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In reply to the discussion: "It could have happened to anyone." Mom shares photos of son in spot where gator killed [View all]phylny
(8,411 posts)Why the "no swimming" sign? Because there weren't lifeguards? No, because if that were the case, the sign would have read, "Swim at your own risk - no lifeguards present." No, Disney knew perfectly well why people shouldn't swim - alligators.
Here when people visit our lakefront home, I tell them to look down as they walk, to put their flotation devices/swim toys and chair cushions in the dock house instead of leaving them on the dock, I tell them all children need a life jacket on the dock, and I tell them to keep an eye on their dogs. Yes, people know kids can drown, but they don't have the experience to really *know* what I know - we have an occasional copperhead snake just passing through, frequently a gust of wind or a good breeze will sweep everything into the lake, that every year, some kid falls into the lake from a dock (just had one a few weeks ago who was thankfully resuscitated) and that dogs have been known to swim under floating docks and get stuck and drown.
People know you can drown in water, but those not familiar with lakefront living don't think about all the possibilities. I'll confess that I've been to Florida many times, and I've seen "Beware of snakes/alligator" signs many places and beware I do. I wouldn't have thought twice about alligators in a Disney lagoon if there hadn't been a posted sign, because it's not part of my everyday reality.