It was with some shock that I opened a letter containing the Nelson Rod and Gun Club’s new waiver form. In days not too far in the past if a neighbour’s goat ate a cabbage the goat’s owner would come over, apologize, and ask how much the cabbage was worth for payment of the damage done.
Today the cabbage owner would have to sue the goat owner and the statement of defence would go something like this:
I am not your neighbour. If I am your neighbour I do not have a goat. If I have a goat you do not have cabbages. If you have cabbages they were not eaten by my goat. If my goat did eat your cabbage it was insane at the time. (Thoughts of a federal judge paraphrased.)
This is the thought process and nature behind the Nelson Rod and Gun Club’s new waiver for using club facilities.
If I were injured or killed due to club negligence I would not want my widow or family to have to bear the excessive legal costs to battle such a defence by the club as outlined in the new waiver.
When I venture out into the world I have not signed an iron clad waiver of universal forgiveness should I come to harm from another’s negligence.
The only option is to end membership with the club and use a cut block for target practice or sighting in and purchase third party liability which is minimal in cost as a policy rider so that I could pay someone should I cause them damage.
Brad Fuller, Nelson
