My point was that it is a SPOT issue when compared to the usage of PLB's. Prior to SPOT, how many folks used PLBs when the water they found was "too salty"?

The real issue is in fact stupidity but how we can blame people when they see this stuff for sale and they read the wonderful stories about people being rescued because they had their SPOT with them?

If that SPOT device cost $1000 and the plan cost $500 per year and anyone buying one had to go thru a short course in how and why to use it, they'd be used by people who needed them instead of by people relying on the technology to make up for their stupidity.

People were heading off into the wilderness, and even the Grand Canyon for generations without needing a SPOT device. Unless the good folks at SPOT start ponying up the cash to reimburse for the unneeded searches that THEIR products help to facilitate I think that they share at least part of the blame.

Rather than seeing rescue personnel charging for their services, I think what we'll see is a well founded reluctance to even initiate a search based solely upon contact from the good folks who monitor things at SPOT HQ. Couple that with the first law suit filed by the family of a SAR team member killed while "rescuing" a couple of idiots who didn't like the taste of the water in the Grand Canyon and you'll see some REALLY interesting changes in outdoor/wildnerness policies.

But as always, I could be wrong...