Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site alice.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!ark From: ark@alice.UucP (Andrew Koenig) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: The free market and scuba diving Message-ID: <4205@alice.UUCP> Date: Sat, 24-Aug-85 14:59:47 EDT Article-I.D.: alice.4205 Posted: Sat Aug 24 14:59:47 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 25-Aug-85 12:49:54 EDT References: <10169@ucbvax.ARPA> Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill Lines: 18 Barry Fagin's note on scuba equipment rentals is interesting, and completely correct except for two minor details. He says: "An interesting example of how the free market keeps a sport safe, even though it may piss off libertarians." Well, it doesn't piss off THIS libertarian. That is how the free market SHOULD work. What DOES piss me off -- and is NOT the way the free market should work -- is that I cannot say to the rental agency: "Please rent me your equipment even though I am not certified: I will agree, in writing, not to hold you responsible for anything that happens to me as a result of my ignorance." The trouble is that the chances are too great that it will be possible to convince a jury that because I am not certified, I could NOT have made an informed decision to accept my own risks, and therefore that the rental agency is liable ANYWAY!