Volunteer Organisations - Community Spirit or Government Bludge

[SatNav]

1. In the beginning volunteer groups (VMR, SES, RFB, Coastguard etc) were started as part of the local community, there were no bureaucrats, there were no dictators, there were no OH&S seat warmers, there was no BS, money raised in the community stayed in the community, members freely used their own equipment and individual experience, in fact things worked well, maybe too well for the government to accept?

2. What has happened in recent times since government bastardization, takeovers and increasing bureaucracy has intervened is a killing off of the real volunteer, smothering of the real community spirit now replaced by puppet volunteers, easily identified by their name badges.

3. So for ever asked the question, yes the real volunteer is long gone, some of us who were actually there in the beginning know the difference, the rest wouldn't have a clue.

4. Have a nice weekend

[johncar]

Unfortunately the world has changed with need for people to sue someone if they sneeze too hard and all organisations have had to adjust or cease to to exist due to that liability exposure. It is a worry that volunteers may face a threat of facing court proceedings and so far there seems to be still some protection there but the line is no doubt much thinner than in the past so yeah there is much more regulation now to try and protect volunteers I guess.
We seem to have little say as a community what goes on in a law court and what damages a judge may award to a person suing and organisation or individual and yes I think it has taken a lot of the fun out of it and I believe that volunteers may become thinner on the ground or a different type of volunteer in future although I hope the good sense will prevail and that is not allowed to happen.
Unfortunately is seems that there are many dodgy judges in the system that allow bad things to happen to good people and lots of hard earned money from ordinary people needlessly spent on blood sucking lawyers.
That's what forces insurance up and closes many otherwise good organisations down.

Same goes for all your personal pursuits too, making sure you are totally roadworthy and not overloaded etc, every thing secured with your boats and caravans. Braking systems on vehicle and trailers working and approved because if any of us are involved in a major accident where there is a lot of injury or death and damaged property and we can be found in any way to be negligent or ignorant we could lose every thing we own and then some in a court case against us.
So it would be fair to say that there is just less fun in everything today. But I guess you have to ask yourself how you would feel if a poorly secured boat came off a trailer on the highway and killed your family.
Should we have a nanny state or just not worry and do what we want..??

[FishHunter]

Unfortunately the world has changed with need for people to sue someone if they sneeze too hard and all organisations have had to adjust or cease to to exist due to that liability exposure. It is a worry that volunteers may face a threat of facing court proceedings and so far there seems to be still some protection there but the line is no doubt much thinner than in the past so yeah there is much more regulation now to try and protect volunteers I guess.
We seem to have little say as a community what goes on in a law court and what damages a judge may award to a person suing and organisation or individual and yes I think it has taken a lot of the fun out of it and I believe that volunteers may become thinner on the ground or a different type of volunteer in future although I hope the good sense will prevail and that is not allowed to happen.
Unfortunately is seems that there are many dodgy judges in the system that allow bad things to happen to good people and lots of hard earned money from ordinary people needlessly spent on blood sucking lawyers.
That's what forces insurance up and closes many otherwise good organisations down.

Same goes for all your personal pursuits too, making sure you are totally roadworthy and not overloaded etc, every thing secured with your boats and caravans. Braking systems on vehicle and trailers working and approved because if any of us are involved in a major accident where there is a lot of injury or death and damaged property and we can be found in any way to be negligent or ignorant we could lose every thing we own and then some in a court case against us.
So it would be fair to say that there is just less fun in everything today. But I guess you have to ask yourself how you would feel if a poorly secured boat came off a trailer on the highway and killed your family.
Should we have a nanny state or just not worry and do what we want..??

I come from a place where common sense is required and expected, its also expected that people take responsibility for their actions. If you dont have common sense you get hurt or die so the dimwits tend to get weeded out of the system. Not much room for ambulance chasers in that enviroment. I think it works well and its about the only thing I miss.