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(no email)
Date: Mon Mar 26 2007 - 09:36:44 EDT
All,
I have absolutely no problem with mandatory
education.
However, mandatory licensing means I will never
be able to operate any boat again.
You see I am 'legally blind'.
This means I can't read an eye chart. It also
means I can't read street signs without binoculars
or a monocular of about 6X power.
It does NOT mean I can't operate my sailboat in a
safe manner.
I ride an electrically assisted bicycle for
everyday transportation. I go to the local train
station, or the Post Office, or to the store. This
occurs on regular city streets. My bicycle goes
about 10 MPH on level ground. I do NOT hit
things, other than small potholes.
My sailboat has a hull speed less than 7 knots.
Thus it is even slower than my bicycle, giving me
more time to see and avoid the idiots that ply our
waters. I still do NOT hit things.
But, of course, NO government would EVER issue me
a 'license' to operate my boat, OR my bicycle.
I am thankful that no such licenses are required,
for when they are I will be stuck. I will then
depend on the TAXPAYERS to provide me with rides
to wherever I must go.
This is my primary reason for my position against
licensing.
HOWEVER, there seems to be a major disconnect
between those who promote licensing and the real
world.
There is NO magic. The only way to get boaters to
operate in a safer manner is ENFORCEMENT of
EXISTING LAWS!!!!
Do you NOT understand that the current 'Rules of
The Road" are already LAW?
Do you not understand that the reason people
operate their boats in an unsafe manner is that
they get AWAY WITH IT!
If people started getting tickets, and paying
fines, every time they ignored the effect of their
wakes, they would stop ignoring their wakes in a
VERY short time.
There are enough laws on the books NOW to force
every boater to operate in a proper, safer,
fashion. We just are not enforcing the existing
laws enough!
Oh well. I guess nobody really wants safer
boating. They just want more unenforceable laws on
the books...
Eric Thompson
S/V Procrastinator
South San Francisco
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