[Evenstar]

I’ve tried to patiently explain what a sea kayak is – with the response being that “it’s still just a kayak”. I’ve been told that kayaks are just toys and that they have no business being out on the main lake. I’ve been told that I should stick to ponds. I have been told that I don’t have the experience to tell if a lake is safe for me. I’ve been told that I should just accept the risks from high-speed boaters if I want to paddle on the main lake. I’ve been told that my fears are unfounded, or that I’m exaggerating them. I’ve even been accused of lying, when I’ve posted about some of the close calls I have had.

A lake is for recreation – it’s not a high speed transportation system. And it’s not a race course. It’s really hard to relax much and have fun, when you spend much of your boating time being concerned about your personal safety from high-speed power boaters. No one here has been able to show a reason why they have to exceed 45 mph on the lake – other than “it is fun” or because they own a boat that is capable of going faster than 45 mph. In my opinion, these reasons hardly justify putting other boaters in danger.

This law will make a huge difference on the lake. I’ve paddled on Squam for years, where a speed limit has been successfully enforced for many years. So I’ve experienced the difference a lake speed limit makes, and it is a very noticeable difference for us paddlers. No, a speed limit won’t fix all the problems, but it will make the lake safer – since, will all else being equal, slower is safer.

I believe in freedom too, but we have laws mainly because everyone's right to liberty ends where it intrudes on someone else's liberty. We wouldn’t need most of our laws if everyone was truly concerned with (and understood) how their actions affect others. But unfortunately some people don’t really care (or truly understand) how their actions (and their words) affect others.

It is a shame that some members of this forum can’t have a debate without resorting to personal attacks on anyone who has opposing views. There have been posts made just to poke fun at me or to insult my abilities, my skills, or my intelligence. I’m going to have to think long and hard about remaining a member here, as I have been hurt really badly by some members – not only by the way that I have been treated in many posts, but by also with hateful pms that have made all sorts of bigoted comments about me – just because I am different.