[esrauch]

If your friend falls down a gorge and is unresponsive it seems more than completely reasonable to phone for help.

[ilikehurdles]

There are many ways[1] to radio for help already. It's unreasonable and irresponsible to get into that situation with only a cell phone.

[1]: https://www.rei.com/c/emergency-electronics

[ghaff]

I'm not sure what "that situation" is. inReach-type devices are probably prudent for certain activities in remote areas. Though if someone is unresponsive after falling in a gorge, I suspect S&R arriving many hours later--and many more hours getting to a hospital--isn't going to be of much help.

It's certainly not routine for individuals or even groups to carry such devices in wilderness areas even if cell phone reception is spotty. I can go 2 hours north of where I live and hike on steep trails where there's no guarantee of cell phone reception.

[dkersten]

How ever did people get by for thousands of years before cell phones existed?

[pilsetnieks]

The didn't. If you fell down into a crevice, you died. You could apply the same spurious argument to anything - how did people ever get by for thousands of years before antibiotics/vaccines/electricity/water purification existed? They didn't, they lived their nasty, brutish and short lives, and died.

[ghaff]

I could argue that cell phones (etc.) are technology that is basically: "Come rescue me." There are plenty of other technologies that we can use to help ourselves (maps, compasses, matches, and so forth). I'm at least somewhat uncomfortable with saying that calling for help is quite in the same category.

[dkersten]

There's a simple way to avoid it, with or without cellphones: don't go to dangerous places without being prepared for it.