[CQ-Contest] Real emergencies

[Rich Gelber]

I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but I think I can parse English 
sentences as well as any of the other (apparent) followers of Sophocles 
residing here, so let me suggest the following:

The "trucker" may or may not have had "normal communication systems" 
(whatever that means:  a cell phone is a normal means of communications to 
me; it isn't to my father) at his disposal.  Why do we care?   It isn't 
Bryan's problem:  it's exclusively the trucker's problem.

Bryan found himself in the position of receiving an emergency communication 
via amateur radio, or at least on an amateur frequency.  Clearly, it seems 
to me, no "normal communication system" is available TO HIM.  The position 
of an individual RECEIVING an emergency communication is quite different 
from that of one SENDING an emergency communication.  The sender may have a 
choice as to the means; the receiver has no choice: the communication came 
the way it came.  Does he act on it or not?  What a question!  Not even 
worthy of further discussion.

Rich K2WR