Marketing is where lawsuits start.

This one takes a prize for being the dumbest article/press release I’ve seen in years. The article starts out talking about fatalities in whitewater rafting. The next paragraph states that whitewater rafting is safe.

Now its the midst of the busy season guides and companies want people to know the river is not only fun, but also safe.

Wiktionary describes “safe” as Not in danger; free from harm‘s reach. Free from risk; harmless, riskless. Providing protection from danger; providing shelter. Properly secured; secure.

The Free Dictionary describes “safe” about the same way. Secure from danger, harm, or evil. Free from danger or injury; unhurt: safe and sound.. Free from risk; sure: a safe bet.

I don’t see how a fatality meets the description of safe?

The article is an absurd attempt to bring tourism to an area or activity.

It gets better though. Later in the article the reporter describes the safety talk where the guide states:

“Anyone of you guys or anyone of us can be really seriously hurt and or killed out here on the water,”

But we quickly slip back into “lawsuit creation time” with the quote from the guide:

“I’m a swift water rescue instructor, I’m also certified in emergency care so you are in pretty good hands but you need to watch out for yourselves today too,”

“Everybody thinks whitewater rafting oh it’s so scary, and dangerous well, it’s really not all that dangerous.”

“If you listen to the guide and you do everything that he says then you’ll be fine as long as you just pay attention and keep your eyes open.”

I understand what is going on. In an effort to get people back on the river after several fatalities a first time rafting reporter was offered a trip down the river. The reporter thought he was reporting well. The raft company thought they were doing a good job telling the reporter how safe the river was. The guides were in heaven because the reporter was having them repeat their quotes; they were going to be famous.

From a legal standpoint they are making very conflicting and haunting statements. From a casual reader’s standpoint the statements don’t make sense. What you have is a very confused article that is guaranteed to surface in the next claim or lawsuit over rafting.

Rafting: Is it or is it not safe?

Based on the definition of the word safe, whitewater rafting is not safe. But based on the definition, nothing is safe. You can put the risks in perspective but you cannot tell your customers that rafting is safe. But life can be a lot more fun if you are willing to undertake some risk.

See: Whitewater Rafting Safety