That's quite a reasonable point you make there Bitterend
Clubs, groups etc, are by no means the be all and end all of all things.
Some people like it , some people don't, so it's very much a personal thing.
There are obviously, to some people, disadvantages for both views and like wise, advantages also.
However, I do see a lot of disadvantages from
not being in a club and I am personally of the opinion, that 'we' do, as you have said, get out what we indeed put in.
I haven't been a member of a Club for some years now, a fact that I am at present, trying to rectify by re applying to my "mother" club.
There are various reasons why I would like to be back within a club again;
Social reasons.......I do miss the camaraderie that I used to experience when I was a member before, and ,as a result of not being in that club, I have lost contact with a lot of friends etc ( that is wholly my fault, as I should have found ways and means of contacting people), but nonetheless, having the Social gatherings at the Club certainly helped to keep contacts going, and like wise, it keeps your own profile fresh in the minds of others.
That also extends to not just big social events that clubs do organise either. The same effect can be achieved come from just popping in for a coffee and a chat in said clubs.
Obviously, as within any large group of people, you will always get the very minuscule number, who you don't get on with, and or don't agree with, but we can chose who we like to be around!
Direct caving reasons ........I have caved for many years now (since I was about 9yrs old) and have , at times solo-caved. Solo caving can be a very rewarding experience, but also (I hasten to add) a dangerous one too! But I have done it, and really and truthfully, caving on your own doesn't come close, IMHO, to caving with others.
With that in mind, I have found in my experience, that we all lead busy and hectic lives, so our regular caving buddies, and especially mine, are not always available to go caving when I am.
So, rocking up to a friendly Club, were there are either other like minded people and or groups or individuals you may never before have met, you can always find someone to go caving with.
This has happened to me many times and I have had some pretty excellent trips because of it too!
Information........clubs are a mine of information, whether it is via a well stocked caving library, or just some old bloke sat on a couch who has "done it all before" ....hahaha Myself not included there
I know we have lots of information out there nowadays at our fingertips, so, for a lot of the time, we can find out most info without leaving our comfy lounges. But, how was that information gathered in the first place?....much of it, if not all of it, came from other Cavers who have been or are, members of clubs and organisations of other cavers.
They then have published their findings, and or can relate the information to others within the relaxed confines of a Hut Common room, or Club Journal etc.
Without a club, would this have still happened?.....I think possibly not!
Accommodation ......Clubs, with Huts, are a massive boon. Where would we be without having them?
They are great for staying in, especially if you go to a completely different caving area where you may not be able to either afford, or have a choice of any other accommodation available.
I know we can always pitch a tent, but, for a lot of people, sleeping under canvas isn't always their thing, so having a club hut to stay is is a brilliant idea.
This has proven itself in the wider outdoor pursuits field too. You only have to look at the YHA or the Mountain Bothies Assoc for good examples.
If a group of people hadn't joined together and formed a club in the first place, then we wouldn't have had the enjoyment of their fantastic facilities over the years. So there is that to consider too I feel.
For me, the reasons I have said sum up how I feel in general regarding clubs, and I do feel that they are an integral backbone of our sport and pastime of caving.
So, for me, their future and existence is important.
I know that over the last 14 years that I haven't been in a club, I have had some difficulty in accessing some caves which I would like to have gone into.
Permit systems and insurance issues are pretty much sorted when you are in a club, so when you are not, it can be a real pain!
With regards to committees and the running of such clubs, I have never been involved in any of that.
But, again, if a club or a committee isn't doing what we think is needed,or is maybe going about it the wrong way, then we need to get involved to be able to change that eh?
All in all, with all of my ramblings here, I am very much in favour of Caving Clubs. They are what they are. If we like them then grand, if we don't then change them. But the only way to get it to our liking, is to join and put our views across.....Just some thoughts <;-0)