There are many studies that indicate that the more safety equipment and safety training people have, the higher the risks they take.

From the linked article come these words:

"In hindsight, in the comfort of a classroom or bar, it's usually easy to see why an avalanche accident occurred. Perhaps the party chose to ski or ride a dangerously wind-loaded slope, enter a terrain trap during high avalanche danger, or continue climbing despite signs of recent avalanching. Working backward from a tragic outcome, the danger seems obvious to us and we wonder why anyone would take chances in such conditions. The easy answer is that the party must have been incompetent, arrogant, or just plain foolish. These answers help us feel better about ourselves since, after all, we wouldn't act like that. But they don't lead us to a better understanding of how we might be fooled into making the same mistakes.

To really understand human factors, we need to go back in the accident timeline. We need to imagine ourselves standing at the top of the slope, trying to decide if it is safe to ski or ride. Perhaps we've seen the signs of danger, but we also know that we have skied the slope many times before without incident. Or perhaps we know that another party is powering up behind us intent on skiing the same slope. Or perhaps we've waited all year for this vacation so we could highmark slopes just like this one."

http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302887201p

This link should work
http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302887201

High markers, well, people get a lot of thrill to show off, that their Machine can go the highest. Why, its about their testosterone issues. They get the thrill, by showing off that their machine is better than yours.

When they carve up the snow, and destroy the cohesion between the layers of snow falls, then they wonder why it had to slide away, and take their lives. Sorry for being a cold hearted b@$t@rd, but that is the price high markers are taking.

The innocent observers sometimes assumes the risks also. So, if your not into high marking and your friends are, maybe its time for you to make new friends that don't put you at risks.

This is Darwinism at work.

Thats fine He Spoke, if they were actually highmarking. According to the story though these people were on the trail...
condolences to the family and friends

First things first...RIP! My thoughts are with your family and friends. Forgive those that think they know what they speak of but really have no clue.

"High markers, well, people get a lot of thrill to show off, that their Machine can go the highest. Why, its about their testosterone issues. They get the thrill, by showing off that their machine is better than yours"

Complete and utter BS He spoke. The thrill does not come from "showing off" and has nothing to do with "testosterone issues".

Perhaps thats how it is for you personally but for others it's the thrill of doing something that gets the heart pumping, the blood flowing, the rush of adrenaline while being in control of something other than a remote control such as in your case!
Everyone partakes in different activities while enjoying their lives, you? You come here and criticize others for doing what they love, for doing what you don't.

You are so far off base it's ridiculous. You don't have a clue whatsoever.

How do you get your thrills He spoke? List some of your thrill seeking activities for us.
Have you ever tried skydiving, downhill or crosscountry skiing, dirtbiking, scubadiving, bowhunting for Bear, racing cars out at PGARA, Salmon fishing while in the presence of Bears, sledding in the mountains or anything remotely exciting in your life? Based on your off the wall comments above, it's likely you're nothing more than a watcher, someone to afraid to live their life doing what they love to do.
Someone that has nothing better to do than post comments on websites telling others what losers other people are who live their lives to the fullest.

You should be ashamed of yourself, someone has died and all you can do is post your garbage.

"someone has died and all you can do is post your garbage."

Which prompts me to ask, why publish an event in which people are killed and/or maimed in the first place?

1. to have empathy with the person involved, typically a total stranger?
2. to have empathy with the family, typically unknown to the reader?
3. because "accidental" death is an unusual event?
4. because it reminds everyone that there are still wars and wars kill people? People still die in house fires? People still die on roads? People still die on ATV's, snowmobiles, boats, etc? People still die at work?
5. and a many more reasons why one might want to publish that information.

Or the opposite, in fact, where one might not want to publish, such as Bush and his war dead in Iraq, people who commit suicide, etc.

There are many messages which can be taken from someone's "untimely" death.

Once one gets over the notion of "feeling" for the individual and family involved, there are two opposite directions that one can go with next steps.

1. Explore why the incident happened in an attempt to use the information to prevent any further such incidents or reduce such incidents. This is, of course, the situation in the workplace.

2. Accept the fact that the activity engaged in is risky, such as climbing mountains, skydiving, etc., and celebrate the individual for dying doing what he/she loved to do and thereby celebrating that aspect of being part of the human experience.

Since this is called OPINION 250, I really thought that both sides of that argument could post their opinions here without slighting those on the opposite side, whatever that may be. Both are legitimate opinions, as are those that I may not have acknowledged here.

BTW, people gravitating towards activities that are more risky is very much related to being hooked on adrenalin.

As far as the testosterone theory of "thrill seeking" association goes, you might want to take your dispute up with the authors of the linked study.

http://www.psych-it.com.au/Psychlopedia/article.asp?id=73

Quoted from the above: "Various indices of masculinity have also been shown to be associated with sensation seeking--an inclination that can also predict risky ....... behavior."

Then there are those that sit in front of a computor their whole lives quoting others, posting links and trying to have others believe they are some kind of Einstein.

go to this link then go to this other, then get back to me with some of your links, because uh ,,,,,i ...

So tell me, am I supposed to apologize for providing backup for my opinions?

There are opinions that are uninformed, and then there are those that are informed by work done by others. That is the neat thing about information transfer in this information age we find ourselves in.

I think part of the problems we face today is that in many cases people ignore the work that has come before them. It is called “reinventing the wheel”. That is typically considered a poor approach in my experience.

But, hey, if you guys want to try to re-invent the wheel, go right ahead. I have no time for that.

But, in your efforts to simplify by concocting some unsupported fairytales, please refrain from effectively bullying those who are reiterating established opinions without providing proof of you position.
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Dragonmaster. ... :-) ... the emphasis seems to be on the MASTER from the looks of it.

You wrote: "Complete and utter BS He spoke. The thrill does not come from "showing off" and has nothing to do with "testosterone issues".

So prove it!!!!!

I've been one of those thrill seekers for the last 25 years Gus old chap. Testosterone and showing off have nothing to do with it. You've never been involved therefore your assumptions without links mean squat. When you can walk a mile in my shoes come back and we'll talk. Nothing to prove old man. Unlike you I've been there and done it. We don't ride to show off, thats completely absurd! We ride for the adrenaline rush and enjoyment so many get from this sport. What do you do for excitement Gus, gardening?

"reiterating established opinions"

You mean personal unqualified assumptions don't you Gus? Thats all they are.

Another thing Gus. I don't believe I have ever seen you send your condolences to the families of any of the lost sledders. Whats with that Gus, no compassion left for those that do things for enjoyment that you can't do?
See it all the time when a sledder dies. The prizes in our society rise to the top with their holier than thou, darwin statements all over the internet, yet when one of their own bite it from a "CAR" crash you'd think the world had just ended. No one says squat when that happens. More people die in automobile crashes and other ways than have ever or will ever be seen from snowmobiling. Yet the mouthpieces always show up when someone dies doing something for their enjoyment that you don't do yourself.

Hipocrytes!

I think shit happens and people die--get over it because you're not going to stop it ---ever! At 68 years, I do a lot of dangerous stuff and have been hurt when by myself as well. I managed to get out alive every time but I haven't quit either. It's about doing what you love to do -- that's all. In my view, dying in that situation is more pleasant than dying in a hospital with tubes sticking out of every orifice you have. I can only wish to die instatntly in a snowmobile accident.

Good post Super!
I along with many others are just getting a little sick and tired of all the armchair quarterbacks preaching what others should or shouldn't do to enjoy themselves and then post all the crap they do all over the internet. People do things everyday that they know are risky. Some people think travelling in their car is safe. It's far from it! These same people say "oh, that person went into avalanche country when there were warnings, they were buried by an avalanche and they should have to pay for their own rescue"

You know what? the same can be said in another way, Oh that person got in their car and drove to the store knowing the chances of being killed or injured while travelling in a car are extremely high, (NO WARNINGS REQUIRED) because we all know it is very dangerous AT ANYTIME. Because they took the chance, went anyway and were involved in a crash that required the assistance of S&R, ambulance, fire, Hwy Rescue or police, that they should have to pay for their own rescue etc. After all they knew the risks just like the skiier or snowmobiler did.

But because so many of these people sit in their cozy little homes insulated from most of the joys others have in their lives, they feel they shouldn't have to contribute to others health and welfare, just their own.