Sounds like we can all agree that education is the most important step and, after that, everything is supplemental with incremental reduction in risk.
For me, I will take these easy steps to further increase the POSSIBILITY of improving the odds of survival of the friends and family that I ride with; not to mention my own. I, and all those I ride with, choose to better those odds. Having all our safety gear and having training absolutely does NOT make us ride riskier conditions than if we did not have the gear. No more than I drive more recklessly because I wear a seatbelt or ride my motorcycles recklessly because I have on a helmet (and armored boots, jacket and pants).
The analogy of using a seatbelt is a bit different than having transceivers, etc. because a seatbelt, or a motorcycle helmet, for example, only protects you and not those around you (except for the emotions your loved ones would encounter from your death or injury); a seatbelt is a better analogy for an Avy Backpack. Transceivers/probe/shovel, and knowing how to use them, are equally to improve survivability of those around you as they are to improve your survivability. That is a major difference between transceiver/probe/shovel and a seat belt, motorcycle helmet, avy backpack, etc.; the potential beneficial impact to others.
If you don't want to wear a seatbelt when you drive or a motorcycle helmet, yes I think that is unwise, but in the end, it really only impacts you (and your loved ones). It does not save me or my loved ones if you get into a wreck with them.
In the groups with which my wife and I ride, the primary reason we have transceivers is to HELP THOSE AROUND US. It's about caring enough for them, or for strangers that we happen upon, to help. Yes there are situation where all the safety gear is used and someone still dies, but that is not reasonable justification to not even bother. It just MIGHT save, or reduce severity of injury to, someone.
For such a small cost, almost everyone I know has chosen to have the equipment (on top of having already attended training) and as important, encourage those around them to attend the training and gear up.
Perhaps the best thing to do is focus on encouraging folks to attend training even more so that buying gear. For one, training is the most important part. Secondly, I've not met anyone that went to a good, two day training course and came away still thinking safety gear was "optional" or "not needed because now I'm trained". Training drives home the need for the gear.
For those that want to stick with the seatbelt or helmet analogy...it seems that no matter how safe one drives or rides (by avoiding unsafe driving conditions like driving at night or in the rain or snow which is similar to avoiding dangerous terrain or conditions when snowmobiling), one generally will still wear your seat belt or helmet. Why? Because of the unforeseen situations. Avoiding the most obvious driving risks above, you can still get hit by another driver, have an animal run out in front of you, etc. Hence the seat belt or motorcycle helmet. Being a great driver, or rider, or knowing where and when "not to go" regarding avy terrain is not always going to keep you out of trouble. There are those time where you, or someone you are with, might make that momentarily, but monumental, bad choice despite training. Same with other groups you may come upon that got into trouble knowingly or unknowingly.
For us and most of the riders we know, there really wasn't a decision process on this one at all. It seems intuitive that when one gets interested in sledding in the mountains, you get training and wear safety gear.
For our part, we'll just keep pushing training since the safety gear will follow.
Please, please, please attend an avy training course that includes not only a day of in-class instruction but a day of training in the field. And encourage those around you (they just might save your skin someday).
Thank you!
