Public Nuisance Laws
 

Recently a young man jumped off a cliff intending to land in the surf except he missed. Landed on a rock ledge with a dislocated shoulder and had to stay there for a night till the rescuers found him.

After he was fixed up at the hospital, he was escorted to the cop shop where he was charged with causing a public nuisance. If he's found guilty, he'll have to pay back the money spent on his rescue.

I think he deserves any punishment they serve up. Lifesavers have better things to do than rescue morons who endanger their own lives on purpose.

I'd say landing on a rocky ledge, suffering the horrendous pain of dislocated shoulder and shivering through the night (probably by this time afraid, cold and in great pain), then being made to feel like a complete idiot afterwards, is punishment enough for what was a stupid act by a young man. \Bet he doesn't do anything like that again:)

We all do daft shit when we're young. Some of us get away unscathed, some of us do not.

What are lifesavers, Emergency Medical people(ambulance) or Life Guards that sit on the beach and save people from drowning? :confused:

Assuming not round candy with a hole in it.

When he costs the tax payers' money and the rescuers' time, he ought to be forced to repay either or both of those. Wash rescue vehicles, roll up and stack fire hoses, set up a monthly reimbursement plan, etc.
Humiliation and feeling bad doesn't bring back wasted time and resources.

Wow, I hope I don't have to pay everyone back because I hurt my knee playing basketball in high school, foolishly engaging myself in a potentially dangerous activity. ;)

I have an idea, how about we go the extra step and just don't save him...:rolleyes:

What constitutes as doing something that endangers his life? If there was a sign that said he shouldn't jump then he should be fined but if there wasn't, he shouldn't have to pay since that is what rescuers are there for.

rescue services are paid for by taxes, no? the kid's family has already paid. i say foul play.

Shades of Brazil...

"Don't fight it son. Confess quickly! If you hold out too long you could jeopardize your credit rating."

The public nuisance law is kind of like a "prank fine:" if you call 911 as a joke, surely you should have to pay for the wasted resources? It's just a question of whether this guy's actions qualify. If he had jumped off the ledge to deliberately get an emergency response as part of an edgy Jackass-style documentary, surely he should have to pay the prank fine, right?

In this situation, on the one hand, he jumped deliberately, but on the other, he didn't intend to need rescuing. Hmm... maybe he should only have to pay for the rescue if he was yelling for help? ;)

As it was posted by Aliantha I assume it's an Australian case - the rescue service may well be publicly funded? I'm sure she'll clarify.

Don't really know which way I fall (!) on this one. I agree with Dana in that I doubt he'll be that much of an eejit again. And with Clod that the outcome of the situation - while not surprising - was accidental.

I think I'd suggest a caution for a first offence. The next one, sure - hit them with the full costs plus a fine.

Until they charged him he was saying he'd do daredevil stuff again. I don't know if he's changed his tune now.

Lifesavers on the beaches work mostly on a voluntary basis and recieve very little funding from the government. They are people who volunteer their time willingly to save those people whose lives are endangered legitimately.

In this case, there were lifesavers as well as air sea rescue choppers etc along with police and ses (state emergency service - another voluntary organisation in the main part) involved.

The bill came to over $10 000.

I'm walking along a beach and I trip and fall, an accident. maybe I shouldn't pay full boat, but I'd feel so glad to be alive I'd make a nice donation to the cause.

I'm intentionally doing something risky, something that 99% of the population isn't also doing and I fall. Well, that is, how do you say? My bad?

Exactly foot!