Are people no longer able to take responsibility for their own safety?

And are they unable to read? If I went somewhere hoping to swim and found a notice to say there were no lifeguards owing to the restrictions, I would turn around and go home.

Sadly there are some people who can’t take responsible actions for their own safety, rescue teams deal with them all the time.
Not all beaches have lifeguards, and many, only at certain times.
It’s part of the philosophy of ‘somebody else has to be made to pay’! That lots of people subscribe to.

I live close to a beach and can verify that many people take no responsibility for their own well being.

I now think humans en masse have become very stupid, unable to think for themselves.
They seem to expect everyone else to take care of them.

We don't want these crowds on our beaches and if they come they must take care of themselves. I was amazed at the anger that there were no lifeguards.
Why should a lifeguard risk themselves during a pandemic?

I think a lot of people now expect Health and Safety to take over all responsibility for ensuring that they don’t kill or injure themselves.

Other people laugh at Health and Safety regulations. They call them "elf and safety", and want a "bonfire of the regulations"

You can't please everybody.

Well drowning might be the least of their worries a fortnight hence. Packed beaches, little physical distancing?

We have become so used to being 'nannied' it seems we are unable to make our own rational decisions.

I do wonder though why there are no lifeguards, other workers on the front line are on duty.

Seasonal work. Did anyone bother to dig them out of hibernation?

Perhaps because swimming is not a key activity?

I heard that lifeguards are having to be re-trained in how to deal with the new challenges which Covid have raised, one reason why they are not on duty.
People need to take more care themselves. If they flock to the beach, they have to accept it if there are no lifeguards.
Have seen footage on the news with some idiot having to be winched to safety by helicopter after getting stranded on a cliff top somewhere.

I have said many times you can`t educate the stupid.
I also think that when folk are ignoring the rues that they should be made to pay if emergancy services are called out because of their stupidity.
Rant over.

It's a sad fact of modern society that many people either won't or can't think for themselves. So much is just basic common sense, but people have got used to having someone hold their hands.
How many times are people rescued by the Mountain Rescue teams because they have gone onto the hills when bad weather is forecast and they are not properly dressed or equipped for it?
People going out on open water on inflatables is another one. These people should be made to pay a fine when they have to be rescued.

It is impossible to provide lifeguard cover for every beach even in 'normal' times.

Because people think that it won't happen to them. Many who get in trouble are young and we have to make allowances for that.

I'm near beaches and one in particular have the lifeboats called out 5 times in 24 hours ! It's so irresponsible and selfish on behalf of those who dare to go where they must know and realise that they're going to get into trouble.
These selfish beings also know that nobody's going to see them in trouble too.

Last weekend the RNLI had to attend dozens of distress calls by people cut off by the tide.

There should be fines imposed now if people don't follow the rules of going too far out as common sense tells you that when the tide comes in it's NOT in a straight line and you can be surrounded in no time at all. How totally unfair is it to the lifeboat crew that they have to " babysit " these idiots ?

Lifeguards are paid out of the increasingly stretched LA funds.
Their equipment and training is funded by the RNLI which is a charity receiving no government funding.
Charities are stretched to their limits at the moment too, as donations and fundraising have decreased dramatically.

I know the medical staff and carers are all doing a fantastic job Sodapop but lifeguards would not be able to wear protective clothing and masks while rescuing someone. If they try to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation they also risk having someone cough up fluid from lungs.

Surely notices saying that sections of beach are dangerous and that there are no lifeguards should be enough of a warning under present circumstances?

What happened to personal responsibility?
Along with social conscience.

We should have been away this week at the seaside in this glorious sunshine but have not been beyond Argate for weeks.

I have always been very wary when at the beach, especially with children, but I have seen people allowing quite young children to use inflatables which can carry them out to sea.

It isn't fair to the emergency services to put yourself in danger and then expect them to risk their lives trying to save you.

I agree AGAA4. Whenever our young grandchildren come to visit they are always asking if they can have inflatables as others have them but I hear too may stories of people being swept out to sea on them.

Some of the beaches in Cornwall , and I imagine other coastal areas are similar, the Lifeguards are providing unofficial cover. They are not being officially employed and paid to do this but out of a genuine concern for peoples safety they are on some of the beaches.
People leave common sense at home when they go in 'holiday mode' which is what they are doing at the moment.
Locals usually know the currents and danger spots in their own area but visitors usually don't. It doesn't matter if they are visitors from outside the area or not they are still unfamiliar with the dangers.
I do think they should take responsibility for their own actions and reckless over confident people should perhaps pay for whatever emergency service they need. I doubt it'll ever change peoples behaviour though.

a Don’t think I have been on a beach with a lifeguard

Where I used to live we had cliffs down to the sea and to a friend's garden. Our children knew not to go near the edge as did all the locals or anyone with an iota of common sense Despite no one having fallen off, the powers that be one day decided to erect a fence and plant gorse to prevent anyone getting close. This of course was an invitation to all and sundry to climb over and trample down the gorse resulting in a number of accidents and deaths, call outs for all the services including the RNLI & coastguard. The Nanny State over the last 2 or 3 decades has a lot to answer for. More and more people seem to be unable to take responsibility for themselves. It is always someone else’s fault, ‘no one told me’, ‘they’ should have warned us. Its the blame game followed by payouts costing the Tax payer a fortune. It’s about time the Nation grew a pair and owned responsibility.

As volunteers, I fail to see why the Lifeguards should put themselves in danger die to other people’s stupidity. The RNLI do an amazing job and I can’t understand why they are not government funded. We are an island surrounded by the sea for gods sake!

I also don’t understand why there is not a mandatory charge for idiots needing rescuing from their own silly actions, whether they are in the sea or up a mountain! Perhaps if they had to repay the costs involved they might think twice.