Originally Posted by Rusty
These were my reasons for supporting a speed limit on Lake Winnipesaukee:
--To restore safe family boating.
--To provide an easy-to-understand method of controlling boat traffic (we all drive cars on
roads with speed limits), in order to prevent collisions and accidents and to create a safer,
less frightening and more enjoyable lake for everyone.
--To protect and preserve the beautiful natural resource that this New Hampshire’s crown
jewel is: the Lake’s waters, shorelines, loons and other precious wildlife.
--To ensure a healthy economy around the Lake’s Region by creating a safe and pleasurable
family experience around and on the Lake, thereby continuing to attract the many who visit,
play and work in the area and their accompanying purchasing power for the Lake
communities’ goods and services.
Problems Addressed by this Bill—Lake Winnipesaukee and Safety
--High speed boaters are infringing on our rights to use and enjoy the Lake.
-- Due to these high speed boaters, the Lake is often dangerous to navigate, totally
unenjoyable, and downright terrifying to leisure boaters, sailors, canoers, kayakers, rowers,
fishermen and waterskiers.
--Reaction time is significantly shorter when boating defensively vis-à-vis these high speed
boats, yielding low margins for error and very stressful lake outings.
--Lake Winnipesaukee is “an accident waiting to happen—again.” The Littlefield collision
in Meredith causing a fatality is an example of what can and is happening. Do we want to
wait for another tragedy to stop this peril on the Lake?
--It is a well-established fact that “Speed Kills.” The U.S. Coast Guard cites that excessive
speed is 4th in the causes of accidents on U.S. lakes and rivers.
--Causes #1: operator inattention, #2: careless/reckless operation, #3 operator inexperience,
#5: no proper lookout, and #6: alcohol use--all could be argued that speed may have been a
contributing factor.
--Boats have no brakes. The faster one goes the harder it is to stop.
--Because the Lake has no speed limits, many family boaters have experienced “close
calls,” in the congested, high speed, free-for-all lake mayhem—close calls that easily could
have resulted in tragedy.
--Tragedies on Lake Winnipesaukee have historically been categorized as “reckless
operation,” when in fact excessive speed was the actual cause.
--The existing laws on Winnipesaukee, although extensive, are ineffective.
--Boaters ignore or do not understand right-of-way(stand-on, give-way), headway speed
within 150 feet of another boat and other boating regulations.
--Speed limits are easily understood and for the most part obeyed on the road.
--The safety of the fragile loons and other wildlife who swim the waters (some to and from
the islands) is severely compromised as high speed boaters are unable to see these birds,
deer, moose, muskrat, mink and others until it is too late.
--High speed boats with their huge horsepower engines are incredibly loud, especially with
above water exhausts—many people are as upset over the noise pollution as they are about
the excessive speeds.
-- Excessive speed is a problem that is growing and will not go away unless we do something about it.
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