More govt. intrusion...

[MikeA57]

Mississippi is instituting a 3 year mandatory life jacket wear test beginning May 22, 2009. Here's the text from the Corp. of Engineer's website:

All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while swimming outside of designated swimming areas. (Waivers may be issued by Park Managers to exempt participants of special events, such as triathlons, from this requirement while participating in the event.)

· All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while skiing or being pulled by a vessel, regardless of vessel length.

· All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket on powered vessels 16 feet in length to 26 feet in length whenever under power by the main propulsion unit. (This does not include when the vessel is powered by a trolling motor or is stationary.)

· All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times on powered vessels less than 16 feet in length or on non-powered vessels, regardless of length. (Non-powered vessels include, but are not limited to canoes, kayaks, flat bottoms/johnboats, sailboats and paddleboats.)

The last item is the one that will affect me since I have a 14' boat. I think this is utterly ridiculous. I am quite confident that I can decide if I need to put a life jacket on or not. When we were fishing last week, the wind was calm most of the day, but around 2:00 it picked up to around 15-20 mph and it was throwing that 21' Blazer bassboat with a 225 hp Mercury around pretty bad. I was fixing to ask my partner for a life jacket when he announced we were heading for the other side of the lake. It ended up being more calm there. I can swim but if I get in a situation where I feel like I need a life jacket I'll grab one and put it on. I've done it many times before. I don't need the d$*n government telling me I HAVE to wear one. I don't really have a problem with the second point as I'll do that frequently now. Not all the time, but if it's rough and I'll be going a good distance I'll put it on. I've always felt that the idea of having a life jacket or something like that close at hand is a good idea and never agreed with having them stowed away. (I always have a seat cushion available that can double as a flotation device.)

 

[ben2go]

Idiots mess it up for all of us.

 

[bassboy1]

Good Grief. Although I knew it was going to happen relatively quickly, I really thought the country wouldn't be screwed up as fast as it is. Lets just hope that particular law doesn't make it to Ga.

Now more than ever we need to be writing our senators. They will listen to you, as making you happy means votes. If enough of us start writing to them, we can make a difference.

 

[ben2go]

If it wasn't for all the people drowning because of poor boatmanship,that law would have never passed.

 

[MikeA57]

One thing this does is allow me to say to the wife: "Well, it's time for a bigger boat!" On the one hand I kind of hate to get rid of this one because it was my Dad's so it's got sentimental value, plus, I've put so much time into the old 1956 trailer it's sitting on it would just seem like a waste of all that time. On the other hand, I am itching for a boat that I can call MINE.

 

[grizzly]

I think they should ban all boating, period. Every year people die while out on the water, and if we pass laws that prevent them from getting out on the water then no one will have to die. Same thing with the public road system, it should be banned too. I say we should all have to stay in our homes with the doors locked at all times, they should make robots to have food and drink delivered to us. And seatbelts and airbags for all couches would be a good idea too.

 

[dunk50]

Your missing the BOAT, pun intended! This is a prelude to the NEW BOATING HELMET LAW. If your to stupid to make yourself safe then it is the governments duty and obligation to see that you are safe. Then maybe you won't be so stupid and keep re-electing these bozoes! :wink:

 

[moetrout]

See now if they start doing crap like that Darwinism will no longer work and people will not be removing themselves from the gene pool which will result in a population explosion of stupid people!