Page 93 - The Circle of Life

she has more moral right to criticize her leaders than what I do who are used to

much worse.

You know the signs on the wall of every workshop etc saying you are entering at

your own risk? It will not protect them in law if the unexpected happens. We had
a case where a fellow (on his honeymoon now that I think of it) decided to rent a

horse for a romantic ride with his bride. Well, he fell off and was dragged a mile
behind the horse injuring his back and crown jewels so to speak. It is such a

painful subject for a man when such an injury is recorded that we should not go
into details. Poor fellow! Let us agree that he was unable to perform his

husbandly duties for a while causing not only medical costs but much
embarrassment and mental anguish. To his wife also no doubt as this was the

second day of honeymoon. She has rights as a married woman you know though
she did not say anything.

The owner of the horse pleaded that he took that risk on himself and thus could

not be held liable as he was clearly warned by the sign that he is on his own.
The court disagreed and said he did not give consent to be dragged a mile and

suffering what he suffered. He may have foreseen to fall off but never to be
dragged that far and be unable to fulfil his marriage duties for months.

This is what is known in law as volenti non fit injuria. My advice is use caution
for there is no such thing as blanket consent in law. Even in sport and when you

play rugby or football which is inherently a physical sport you did not consent to

the (sometimes appropriate) boxing match during it. That is why sportsmen are
arrested and charged with murder or assault if they act outside the rules of the
game and kicked the you know what out of his team mate (Irish or Scottish) or

the opposite team (South African) or the referee (French).

* I like the Irish and Scots by the way. If they don't have an enemy or
Englishman to attack they get stuck into each other. Marvellous people! Besides

the Flower of Scotland is one of my favourite songs and the neutral Irish soldiers
saved the British Empire more than most.

You may not know this but at regulated boxing matches a Police sergeant is
supposed to stop the match if it looks like the fighter cannot defend himself

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