General Chat

I do wonder sometimes what we're becoming. Lots of news recently about safety on the River Avon in Bath. Since 2008, 13 have drowned - all young men, all after nights out, presumably drinking. Now a not-for-profit group of people do late night patrols. Good on them, but FGS, the river has always been there! Don't get p****d and walk home alone along it, or mess about thinking you'd like a late-night swim.

Sheila, it has ever been thus.

My great- great- grandfather's Death Certificate gives his cause of death, as being 'found drowned, presumed accident'

Family tradition says that he fell off a bridge into the river whilst drunk.

I do take your point though, and it is a wise one.

There are numerous deaths in Australia due to the same cause.

Kent Search and Rescue will patrol the River Medway in Maidstone and Rochester after similar tragedies.

It's sad and unnecessary to get in such a state that these drownings occur, but anything that helps prevent another is a welcome help to families.

Could say the same about the sea.

A lot of those who die in the sea are stone cold sober but they still think it is just a big swimming pool and the tide can be switched off.

We've had several drownings of students here in Durham - as most of you say, the main problem is walking alone along the riverbanks after a drinking session.

I don't know why they don't walk through the town to get back to their colleges.

There used to be a 'Night Bus' for students, doing the rounds of the colleges, city centre and Tesco. I don't know why it was stopped because when it was operating I can't recall a student tumbling into the water.

Exactly what I said Sheila when I saw it on the news. I think to put the railings in is a good idea, especially as some of them may have to walk that way home. But it seems that water and University students don't mix. They have the same problem with Bristol docks and we have a problem with Gloucester Docks and the Glos/Sharpness canal. I don't know what the answer is really except advising them not to get drunk. But nobody wants to see young people lose their lives so maybe the patrols are the best Idea. I think they only do it Freshers week and this time of year don't they in Bath?

The cheap booze doesn't help!

This is not meant to be a flippant response, but perhaps cheap booze does help, in a negative way :-(

Allan, one of my Australian ancestors was found drowned wrapped in a blanket, umm must see if I can get more info an that.

People have always fallen in rivers - have come across numerous newspaper articles from 19th century during research - but it does seem that the number of incidents has increased over the last few years. And of course it is always a tragedy, devastating for the families involved. There have always been rivers, and students, so are there more students? More students drinking? Or just unaware of the dangers? Safety measures (railings etc.) may be of some help, as is information about the dangers. But why should either be necessary?

As one who has been in a hole in the road I can tell you that where there is alcohol there needs to be railings.

When I was young....yep I'm old LOL....we couldn't afford to get legless every time we went out as booze wasn't so cheap. Now in Uni towns they can all afford to drink too much all the time. You can put up all the railings you want but if they're that drunk something will happen to them.

Getting legless is not exclusive to students, far from it.

Young people 13-21 are inately unfit to make rational judgements ( and prob should not have a driving licence for that reason esp males) and def need saving from themselves.

Booze has always been cheap it is just a matter of where it ranks in your spending priorities. In 1970 beer was 2s a pint, whisky £ 5 bottle. Typical wage at the time £ 30 per week take home.

My GGF owned a brewery but I didn't get free beer :-(

Still couldn't afford to get legless when i was young...blimey must have been poorer than i thought....

I agree with you Joan and Sheila. The trouble is, while there is no consequence eg having to pay for the cost they cause, they won't give a damn and taxpayers will pick up the tab for the rescue, ambulances etc that are stretched enough as it is.

I saw on the news this morning that (I think it was 32) extra ambulance crews were having to be provided in London because last night and tonight they expect the worst drunkenness after Christmas parties and it won't affect just London. These stupid people drinking themselves to the point they are an emergency take ambulances away from others badly needing them and are clogging up our A&E departments at weekends and being aggressive to nurses etc who try to help them. Why should our NHS we pay for continue to be abused in this way?

There are fines etc for driving while incapable, so why not for walking while incapable? The police don't seem to enforce intoxication laws except in extreme cases yet you can just as easily cause an accident and kill someone else while staggering into a road can't you. As for booze being too cheap, is that really an excuse for the supposedly intelligent youth to not act responsibly? Their behaviour in our cities at night is intimidating and putting some off from going there, me and my OH included.

The Uni and college are partly to blame....they know the student union organizes pub crawls etc. I think we're back to the thread from yesterday and young people being taught to drink sensibly.

A friend of mine works as a minor surgery nurse and almost every evening consumes at least one bottle of wine and so far has not been caught drink driving or sent home smelling of alcohol now that is so wrong, worse than student drinkers IMHO.

Surely she's not drinking at work or immediately before a shift?
If she can't get through an evening without drinking that amount, she needs to recognise she needs help.

After a spat of 'missing in the river' articles published online in a regional newspaper, there was what started off as a serious suggestion "Put a fence around it". Even if more life buoys were placed along the banks, there is a high probability they'd be missing when they could have helped.

The trouble is that you can't protect people from themselves.

Alcohol is the devil's buttermilk.

'Drink sensibly' as the booze adverts vainly implore. :-S