I think I detect clashes of expectation and experience on a whole number of levels. In regards to the last post a clash between UKA and fell running: the latter with little experience of the somewhat wilder nature of the fells (and the people who choose to run on them). But I also sense an "old school" who have grown up with, and are used to, both the mountain environment as a whole, the ethos and approach to fell running specifically and who grew up with a sport which whose lack of regulation and rules was one of its attractions.
But we (sadly) live in changed times. People have different expectations. The new rules are a reflection of this, and the debate on these pages have been an attempt to draw attention to some of the issues that the (more general) shift in focus to managing risk and the potential for litigation when things go wrong which is now prevalent in society as a whole (where someone, somewhere must be responsible, for whatever befalls us). I think we all agree that fell running is a risky sport and it's a sad reflection on wider society that it's felt there's need for regulation etc, but that's the way it's gone and we'll have to get used to it. It's surprising that we've got away with it for so long, frankly.
So: the Rules should be as watertight as they can be, within the boundaries and limitations of the environment we find ourselves. It seems from discussion on here that they aren't, and, without going into massive detail, I'm inclined to agree. There's a Health and Safety culture out there, folks, and people who will exploit it if they get the opportunity. This, coupled with the changed expectations of people new to the sport, or coming into it from other areas where there is more regulation, has huge potential to cause problems across the board from the FRA to ROs and, ultimately, to us humble runners who turn up and try to comply with the rules, but just want to get out into the hills and "enjoy" ourselves.
It seems a real shame that some real issues raised here don't really seem to be given the full consideration they perhaps deserve, largely, it seems to me, as an outsider, based on clashes in personality and issues over protocol.
