by pressing the emergency button on their satellite location device. When rangers arrived the second time, the hikers complained that their water supply tasted salty. 'Because of having that electronic device, people have an expectation that they can do something stupid and be rescued,' said a spokeswoman for Grand Teton National Park. 'Every once in a while we get a call from someone who has gone to the top of a peak, the weather has turned and they are confused about how to get down and they want someone to personally escort them. The answer is that you are up there for the night.'"
I was going to write a clever response to this article, but I'm having too much trouble finding the Slashdot automatic clever response generator. Can you guys send over someone from tech support to help me?
"Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish"
Albert Einstein
Stupidity is nature's way of culling the dead wood. Mountains are there for a reason, and idiot climbers are proof that the gene pool can fix itself - but they aren't there for long, so admire nature at work before they tumble down!
You could wind up with a "cry wolf" situation, though. Much better to send the chopper up on the third strike, check that it's a false alarm, then airdrop actual wolves 200 yards uphill.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
Hmm, how does that joke go? You can tell the difference between brown bears from grizzly bears because a grizzly bear's poo has whistles in it..
I am *SO SICK* Of this insurance Scam.
Why can't I just have my knee's broken like the good old days?
- Dan.
~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
He probably can't afford to have that diagnosed.
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
I would literally rather die than pay $2000 for a ride in an ambulance. I kid you not.
Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave.
If stupid people deserve to die, then I guess we should sentence all mentally retarded, or maybe even anyone with a tested IQ less than 120, to death then.
Why stop there? We could just turn them into green wafers of high-energy plankton and send them off to all of the impoverished nations for those that are hungry.
If accidently hit the Mayday button, I think I would sink the boat just to get out of the $100,000 Euros
Rubbish, you have 11 carrier battlegroups and a 1,500,000 man standing army, how can you write that off as not a valuable service?
FGD 135