Safety in numbers

Today the decision was made that the Icelandic police and other enforcement agencies would not restrict access to the area around the volcanic eruption. Partially this is because the eruption has remained relatively stable for the last 36 hours or so, with a steady but not increasing lava flow. Partially this is because the eruption is not a massive one nor fast moving, so the danger is manageable.

But of course the real reason is because there will be an awful lot of people trying to get a good look at the eruption this weekend. Even if the law enforcement proclaimed a ban, it would not be heeded. The eruption simply lies too close to a popular walking path for lots of people not to think that a hike up to it is the thing to do this weekend.

The plus side of this is that there will be exactly that, plenty of people up there this weekend. Whenever anyone is trying to do something rather dangerous and unpredictable, it is really very advisable to do it in a group. There is safety in numbers not only in how it provides for more manpower should something go wrong, but also in how the group dynamic keeps any one person from doing anything too silly. Whereas Jón might think on his own to go climb onto the melting glacier, his friend Einar will probably remind him that is not such a good idea. Thus a group can be both preactive and reactive in minimizing risk.

Anyhow, that still does not mean I am taking Palmer there this weekend.

Comments

Jon Frimann said…
Það er hætta á því að þetta eldgos breyti um hegðun á mikils fyrirvara, og þá verður fjandinn laus.

Ég vona bara að það gerist með nægum fyrirvara þannig að hægt sé að rýma svæðið og forða fólkinu frá því.

Ef ég fer að skoða þetta eldgos, þá verður lámarksfjarlægðin núna ekki minni en 30km eða svo.
March 24, 2010 at 11:16 PM
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