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Bubba · 06-13-2006, 02:29 PM

1) I carry both VHF and cell on boat. Being a little older than most I guess, and having started my boating on saltwater, having at least one VHF on board is standard operating procedure. Having a cell phone was a nice addition close to land to call home.

It does surprise me how few boaters have VHF, let alone use VHF, on freshwater.

2) And as far as not using cell phones while at the helm (or driving the car for that matter), prohibiting use makes me laugh. Talking on the phone is not the problem. If it was, then radios shouldn't be used. (How about truckers using CB's??, Or police not using radios or typing on computer while driving?) The issue is the unattentiveness of the operator, whatever the device. Or non-device. Turning around to discipline children, for example. In states where hand free devices are required for the driver to talk on the phone, the problem is not the talking with a hand to the ear. It is the dialing of the phone that is the distraction. How about changing the radio station or cd?

Someone has the tag, "You can't fix stupid." It is not the device, it is the operator. (Here's where we take a left turn and talk about Capt Bonehead.)

Thanx for letting me spew.

06-13-2006, 02:29 PM	#64
Bubba Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Merrimack, NH & East Alton, NH Posts: 65 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	2 separate tangents 1) I carry both VHF and cell on boat. Being a little older than most I guess, and having started my boating on saltwater, having at least one VHF on board is standard operating procedure. Having a cell phone was a nice addition close to land to call home. It does surprise me how few boaters have VHF, let alone use VHF, on freshwater. 2) And as far as not using cell phones while at the helm (or driving the car for that matter), prohibiting use makes me laugh. Talking on the phone is not the problem. If it was, then radios shouldn't be used. (How about truckers using CB's??, Or police not using radios or typing on computer while driving?) The issue is the unattentiveness of the operator, whatever the device. Or non-device. Turning around to discipline children, for example. In states where hand free devices are required for the driver to talk on the phone, the problem is not the talking with a hand to the ear. It is the dialing of the phone that is the distraction. How about changing the radio station or cd? Someone has the tag, "You can't fix stupid." It is not the device, it is the operator. (Here's where we take a left turn and talk about Capt Bonehead.) Thanx for letting me spew.