The trouble is we live in (another unwelcome import from America!
) a country whereby "compensation culture" seems to have taken over. Nobody seems prepared these days to take any responsibility for their actions, always looking for someone else to blame if things go wrong. If a child is injured or killed falling into or over or off some natural feature, the parent instantly searches for somebody to blame: why didn't the Council/"they" have notices/fences?? Not a thought as to why
they might have a responsibility for their own child.
Accidents
do happen: when I was at school, if a child fell off the wall bars in a Gym lesson, for example, and broke a limb, they would be back at school in the next day or so, proudly sporting a bright, white new plaster cast and were, for a short time at least, the centre of attention and something of a hero (heroine!). Now, the parent is more than likely to try to sue because the school was somehow at fault.
All these ads on daytime TV for "No Win, No Fee" compensation firms no doubt give folk silly ideas.
Some years ago on a return visit to Ireland, we were horrified to find many of our favourite wildflower sites on The Burren newly fenced off with "Keep Out!" notices all over the place. When I asked our host if we were likely to be confronted by an angry farmer brandishing a shotgun as we "trespassed" , he laughed and said No, the signs were "for the Americans" who would like as not try to sue the farmer if they so much as stubbed their toe on a rock on his land! (And for anyone who knows the Burren, it's nearly all rock!!
)
I hate the way the wild but more accessible parts of our beautiful country are being sanitised and fenced off "for our own safety". Look, but from a safe distance and keep behind that fence! It's for your own good!! Grrrr!!
OK, rant over!
