July 4th tragedy - New Law Support needed

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Hi everyone,
--We have a unique opportunity to do something wonderful and make boating safer for all of us and our loved ones.
--Paul Gaines works at the same company, as I do, and he is determined to not let the death of his daughter be in vain and to avoid future tragedies and loss and heartache.
--On behalf of Paul (who lost his beautiful young daughter in the July 4th boating tragedy we all now know and have read/written about) and his family, would you please consider going to this website www.victoriagainesmemorial.com and PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION (only 74 or so more names are needed and I know there are enough of us members to bring them well over the top)and help Regulate Boating Laws and Increase Water Security and safety. This would be a great help. They need our support. I have asked our Forum moderater and received approval for this request.
Thank you, in advance, fellow LICC members, you are all wonderful.
 
"Upon issuance of public permit that will encourage and or entails participation of personal/ recreational watercraft, public officials in conjunction with the private event planner, must provide adequate water security and have first responders to include divers, ready to react to any incident"

My heat breaks for all the families involved but If you start requiring divers to be present you have seen the end of any events on the water. What if divers were present and they decided it was too dangerous to dive in dark and crowded conditions?? make a law that the divers MUST dive or they lose their PADI cards?

I hate to sound calloused but all these laws and proposals pop up after a tradgedy. Maybe i shouldnt have even responded to this thread but we all cant rely on laws to prevent tradgedy. I think we have enough laws. Anyone with 1500 bucks can go on craigslist, buy a used car and drive off. yet we have all sorts of motor vehicle laws.
 
What is the petition?
I don't see it, all I see is the header, "please implement Victoria's Laws 2012: Regulate Boating Laws and Increase Water Security" which is very vague.

Where did you see they want divers?

Look, I am in favor of some sort of licensing or education of boaters. My heart breaks for the family as well. But in my view this was clearly operator error. Had the Captain been better educated then this could of been prevented, but education whether enforced or learned requires due diligence on the part of the person who buys and operates the boat.

Forcing the state authorities to do more at public events will only squash what few we have for the boaters that do know what they are doing on the water.
 
Terrible terrible tragedy. I could not imagine what that family is going through.
I've got to agree that in general, these tragedies normally wake politicians too late. In aviation, they call this tombstone legislation. I'm a full-life boater with minor breaks during, I believe in the individual common sense and also agree with rommer in that you just can't fix stupid. We all know those people that just don't, haven't, and never will be safe out there, permit or no.......(BTW, not speaking in re: to any person as it relates to this accident, that's for the courts to decide).

If I trusted the boneheads in government, I may be more inclined to join in......I just don't....this will be another great intention turned into a revenue generator for local governments and their sub departments/contractors. Kind of like TSA if you will. Prolly not a popular response but there it is.....

Victoria’s Law Proposed

E-Petition

Federal law mandating capacity limits for all personal / recreational watercraft

All new boaters to be required to complete a boating safety course

Upon issuance of public permit that will encourage and or entails participation of personal/ recreational watercraft, public officials in conjunction with the private event planner, must provide adequate water security and have first responders to include divers, ready to react to any incident.

Strict enforcement of said laws.
 
I have to agree, we don't need more laws, we need boaters to take responsibility to educate themselves and understand the limits of their boats, and the effect water conditions can have.

IMHO, there is only ONE cause of this tragedy - the boat was overloaded. The captain should have known that and either sent people home, or not gone out. It is inevitable that after fireworks displays are over, everyone rushes back and wakes are hitting you from all directions. Add in a top heavy boat that is dangerously overloaded, and it's just a matter of time before this happens.
 
The Town of Huntington is imposing a 5mph speed limit for a radius of 1 mile around the Sept 1st Lloyd Harbor Music Festival. If this works, they are recommending it be put into effect next July 4.
 
I agree with everyone that we do not need more laws as you can't teach common sense.

The other problem with any proposed law is enforcement. If the local municipalities could afford to place law enforcement out there on July 4, they would nail many knuckleheads who are either BUI or operating in an unsafe manner. Since they can't afford it, there simply would be no permits issued and therefore no further events period.

I too feel for the loss each of these families has gone through. However, the captain and each parent bears responsibility in this tragedy. I say the parents because I would have taken a pass when I saw how crowded the boat was. Just this past weekend, we passed a similar boat in the channel and my wife and I both agreed we could not imagine 27 people on it.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ted C.

The Town of Huntington is imposing a 5mph speed limit for a radius of 1 mile around the Sept 1st Lloyd Harbor Music Festival. If this works, they are recommending it be put into effect next July 4.

Click to expand...


And what happens past the one mile radius?
 
Would not of prevented this tragedy.
Surveryor told me that boat went own due to Archimede's principal.
Bottom line, boat was overloaded, not bouyant enough and water was probably coming in thru thruhulls.
 
I will be sending a letter to my state reps stating that if they vote for this law, I will never again vote for them.

I'm not criticizing the family for trying to deal with their grief in a constructive way, but they have no right to interfere with my pastime due to what was in large part their mistake. And there is no excuse for the despicable pandering politicians who are using this to buy votes.

That goes also for the Suffolk legislator who trotted out the Lienecks last week for a similar purpose, even though IIRC they basically caused their fatal crash themselves by failing to give way. He presented as fact that the operator that hit them was drunk when blood testing and a judge's decision proved otherwise.

What these victims need to do is get on with their lives and get out of mine.
 
"I will be sending a letter to my state reps stating that if they vote for this law, I will never again vote for them"

You do that. I doubt that they are going to give a rats behind about your vote.
 
quote:
Originally posted by BoatCrazy

"I will be sending a letter to my state reps stating that if they vote for this law, I will never again vote for them"

You do that. I doubt that they are going to give a rats behind about your vote.

Click to expand...


And that is the problem with them. They have forgotten that they work for us, they are supposed to represent US, not themselves.
 
Matt, if they don't care about votes, then why sign a petition if you're for it? Can't have it both ways.

Call mine a symbolic gesture - not only won't I support it, I will cancel out at least one other person's support for it.
 
"And that is the problem with them. They have forgotten that they work for us, they are supposed to represent US, not themselves."

Mike, we finally find some common ground on something to agree on..

Ron, you bring up a good point. Cant have it both ways. What politician actually realizes that??
 
I can Honestly say that my state Senator Owen Johnson does listen . I have written and called his office a few times. His Chief of staff, Gordon Canary, has called back each time. Sometimes he will call again with a follow up. Too bad Johnson isnt running again.

You just have to be a consisent thorn in their side. I speak regularly with 2 of my towns council members. They always get back to me but they know I will show up and speak at council meetings to get their attention. They dont always vote my way but they do listen. If you actually go to one of these meetings and speak you would be shocked at the attention you and your issue will recieve.
 
I am not a fan of this whole thread and I think the moderators should consider removing it.

First off, don't get me wrong here. I feel very bad for this family and all involved. But if you go to their website, they are seeking donations in addition to passing this law. It says the donations will be used " All proceeds will go to the family for expenses ".

Granted there was expenses involved in burying this beautiful little girl whose life was cut way too short, but I fail to see how both the donations and the signing of this petition are justified.

If I drive drunk, and kill my best friend in the passenger seat of my car, you going to give me money and/or help me pass a law to stop idiots like me from drinking?

Just my .02.
 
Dave,

I don't see anything wrong with this thread. It is about boating and about Long Island/NY so where does it not fit the forum?

Just because you don't agree with the thread is not good enough to delete it. Although I can't see why you would continue to comment on it if you object so strongly.
 
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