Women and children first?

davet82

Lizzybet wrote: »

I would definitely show my gratitude to anyone who gave me a seat

Look two empty life boats already

Feisar

AeoNGriM wrote: »

Boobs and a vagina.

No, really it's because of some antiquated notion that a womans life is worth more than a mans.

So basically it's boobs and a vagina.

In terms of survival of the species isn't a womans life worth more than a mans?

It doesn't really apply now that there are about 7 billion of us about.

Aurum

Feisar wrote: »

I'm terms of survival of the species isn't a womans life worth more than a mans?

It doesn't really apply now that there are about 7 billion of us about.

Yes, from an evolutionary perspective it's more important to keep women alive. Twenty men and three women could produce, at best, thirty children, while twenty women and three men could easily produce a hundred children, if not more.

seamus

It's nothing to do with "women and children are the future" as that would be a utilitarian viewpoint. In that case it would be a matter of "women of child-bearing age and children first", followed closely by young men with infirm and elderly people left to the end.

The idea behind the strongest people getting on last is that it provides the most efficient method of evacuation with the greatest chance of saving everyone, since the strongest people are in place to assist the weaker ones. In that regard, you are adding additional risk to one set of people for the chance of saving everyone. If stronger people load the boats first, then weaker people will be slower to get to the boats (if they get there at all), and you will have more casualties.
There is also the idea that a stronger person will be a stronger swimmer and stands a better chance of surviving in cold water if the ship sinks.

There is obviously a chivalry/honour thing in there too, especially in terms of healthy women, as it assumes that a healthy woman is "weak" and incapable of assisting in an evacuation.

I reckon if I was in the situation, I would probably pick a lifeboat for me and my family, I would assist everyone in getting onto it, but when it's ready to launch, I'm on that boat. At a push, I would probably give up my seat for a child if I thought that they weren't going to get a seat on another boat.

DarkJager

Batsy wrote: »

Why should a fit and healthy 19 year old girl be allowed to get off the ship before an elderly man who can hardly walk?

The 19 year old is going to be able to get off faster thus allowing the people behind to get off faster as well. The elderly man will cause delays and probably even cause a stampede of people tired of waiting for him to get off. Disability ettiquette unfortunately has to go out the window when it comes to saving as many lives as possible.

Lizzybet

sophieblake wrote: »

I am a woman (obviously)

Children first I agree with and pregnant women.
The notion of women and children first came from a time when men were considered to be the "providers and protectors" In this day and age men and women's roles are interchangeable so a woman should have no more right to go first than a man.

Would a man's instinct not be to protect a woman?

dinneenp

from the Costa Concordia website-
From Costa Concordia website-
Only the crew was aware for the situation in the first minutes of collision and the master Franco Schettino got decision to turn the vessel closer to the shore. Only these actions of the crew and master saved the lives of the passengers and crew members. Soon after the collision was immediately declared an emergency and people on cruise ship has been ordered to gather in lifeboats. According to some witnesses on board quickly got a panic. Some of the many older travelers began to cry, others jumped into the water and swam to Giglio Island. The shores of closest Italian island were about 400 meters from the sinking ship Costa Concordia.

Which goes against what's being reported-
captain didn't report the issue for at least 30 mins, at first told land that everything was fine.
Resuce found out through people on board phoning emergency numbers.

Ormus

The problem with asking this question is that the only people you can believe completely are the people who say that they would save their own skins first.

The guys on here who say they they would let women and children go first are a mixture of:

1. Liars
2. Those who actually believe it now, but when faced with the actual life or death situation would not practice what they preach; and
3. Heroes (Me) :cool:

Park Royal

I guess you would follow the example of our betters in this wee land....

crash the whole economy ...then give yourself a huge pension and take off...

or as a well known man from Mayo did at Knock Airport when told the

flight to Dublin was full.....insisted the commoners or at least some of them

stay behind as he was a VIP and had big business in Dublin ....and should

be accommodated before any of them.....yes Enda.....

you cant beat good example from our betters to show us the way to go....

davet82

Park Royal wrote: »

I guess you would follow the example of our betters in this wee land....

crash the whole economy ...then give yourself a huge pension and take off...

or as a well known man from Mayo did at Knock Airport when told the

flight to Dublin was full.....insisted the commoners or at least some of them

stay behind as he was a VIP and had big business in Dublin ....and should

be accommodated before any of them.....yes Enda.....

you cant beat good example from our betters to show us the way to go....

so the boat sinking WAS all Enda Kenneys fault, I knew it!!

davet82

i dont if the boat sinking is being discussed anywhere else on boards... but i seen today the captains explanation for desserting the ship, he was helping passengers onto life boats and he fell onto it, funny enough his second and third in command were also on this life boat, maybe they fell too, also reported today ironicly when they hit the rocks 'My heart will go on' by Celine Dion was playing in the resturants... ya couldlt make this **** up, would actually be funny if people hadnt lost there lives

Thoie

Women generally are better insulated (better spread of body fat) and float better than men.

It's very difficult to properly swim (or open doors, or drink a mojito) while wearing the kind of life jackets they provide on cruises - you're kind of resigned to lying on your back and thinking of England waggling your legs, so men being better swimmers isn't a great reason to leave them behind.

Lifeboats these days generally don't require rowing, though it would help if you can see out the window to navigate.

So, two tall men first (in case one of them is faulty), then children, after that first come first saved.

jam_mac_jam

I think kids first, don't see why it should be women any more.