Kenilworth
New member
droid said:Mark Wright said:If the BCA campaign for better access under CRoW is allowed to be derailed further there will be a lot of members questioning their continued support of their national body with the potential of individuals and clubs alike not renewing their membership in 2018.
I doubt it.
I suspect (but clearly can't prove) that many people join BCA for the Insurance. That should override any thoughts of leaving over *this*.
Are there a significant number of UK cavers who already operate independently of BCA? Other than insurance, what practical benefits does BCA membership include? What would be the practical impact of "individuals and clubs alike not renewing their membership in 2018?"
From my position, this entire discussion and the many others like it on this site are pretty comical. I'm trying to put myself in the position of a UK caver (impossible, but I'm trying) and to ask myself why I would care what happens to BCA or what decisions it makes. Then again, I've never wanted anyone to campaign for my caving rights, to arrange for my access, or to provide me insurance because I view these matters as my own personal responsibilities.
I wish to state what seems obvious to me: There are a number of cavers who are not willing to take the initiative or full responsibility for their own activities. Maybe a big number.
I cannot see any overall benefits from enfranchising these cavers, which, apparently, BCA is in the business of doing. When I have proposed an end to national caving bodies, it was not with a view to restricting caving, but to putting responsibilities back in their proper place, with the individual and community (before anyone mentions the "caving community", let me say that I mean geographic community, based on literal common ground).
Cap'n Chris has written about the possibilities of a vetting process, by which landowners could be assured of a caver's competence. I do not think that is a practical possibility, but I'm really suggesting something much the same. Instead of testing and certification, my hypothetical qualifications would involve an individuals being willing to do for themselves. That might at least weed out a few lazy cavers, and lazy cavers cannot be caring, careful cavers.