On 8/21/2011 2:54 PM, Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Sun, 21 Aug 2011 13:02:50 -0700, Cookie wrote:

Bob......You lost me......Are you saying that flying without insurance
somehow make a pilot safer...or "behave" better???

I read that as meaning that too many club members are far too careless in
the way they treat club property and that, if the club is self-insured,
the threat to their wallet combined with their reputation in the club
might make them a bit more careful not to smash up the club's gliders and
other equipment.


Martin is 100% spot-on in his conclusion...but I don't limit the conclusion
'merely' to 'club members' and 'club equipment.'

Consider motor vehicles. Here in the U.S. drivers are pretty much legally
required to have certain types of insurance, but none of the states in which
I've lived have *required* collision insurance (which, in the States, covers
your vehicle for an accident that is YOUR fault). Even some mainstream
magazines (e.g. "Consumer Reports") accurately suggest collision coverage is
an expensive luxury...if one is a 'responsible driver.' Yet most of the people
I've had reason to ask about this, DO carry it; a common rationale is, "My
vehicle is new and it would be really expensive to repair it." I don't carry
it, never have carried it, and use my 'situational awareness' and general
driving skill set to do my utmost to 'not NEED it.' With one semi-youthful
stupidity-influenced and one (minor) glare-ice-influenced exception(s),
economically - not to mention safety-wise - I consider myself *way* ahead in
this particular game. Strictly for context, I've been driving since 1968, and
since 2003 getting paid to do so.

My point is that mindset, and perceived risk, DO matter in how one interacts
with their world.

Bob W.