ST: Points taken.
As I said before there is a risk/benefit for every action. I certainly mitigate the risk as far as possible with constant wear life jacket, ELT on my person, dingy and sometimes immersion suit for long over water legs.
BUT the main thing is I fly a well maintained aircraft with a well maintained engine and I like to think that I am reasonably competent. So my main protection is that I am VERY unlikely to need your services and I would consider it a failure on my part if I ever did.
I should say that in your neck of the woods I was considered a bit wet for wearing the kit and your compatriots seemed to go on much more hairy trips day to day in Alaska/Canadian arctic. They certainly felt that life was for living. Good for them, the world would be a poorer place if that sort of activity was banned.
When I say that some risks are worth taking just for the hell of it I mean just that. SOME risks - the good risks, the carefully thought through risks. I don't think we should stop doing things just because there is a very remote chance of something bad happening.
I agree that there is the argument that it's unfair to ask you to risk your life fishing me out of some awkward situation that I have got myself into ..... but you don't have to do that job - could it be that you quite enjoy it? I also would understand if you felt that I wasn't worth the risk of rescuing (I reserve the right to change my mind on this at the time). I also argue that society has to have the SAR kit anyway to rescue the military and the odd errant scheduled flight and they need to practice .....