I agree. At least in the State of California, to legally possess a handgun a certain amount of testing is required before the gun can be legally purchased. Before a CCW permit can be issued a formal course of approved training is required (but gang-bangers tend to ignore that).
Not so with ice-axes and crampons, which can be purchased/rented no-questions-asked. And then the gorm-less (ignorant) user, gang-banger or otherwise, toddles off to the big mountain prize they've been dreaming of thinking they are now well prepared.
This makes me wonder about the hiking permit process, which does not question the potential hiker about their level of experience and training. "You've never climbed a mountain before? No problem. Here yah go; enjoy Mt. Whitney!"
