Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodsy
How can you possibly think enforcement of HB-847 will not affect or impact the MP budget substantially?
The teeth of HB-847 is the provision for a speeding violation in your boat to be reflected on your drivers license. In order for that to happen, the MP officers HAVE to be Radar Certified in accordance with NHSP standards. PERIOD! There really isn't any way around that. Radar Certification Training costs substantial $$$, as does the aquisition of the radar equipment and the calibration & maintenance of the equipment. Then there is the two man requirement for a Radar Patrol... so instead of having two boats on the water, the MP will have one. Not really the best use of available NHMP resources, and very expensive! Thats just out of the NHMP budget... then there are the court costs borne by the state in order to prosecute the speeding violations. That comes out of the general fund.
If the MP officers are not Radar Certified, there is NO CHANCE for a successful prosecution... this effectively nullifies HB-847. NHMP Capt. Gallagher testified to the House Transportation Committee that while radar did work, it was highly dependent upon water conditions. He also testified that due to the limitations of the device, meeting the burden of proof for a successful prosecution in court would be difficult at best! Of course people are going to continue to speed if they know the speeding tickets will be tossed out in court! What do you think would happen on the highways if people found out the NHSP were not Radar Certified, and the ticket the officer wrote wasn't worth the paper it was printed on?? You can bet the top speed on 93 would be alot higher than it is now. In fact there is a proposal in Concord to raise the speed limit on the state's highways to 70MPH!
If you think the guys with the big speedboats are going to leave.. you are sadly mistaken... most are seriously vested on Lake Winnipesaukee. They will just trade thier speedboats in for big cruisers... so instead of 38' speedboats you will be dealing with 38' long wide ass beam cruisers! I am sure your gonna love those wakes! You think your dock takes a beating now... just think of how bad it will be when its the SeaRay regatta going by Bear Island everyday!!
No doubt they will be WinnCRABS next target!
Woodsy
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Woodsy
If HB847 passes will you be contacting the MP insisting they train more officers, buy more radar guns and set up speed traps all over the lake? I didn't think so!
Many other lakes have enacted speed limits without the sky falling. Lake George officials say that enforcement has not been a big problem since they enacted their speed limit.
Most people are law abiding.