Makes me really angry when they use the "H&S" argument....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3189696/How-police-stand-watch-boy-drown-6ft-water-did-STOP-bystanders-diving-save-investigate-disturbing-elf-n-safety-debacle-yet.html

Lack of bollocks more like.

Even though I'm afraid of water, I'd have gone in if it was about 6ft deep. I'd have also had some choice words for the brave coppers.

I wouldn't have given a shit what the coppers would have said or tried to do, I just wouldn't have been able to stand there and watch someone drown, especially a kid the same age as one of my lads.

I'm not a swimmer at all, but I would have tried something.coppers are doing less and less these days.

If it wasn't dangerous how come a healthy fit 17 yr old boy drowned in it? Why didnt any passer by go in and help? They were advised not to but was no1 brave enough? Its all well & good saying you would have saved the boy had u been there but you weren't.
You have to weigh up the chances of saving the boy and dying yourself. How many people have drowned trying to save the lives of other people and even animals?

Loads TMG. However, the fact that the river was only 6' deep and the lad wasn't a great swimmer, and the fact that the Police said it was due to H&S, says to me, it's bollocks.

My only personal opinion, and I know people have died trying to rescue people (yesterday a 44yr old fella did in the sea in Devon), but personally, I just couldn't stand there and watch anyone die.

Of course there are risks, but I look at as if it was one of my lads. If one of them was in difficulty, regardless of where they were and there were people watching, I'd be devastated if I thought nobody tried. Just my outlook on things like this.

Blue That's the thing he wasn't a poor swimmer He was a competent swimmer Maybe he wanted to die in which case if you go in him after him he'll pull u under with him
I dunno it's a split second decision I've run into a house full of smoke before and saved a granny who was sleeping but my Mrs and kids wdnt have been happy if I'd have been overcome by the smoke and died
I don't blame the coppers or any1 else tho The kid took the decision to run from police & jump in the canal just like other kids choose to steal cars & end up in fatal accidents

I totally get that, that's why it's a personal choice. Of course, if I ran into a burning house and died, or jumped into a lake to save a dog/lad...I'm sure my missus and lads would be pissed off if I died.

However, I know my lads and I know my missus, and they know me.

If I just stood there and told them I did nothing, they wouldn't be impressed. I've put myself in loads of situations over the years, giving CPR to an old woman trapped under a lorry that had jack-knifed, waiting for the Paramedics...probably a stupid thing, especially as she was pretty much dead and had no chance of survival...but through my job, and probably my career, I've always been programmed to help people. Whether that's right, or whether that's a stupid outlook, is down to opinion.

I personally wouldn't blame another person for not diving in, I just couldn't stand there and watch, regardless of the situation. If there was 'any' chance of saving them, in any situation, I would.