Was this not the father's responsibility not the canoe company?

Question

Very sad to hear about his daughter.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jun/19/uknews

However, surely he was responsible for his own children and he took the decision to take them out in the canoe.

Answer 1

Of course the father had most of the responsibility in this case. The canoe firm were acting within the current law - this needs to be changed. There needs to be be some control on who can hire a canoe, especially on a river such as the Wye.

Answer 2

No its down to the company to supply life preservers and make shore they kited out correctly.  But the father should have made shore that they were properly equipped.

Answer 3

im sure my local canoe club would never allow an inexperienced person to take children on the river or sea. canoes are easily capsized.  the canoe company  must be held partly responsible i think, but the father should really not have taken them. i guess its down to ignorance of boating that was the real cause of this tragic accident.

Answer 4

Of course it was, but as usual these people are expecting to have cotton wool round them and their families. It would seem that he had no idea as to what he was doing in a canoe and is now trying to pass the blame, much to the delight of the Health & Safety n***s.

Just watch for him heading for court with a claim for compensation, just typical of today.

Answer 5

This was a truly terrible thing to happen and I am sure everyone concerned will be absolutely wracked with guilt and grieving.

At the end of the day, it was the father's decision to take the children out in the canoe and they were his responsibility - BUT because the canoes were there for hire, this would have given him the impression that it was safe to canoe in that stretch of water with the equipment provided.  He might not have known the river well or the currents and could have assumed by the very fact there was a canoe business there, hiring stuff to adults and children presumably every day, that it was a relatively safe thing to do in that area.  That's the problem.

I don't think we should lay blame or responsibility now on any of those concerned, I think in their own way they actually all thought they were acting responsibly, all we can do is learn from this mistake now.

Answer 6

The bottom line is that we should all take responsibility for our families in situations where there is going to be an element of risk but the owner of the cbusiness renting the canoes should have some information as to the local currents and weather to inform those people that there might be a possibility of danger especially for strangers with children -- "Be careful because the current is pretty strong just past the bridge or whatever!".  This isn't a matter of wrapping people in cotton wool as one of the rather heartless replies to this question said, but just good common sense especially when children are concerned.  Even in our local park in the paddling pool they have all kinds of regulations concerning paddling boats and the water is only 18 inches deep at best, any responsible business person would want to make sure that the people renting boats on a river were competant and the person renting the boat would at least expect the guy renting him the boat to tell him if there was dangerous currents so yes, I hand the canoe company at least 75% of the blame.

Answer 7

Well, it is hard to tell what really happened.  Sounds like the person in the canoe didn't know what they were doing, but then should the canoe company at least ask about the canoeists experience?  The father should also know how well their kids swim.  Rushing water is a different beast and it takes a much stronger swimmer to negotiate, with or without a life jacket.  Sounds like it was a tragedy of errors on both sides.

Answer 8

This "misadventure" happened because of Clayton's decision, judgment, and skill level.  

Or you can argue that those that rent, or sell, or loan, or facilitate are responsible. This was a rental, it would be just as sad if Clayton bought the canoe or built the canoe.  

Regulators should they close the river, outlaw water sports?

Clayton rented a canoe behaving like he was buying a ticket at a theme park.  This was a river of moving water and reportedly cold.  Canoes require skills and are not a ride at the water park.  People even with flotation devices drown.  Clayton's partner had misgivings and decided to stay on land.  Yet with both adult guardians present, the children were allowed in the canoe.  

"...But just over an hour into the trip Mr Clayton said they got into difficulty.

"Suddenly we were taken and I couldn't steer the canoe because it was forceful on the bend. In the blink of an eye we hit something which I thought was a fallen tree and the canoe tipped over," he said. .."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales...

"...Following the inquest, Mr Clayton criticised the canoe-hire industry...

"We live in times of increased awareness about health and safety issues yet it seems to me that any Tom, d**k, Harry or fly-by-night merchant can take money to hire out their canoe without regulation," he said.

'Balance risk'

"If I am a customer of a canoe-hire company, I'm expected to have some knowledge of how to keep safe, how to paddle and what to do in case of capsizing.

"Yet if I wish to hire out that canoe, I don't even have to know which end of the paddle to put into the water.

"Now, I don't believe you can ever have 100% safety and in physical activity there always has to be an element of risk for an adventure to be an adventure.

"But in the 21st Century we ought to be able to balance risk, adventure and safety."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales...

Answer 9

It was a tragic thing to happen.But i have to agree with you to some extent.I wouldn't do it but accidents do happen and unfortunately,this one was fatal.

I wouldn't wish the burden he has to carry on anyone.

Answer 10

If you have to apportion blame then some fault can be found on both sides. It was, however, just one of life's tragic accidents. Mr Clayton must be absolutely devastated and my heart really does go out to him.

Answer 11

This is sad. The dad will be grieving a lot.

Is it any different from flying?

When we take our children in a plane there is a risk of an air crash....there is always a risk when we do anything.

Answer 12

Absolutely!!!  Maybe this might dawn on him one day????

Answer 13

I watched the news report about this and actually thought the same thing. I considered it highly dangerous to have taken them out there at any rate. No guide, no experience, and only flimsy life jackets not obviously suitable for the area that ended up in. I have every sympathy for the parents but felt it was really foolhardy to have taken them in the first place.

Answer 14

Yes clearly it is but these days parents blame everyone else and society rewards that sort of thing by giving compensation for anything these days.....both kids should have had life jackets on - he is the father - he needs to care enough to think about those sorts of things - the company has every right to assume the father would know how able his kids were.  He is in the best position to protect them and should have done so.

Answer 15

A tragic accident and unfortunately accidents do happen. Why do we always have to blame someone? I'm sure the father already blames himself enough without us judging.

This case has highlighted how badly regulated canoe companies are however and this particular one is not in business anymore.