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Certainly a much better use case for this than the car crash stuff that goes off on rollercoasters
 
I feel like these kinds of canyoneering and cave-diving rescues should lead to prison time and fines.

"Woods and another student, Jeremy Mumford, were stuck in the pool for over an hour, but they ultimately were able to get out and continue deeper. They encountered another pool where the water was chest deep, and they could not get out."

Despite being stuck one time, they did not turn around when they had the chance.

No law should prevent you from doing any kind of extreme sport, obviously.

But they didn't end up in this situation by accident, they deliberately went into it and even ignored their first setback and potential emergency situation.

At the very least, they should be paying for all the costs associated with getting them out of that situation.
 
Ooh the arm chair, finger-wagging, Boy Scouting is strong in this thread. Fact is, none of us were there. So to start labeling these kids “idiots” is… Idiotic.

Sure, prep is important (victory favors the prepared) but even Eagle Scouts can get in over their head. **** happens. One of the most important skills, not only in something like canyoneering, but in life, is the ability to function when things go off-script. Because life is way less scripted than some may want to make it or believe.

It sounds like they had a year of canyoneering under their belts. They were heading to a specific location. They had gear; at least some rope and carabiners, materials (and skill) to make a fire, thermal blankets and - oh yeah - an SOS-capable phone. They found themselves in a situation and, with their gear, experience and maybe some good ol’ luck, they’ll live to fight another day. Sounds like THE definition of adventure., to me.

I do wonder what Apple will charge for the feature. Part of some Ultra subscription? On a per-use basis? Interested to find out.

"Not being there" is the first step in not being an idiot who gets oneself stuck in a canyon somewhere.
 
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"Woods and another student, Jeremy Mumford, were stuck in the pool for over an hour, but they ultimately were able to get out and continue deeper. They encountered another pool where the water was chest deep, and they could not get out."

This is natural selection at its best.
Apple thwarted it.
 
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I still wonder how that paid subscription will work. Will people die without a subscription although the phone could technically use the satellite service? For me it would make more sense to charge AFTER you use it. Each call could cost $50 for example. In a real emergency that would be a great deal and in European countries the health insurance would very likely pay that.
 
I still wonder how that paid subscription will work. Will people die without a subscription although the phone could technically use the satellite service? For me it would make more sense to charge AFTER you use it. Each call could cost $50 for example. In a real emergency that would be a great deal and in European countries the health insurance would very likely pay that.
Yeah - because it's not like there are fixed costs for offering and operating the service, regardless of whether you use it or anything.

I see no issue with a "no pay, no use" model. If people are too cheap to pay for a service that may save their life, that's ON THEM. It's not any different from being too cheap to pay for the rental car insurance, or life insurance, or the better tires for your car or any number of other things. It's TOTALLY reasonable to simply let people do their own cost/benefit analysis and spend accordingly.

Life has consequences. People should not be, and should not expected to be, protected from all off the bad things that may happen to them in life. That's just ridiculous.

If you don't want to die out in the middle of nowhere, then don't go out in the middle of nowhere! Honestly - it's not a hard concept to grasp.
 
I still wonder how that paid subscription will work. Will people die without a subscription although the phone could technically use the satellite service? For me it would make more sense to charge AFTER you use it. Each call could cost $50 for example. In a real emergency that would be a great deal and in European countries the health insurance would very likely pay that.
That reminds me of a story I heard where a woman's car got stolen with her kid still in the back. She had a tracking feature in the car that wasn't active because she wasn't paying for it. The car company refused to help the police until they handed over a credit card.

 
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That reminds me of a story I heard where a woman's car got stolen with her kid still in the back. She had a tracking feature in the car that wasn't active because she wasn't paying for it. The car company refused to help the police until they handed over a credit card.

Why should they give away their service for free?

That police dept has a huge budget. No reason why it can't use some of it to, you know, do its job. I bet those police didn't mind getting paid overtime to work on this case though, did they?

For that matter - this lady's kid is in the back, she wants VW to turn on the feature and she STILL isn't willing to just give them a credit card number to turn it on? I mean, what the hell? What a horrible mother!
 
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Smartarse snarkery aside... great news those involved were able to get themselves out of a potentially lethal situation. Another +1 for the Emergency SOS feature.

That said, they were fortunate the iPhone's satellite antenna system worked in that situation. Anyone going canyoning *really* should be taking a proper PLB or dedicated Satellite Communicator (InReach, etc) as deep walls can really limit the ability of a device to achieve line of sight to enough satellites to both get out messages and send an accurate location to SAR.

Having Emergency SOS on an iPhone is a great backup/secondary device, but for higher risk activities (and canyoning definitely falls into that category) it shouldn't be relied on as a primary emergency beacon-type device. Especially as PLBs are generally waterproof and very durable... and iPhones generally aren't so much ;-)

InReach’s don’t work well in these environments either.

I have recorded tracks on the Explore map that consist of two points, one at the entrance of a canyon, and another at the exit, connected by a straight line.

These are extremely narrow, steep, sheer, and often overhanging canyons. Don’t go if you think you’ll need to rely on a sat device for assistance.
 
I still wonder how that paid subscription will work.
Probably like applecare.
Will people die without a subscription although the phone could technically use the satellite service?
Let’s say you buy inferior climbing equipment and fall off the mountain because if it. You have to be responsible.
For me it would make more sense to charge AFTER you use it. Each call could cost $50 for example. In a real emergency that would be a great deal and in European countries the health insurance would very likely pay that.
So apple is supposed to chase you down for a payment? I doubt it. How about you prepay for a few years if you are going to use the service.
 
Ooh the arm chair, finger-wagging, Boy Scouting is strong in this thread. Fact is, none of us were there. So to start labeling these kids “idiots” is… Idiotic.

Sure, prep is important (victory favors the prepared) but even Eagle Scouts can get in over their head. **** happens. One of the most important skills, not only in something like canyoneering, but in life, is the ability to function when things go off-script. Because life is way less scripted than some may want to make it or believe.

It sounds like they had a year of canyoneering under their belts. They were heading to a specific location. They had gear; at least some rope and carabiners, materials (and skill) to make a fire, thermal blankets and - oh yeah - an SOS-capable phone. They found themselves in a situation and, with their gear, experience and maybe some good ol’ luck, they’ll live to fight another day. Sounds like THE definition of adventure., to me.

I do wonder what Apple will charge for the feature. Part of some Ultra subscription? On a per-use basis? Interested to find out.

Agreed. Lots of arm chair commentary here from people who’ve never been to such environments or don’t have the skills or inclination to visit them.

Some on here say “they shouldn’t have been in a canyon” is absurd. You get it or you don’t.

But the fact is, it’s spring, after a wet winter. They should have known about the possibility of water and the difficulties it can create in these canyons. They had some self rescue gear but were they also prepped for possibly long and repeated swims in extremely cold water? As for continuing down canyon, that’s often the easiest and fastest egress.

There are many gory stories of people driving to their destination in this area, finding conditions unsuitable, but going for it anyways because of the time and expense already incurred.
 
And they live on to reproduce. Idiocracy world intensifies.
I guess at least they were fit enough to do the "Squeeze". Smart enough to have a way out. Literate enough to research the trail extensively before they left.

Comparing that to people who judge others without reading the actual story. I know which one I would prefer to have in the stable.

I feel like these kinds of canyoneering and cave-diving rescues should lead to prison time and fines.

"Woods and another student, Jeremy Mumford, were stuck in the pool for over an hour, but they ultimately were able to get out and continue deeper. They encountered another pool where the water was chest deep, and they could not get out."

Despite being stuck one time, they did not turn around when they had the chance.

No law should prevent you from doing any kind of extreme sport, obviously.

But they didn't end up in this situation by accident, they deliberately went into it and even ignored their first setback and potential emergency situation.

At the very least, they should be paying for all the costs associated with getting them out of that situation.
So you didn’t work out that they couldn’t go back. Do you actually understand this kind of trail? They did things like abseil down a rock. Do you expect them to abseil back up? Geez.
 
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This is the problem with modern society.
IKR! F safety features! Seat belts are stupid! Helmets are dumb! Gloves? I stomp on ‘em! Don’t get me started on protective cups! Today’s baseball gloves?! Too comfy, Nancy! While I’m at it, WTF is up with clothes?! Who needs to protect their feet and stay warm?!? Psshhh!

Amiright?!

#BackInMyDay
 
Sounds like a well written story to promote Apple. Did they have to pay for the rescue?
And you've never boasted about one of your accomplishments? Apple did a great thing with their satellite SOS and this comment is showing such extreme Apple hate. I guess I'm no longer surprised by this, and that's sad.
 
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The “feature is free for two years”. The rescue services bill is not. A helicopter rescue with fuel, pilots, medics, etc. is going to be very pricey…but you’re alive!!
Do you have to pay for this in the US?
 
Do you have to pay for this in the US?
It depends. If the rescue is performed by the Dept of Defense, Coast Guard, or other Federal Agencies, it is most likely no cost to the person(s) being rescued. it depends where you are in the US when you get rescued and who performs the rescue. For example: State regulations vs. a National Park.

This article has more info on the US and what’s typical in Europe (user typically pays or has insurance for this). Source: Time USA
 
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