I’m kind of torn. Charging anyone sets bad precedent, but at the same time, if I rent a racetrack (like willow springs) I have to pay for corner workers, insurance, instructor, AND fire/rescue. If rich asshats want to go play, why aren’t they required the same thing? Since, you know, it’s likely shit is going to go wrong with experimental stuff.
Also, expending as much manpower as they did, while immigrant boats capsize, and kill people regularly, seems disproportionally like an overreaction. While they typically throw their hands up and say, “oh a boat capsized, and we looked for an hour, but everyone’s dead, sucks” when immigrants die.
I feel you. I think at a bare minimum anyone wanting to do something like this should be required to get some sort of insurance coverage that will help bear the cost of rescue/recovery if the worst happens.
Insurance would punish actual research though I think and we definitely need ocean research with climate change. You know the insurance companies would make it nigh impossible. Maybe you could have the coast guard offer it but exempt research? Just tourism and business?
I’m kind of leaning towards the coast guard and others knowing off the bat that OceanGate was toast and they went through with it anyway for hands on training.
The more I think about it, the more I think it should be a if you’re doing anything experimental (ocean, space, air, etc) you are required to provide your own rescue. No one helps you. Full stop. If people still want to take the risk, that’s on them.
There’s a… I don’t want to call it an “easy solution”, but there’s a pretty understandable and clear distinction that can be made here: If you’re offering a commercial service to people, and an investigation finds negligence on your part, the public should be able to sue to recoup at least some of the expenses.
I think there needs to be a limit. In (Inland) search and rescue for example, they will do all they can to get you out, but if you’re injured they aren’t calling an ambulance (unless you desire so) and they don’t cover the cost of any kind of healthcare.
In this scenario, it would make sense to restrict or limit aid for non-millitary underwater recovery operations, especially those involving a submarine. The govt should not be bankrolling private companies’ experiments IMO unless there is a really good reason for it
Idk if insurance is the answer, but I do know that when I rented willow springs I had to pay for all the “safety” and “racetrack doesn’t want to get sued” stuff to be able to go play. Idk how something on a significantly larger financial scale, with SIGNIFICANTLY more risk, doesn’t require the same.
Also, what happens when one of the famous people tourist space flights goes wrong? There’s a high likelihood it’ll be a water rescue too. Coast guard on the hooks for that too?
On the flip side I understand why the coast guard charges no one. It’s SUPPOSED to be a rescue everyone, regardless of station in life, without hesitation, but it clearly doesn’t work that way.
I’m honestly not sure how you would set a definitive limit, and uphold the coast guards policy. Maybe it’s as simple as, if you’re out, in experimental craft (space, ocean or otherwise) you’re on your own. Full stop. You have to provide your own rescue crew. Don’t call us.
I’m kind of torn. Charging anyone sets bad precedent, but at the same time, if I rent a racetrack (like willow springs) I have to pay for corner workers, insurance, instructor, AND fire/rescue. If rich asshats want to go play, why aren’t they required the same thing? Since, you know, it’s likely shit is going to go wrong with experimental stuff.
Also, expending as much manpower as they did, while immigrant boats capsize, and kill people regularly, seems disproportionally like an overreaction. While they typically throw their hands up and say, “oh a boat capsized, and we looked for an hour, but everyone’s dead, sucks” when immigrants die.
I feel you. I think at a bare minimum anyone wanting to do something like this should be required to get some sort of insurance coverage that will help bear the cost of rescue/recovery if the worst happens.
Insurance would punish actual research though I think and we definitely need ocean research with climate change. You know the insurance companies would make it nigh impossible. Maybe you could have the coast guard offer it but exempt research? Just tourism and business?
I’m kind of leaning towards the coast guard and others knowing off the bat that OceanGate was toast and they went through with it anyway for hands on training.
Then everyone would just claim it’s research.
The more I think about it, the more I think it should be a if you’re doing anything experimental (ocean, space, air, etc) you are required to provide your own rescue. No one helps you. Full stop. If people still want to take the risk, that’s on them.
There’s a… I don’t want to call it an “easy solution”, but there’s a pretty understandable and clear distinction that can be made here: If you’re offering a commercial service to people, and an investigation finds negligence on your part, the public should be able to sue to recoup at least some of the expenses.
I don’t think it’s all that slippery a slope. Not many deep sea private submarine rescue operations going on amidst the working class.
I think it should apply to all the typically “rich guy” endeavors. Like all the space tourism that’s already happening.
I think there needs to be a limit. In (Inland) search and rescue for example, they will do all they can to get you out, but if you’re injured they aren’t calling an ambulance (unless you desire so) and they don’t cover the cost of any kind of healthcare.
In this scenario, it would make sense to restrict or limit aid for non-millitary underwater recovery operations, especially those involving a submarine. The govt should not be bankrolling private companies’ experiments IMO unless there is a really good reason for it
Edit: added type of SAR
Iirc SAR sends you a bill though.
Idk if insurance is the answer, but I do know that when I rented willow springs I had to pay for all the “safety” and “racetrack doesn’t want to get sued” stuff to be able to go play. Idk how something on a significantly larger financial scale, with SIGNIFICANTLY more risk, doesn’t require the same.
Also, what happens when one of the famous people tourist space flights goes wrong? There’s a high likelihood it’ll be a water rescue too. Coast guard on the hooks for that too?
On the flip side I understand why the coast guard charges no one. It’s SUPPOSED to be a rescue everyone, regardless of station in life, without hesitation, but it clearly doesn’t work that way.
I’m honestly not sure how you would set a definitive limit, and uphold the coast guards policy. Maybe it’s as simple as, if you’re out, in experimental craft (space, ocean or otherwise) you’re on your own. Full stop. You have to provide your own rescue crew. Don’t call us.