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.
Very true! There is a poor minded culture in North America, with respect to risk taking, and I influence it whenever I have the opportunity. One of our float flying mates crashed and sunk his float PA-18 years back. He got out okay, but spent three nights on shore with nothing at all, until found. So, When I fly remote I wear a life jacket whose pockets are full of a day or so of things I would want to have. For those of my mates who don't, I remind them - some people, even nice ones, still don't listen.
Three weeks ago I was searching for a duck hunter who had fallen out of his canoe. The search conditions could not have been better, and he was in less than 10 feet of very clear water. But, with no lifejacket on, and bulky camouflage hunting clothes, I could not see him on the bottom at all. I think the police found his body days later after a very expensive search.
Happily, as a result of a number of very sad accidents in floatplanes in Canada, rules are changing, and some wearing of lifejackets will be mandatory - there are still formal detractors!
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?
Well.... There is some satisfaction in the job, yes, but I do it as my contribution to make my community a better (and safer) place. I was asked to join our local Fire Department 25 years ago, and felt a duty to accept (they needed the help). Having me in the air in minutes notice was very attractive to them - I fly a dozen to twenty searches a year. I do enjoy finding someone, who I know would otherwise have not survived unrescued. I certainly don't enjoy picking up pieces of a person on the roadside, or 20 minutes of CPR that did not work.
As citizens of a society where our natural reaction is to do something to care for another person, we are honour bound to take reasonable steps to prevent valueless risk to ourselves and to public service providers. It is no value to me that someone wants to take risks for their thrills, and will still call 911 (999/112) if something goes unplanned. If a person chooses to remove themselves from society, and seek no aid, that's entirely their choice.