Frank,
Quote:
|
Good points. But these sound much like the problems that road cops had many years ago, and I don't recall them excusing themselves and giving up. They took action to strengthen laws, to get the vehicles and equipment they needed, and to hire the officers they needed. Enforcement officials probably went to the state capitols and fought for the stuff they needed to do their jobs. Can you imagine the reaction you'd get if the state police said they did not have enough troopers and that their cruisers were not fast enough, so there was no sense having speed limits on our highways?
|
Of course, we do not expect them to be tagging boats going 46 mph or trying to measure speeds to within a tenth of an mph. We expect them only to give enforcement a reasonable effort and to cite the flagrant violators, and we expect the deterent effect of the law to do the rest. AND, next time there is an accident and one boat was going 70 mph, they will have a law to cite him with so that there we can start to gather some of those STATISTICS about speeding that are so clearly being ignored these days.
What do you mean problems the road cops had years ago? The speed laws already had plenty of teeth, the radar just enabled them to do thier job easier. Then of course the insurance guys got involved. Radar is great in straight line application, such as highways and roads. The diagram Radar #1 shows how & why it works so well in that application, its really a simple geometry problem. Radar has enabled alot less arguing in court over speed citations. The State Police ask for more manpower and better equipment every year. They do a great job with what they are given to work with. However, the Legislature has asked the State Police to provide a "Demonstrable Need" in order to receive any increase in funding. Why, because NOBODY wants to pay for it! There is a cost associated with a speed limit law, the cost of expensive naval search & tracking radar equipment, the cost of maintaining the equipment, the cost of specialized officer training, the cost of hiring additional officers, the cost and burden to the legal system for appeals, etc. etc. How do you propose to pay for all of this? Maybe enact some sort of fee for using Lake Winnipesaukee? They have one at Lake George!
I already expect or Marine Patrol to enforce our existing rules and regulations and to cite flagrant violators of ANY rule! There is already a reckless operation law on the books as well as an operator negligence law. Both of these laws are arrestable offenses and carry far heavier penalties that a speed limit citation. Just look at the trial last year, and speed was not a factor. As for speed limit violation statistics, I would like to see a breakdown of speeding citations issued for excessive speed in a no wake zone vs citations issued for speeding out in open water. I'll bet the majority of citations issued for speeding are in no wake zones! If anyone has those statistics, please post them! (and from what lake)
here is the link to the Lake George State Park Fee Structure:
http://www.lgpc.state.ny.us/boat_reg.htm
Yes, the whole Lake is a State Park!
Your average boater (24' boat, not an overnighter) would have to pay an additional $37.50 for an annual registration just to use his/her boat on lake Winnipesaukee. The day trippers would have to pay $7.50 a day! I am sure that would go over big with everyone!
Bear Islander....
Call Kustom Signals and ask them.... specifically if the handheld radar you mentioned can determine the target vessels bearing and speed relative to the operating officer? I did! It can't! If it cannot do that then it cannot give an accurate reading of the target vessels speed. It is simple geometry! The Falcon Marine Radar is essentially a hand held radar that has been marinized, and by marinized I mean it gives speed readout in knots as well as mph and has been made water resistant. It does not and cannot give the target vessels bearing (course) relative to the officer. It will give you a range, however, that is measured in a straight line from the officer. See my diagram Radar #2. It seems mostly for use in enforcement of no wake zones hence the 1/10th MPH adjustment, where boats are forced to travel slower and within a marked lane of travel. See the similarity to highway use yet?
Laser Radar suffers from the same issues as electron based radar, in that in only works in a straight line, and cannot give the target vessels bearing relative to the MP officer. Laser also suffers a drawback when used against boats in that most boat surfaces are curved plastic, so the light does not reflect back properly.
There are probably less than 10 boats on Winni capable of exceeding 90mph. That doesn't mean that these boats are operated at 90mph all the time. Why should they have to find a new place to recreate just because you don't like them? If people have a hard time judging 150', its a pretty sure bet they are just as bad at judging the speed of another boat relative to their own!
Again I challenge ANYONE to post some empirical data from Lake Winnipesaukee that shows speed was a major contributing factor in an accident! There is absolutely NO DEMONSTRABLE NEED for a speed limit. Absolutely no justification exists for the costs and burdens that a speed limit impose on the tax payers, to the MP and the legal system!
Better enforcement of existing rules & regulations is the answer. How to get better enforcement? Better full time MP staffing. Not more expensive unenforceble rules!
Woodsy