Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan
It's also been pointed out that we all (or most of us) agree that there needs to be a Speed Limit at night. But this has nothing to do with 'the boating experience', sense of safety, perceived civility and the like.
Although most would agree travelling at 'unlimited speeds' at night is unsafe, I can recall more than a handful of times this summer sitting on the beach at night watching and listening to boats roaring through the Witches. While I did not have my Lidar gun handy (neither did the MP) there was no doubt that these boats were exceeding the SL. These are strictly my observations of where the SL will never work without funding to properly staff the MP.
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Most think the funding issue is a no-win situation. Since none of the SL proponents pushed for it, and barely mention enforcement, I can only conclude that BI is right. Ain't gonna happen.
I have done a fair amount of research into boating accidents the past three years, so I was at least vaguely familiar with most of the accidents posted here. The overwhelming majority of night time accidents on the waterways in the country involved alcohol. I'm not blaming alcohol any more than I blame guns for killing, or a specific boat for hitting things. It's the boater's fault, 100%. There have been some horrific accidents at higher speeds at night, but mostly they are not going that fast.
Some say the SL law gives the MP a good reason for stopping these boaters at night, while even some SL supporters think that drunks often drive slower than the SL to avoid getting caught. Either way, there are still a lot of drinks out there boating at night, SL or not. I hesitate to call people that have a BAL near or at the legal limit drunks, but I try not to get into issues that some fly off the handle with.
SL or not, enforcement at night has been cut back all over the country due to budget problems. So as some people contend, many are quick to pass laws that they know won't be enforced. Maybe there should just be no powefred boats at all on the lake, day or night.
