The problem here has got to be largely one of ignorance, simply because most people have absolutely no idea of what the helicopters are doing up there (hence the suggestions that all training be done over the sea etc) I remember seeing an article in the local paper by some git complaining about the police helicopter hovering over the golf course for 20 mins, and spoiling his Sunday afternoon round. His assumption was that we were on some jolly, just messing around and burning tax-payers cash. He would probably have been really ashamed to learn that we were actually looking for a missing child, (which we strangely enough prioritised above Mr X's tee shot off the third).
It made me nearly as angry as a HEMS job, when we were trying to land in a lay-by beside a remote road where there had been a serious accident, in order to casevac a critically injured person to hospital. Another git parked his car in said lay-by just as we were on finals. Despite skyshout requests for him to move his car as we urgently needed to land in the one suitable spot, he completely ignored us, put his backpack on and went for a walk. When we got a local bobby to catch up with him and ask him to move the car, he was most put out and fed up with us! If I hadnt had a job to do, I would probably have had to ask the bobbies to look the other way for a minute and physically explained the error of his ways. How can some people be so utterly, completely arrogant and self-centered? It is almost beyond my comprehension!
Last edited by Non-PC Plod; 22nd Jul 2009 at 19:54.
Reason: Added a nother thought