boating Safety education requirement

Article says it didn't pass. We already have a requirement that's being phased in. Don't these clowns have something important to do?

Also noted that this was sparked by a somewhat recent tragedy. I'll bet it's some grieving parent that wants their kid's name immortalized with a law. Poorly thought out pandering by politicians that just makes our lives more expensive and difficult.

Article says it didn't pass. We already have a requirement that's being phased in. Don't these clowns have something important to do?

Also noted that this was sparked by a somewhat recent tragedy. I'll bet it's some grieving parent that wants their kid's name immortalized with a law. Poorly thought out pandering by politicians that just makes our lives more expensive and difficult.

Oops. U r correct on both. But it will probably b reintroduced.

Unfortunately you are correct too. It probably will.

Personally, not so sure its a bad idea. But more enforcement is needed regardless

I'm actually all for the school bus cameras - there's just no reason why you should get caught doing something like that, the law is pretty clear and if you're going around, you're breaking it.

What I don't care for are the 5 billion speeding cameras they're going to put on every other block in NYC. And even that's mostly because with the speed limit set at 25 and those cameras triggering at 35, with very little assurance that they'll be properly calibrated (you can bet they'll err on the low side), you're going to end up getting tickets when you're going 30 MPH. That's just not very fast for a lot of places that will end up getting enforcement.

Similar to the red light cameras, it's more about the enforcement dollars generated and less about public safety.

Article says it didn't pass. We already have a requirement that's being phased in. Don't these clowns have something important to do?

Also noted that this was sparked by a somewhat recent tragedy. I'll bet it's some grieving parent that wants their kid's name immortalized with a law. Poorly thought out pandering by politicians that just makes our lives more expensive and difficult.

Have you ever watched some ass hole blow past a school buss while your two granddaughters are getting of,I'm guessing no because you would change your tune if you did,its worth every penny if it would stop some of these idiots..

Have you ever watched some ass hole blow past a school buss while your two granddaughters are getting of,I'm guessing no because you would change your tune if you did,its worth every penny if it would stop some of these idiots..

Agreed, there is NO REASON for people passing stopped school buses loading/unloading students!!

Have you ever watched some ass hole blow past a school buss while your two granddaughters are getting of,I'm guessing no because you would change your tune if you did,its worth every penny if it would stop some of these idiots..

I was talking about the subject of the thread.

I was talking about the subject of the thread.

Plenty of buets out there , a 3 hour class to drive a boat wouldnt be a bad idea .........
PS . TO you Kayakers out there , a flag on a pole is a must ..... Driving a Downeast style hull sometime limits visibility , those flags are helpful

I have added reflective safety tape to my orange taped safety flag pole. But my apologies to all for confusing the issue. I knew the bill will be signed by Princess Andie for the stopped school bus, as it should, but even though I am behind a boat safety education requirement, it did not go through the miscreants in Albany. I think it left out idiots that don't own but rent boats, and some other stuff, so it was pretty much half broken as is anyway.

I agree that there are many people that need educating, but they also need some common sense. Just yesterday there I was drifting near a kayak and another boater. Whenever I made a move I tried not to kick up a wake on the yak. But the other guy that was basically mugging me, swamped him every time he moved.

You're not learning that in any 3-hour class.

I agree that there are many people that need educating, but they also need some common sense. Just yesterday there I was drifting near a kayak and another boater. Whenever I made a move I tried not to kick up a wake on the yak. But the other guy that was basically mugging me, swamped him every time he moved.

You're not learning that in any 3-hour class.

I would think an emphasis on 'common' sense and safety would best the best approach ......
Jet skiers [ I believe } already need to class , yet many continue to act like jerks riding wakes on bigger boats ..............
They seem to get bored easily and seek a 'thill' by charging boats sterns to jump wakes .......

Plenty of buets out there , a 3 hour class to drive a boat wouldnt be a bad idea .........
PS . TO you Kayakers out there , a flag on a pole is a must ..... Driving a Downeast style hull sometime limits visibility , those flags are helpful

This is where I'm mixed on the government forcing people to take classes. I'm generally against the government forcing anyone to do anything. And more than enough people have either had the proper training on their own or from people they know, and have the experience to not need a class.

And then there's that other population, the ones who don't know any better. Not talking about the ones who don't care, just the ones who don't realize (whether stupidity or naivete, your call) how dangerous their actions might be to both themselves, their passengers, and oncoming boats. If a forced class gets through to at least a few of those folks, then we're all safer as a result.

Last time I went out two weeks ago I had to stop someone at the beach about to go out on a kayak. It wasn't a particularly warm day - foggy, 55'ish. He was heading out in rain gear, no PFD, on a Walmart special 10' kayak, into water that was at best also 55 degrees. I considered not saying anything, but then figured if I read in the papers that some poor bastard bought it after falling off his kayak I'd feel guilty. I tried to explain how quickly hypothermia sets in, and I'm pretty sure he just waved me off an ignored me, as I pulled away from the ramp I saw him getting his tackle ready.

Down here in Virginia you need a llicense to operate a boat. You get that by taking & passing a Boat Safety Course. Doesn't matter if you been operating a boat for 2 months, 2 years or 2 decades in another state, you still need to take & pass the course.

I think it's a good thing.

Need a license to operate a car.
You should need a license to operate a boat.

Of course it doesn't make you a better boater any more then getting a license to drive does't make you a better driver.
It does however at least get you the basics.

OK, I'll bite. Sitting through a classroom boating safety class to get "Certified" is like getting a Pilot's License from successfully completing a Microsoft Flight Simulator Test on your PC. Neither one teaches you how to "feel" what's going on.

Yeah you might know most of the terms and rules, but do you know what to do when you're trying to get into Shinnecock Inlet on a summer afternoon on an outgoing tide with the normal brisk SW breeze? You might say, "My those are large standing waves" but do you have a clue????

OK, I'll bite. Sitting through a classroom boating safety class to get "Certified" is like getting a Pilot's License from successfully completing a Microsoft Flight Simulator Test on your PC. Neither one teaches you how to "feel" what's going on.

Yeah you might know most of the terms and rules, but do you know what to do when you're trying to get into Shinnecock Inlet on a summer afternoon on an outgoing tide with the normal brisk SW breeze? You might say, "My those are large standing waves" but do you have a clue????

Of course - nobody is walking out of one of these basic courses a grizzly old captain. That's expecting way too much out of any type of limited time training, even if it was 1:1 on the water with an experienced professional. Some things, only time can teach.

But - ask yourself if that accident at the fireworks show a few years back that cost those kids their lives might have been prevented if the dipshit who owned that boat had been put through a basic course that pointed out several times that you can't exceed the load capacity of the boat and that all passengers must be wearing life vests.

OK, I'll bite. Sitting through a classroom boating safety class to get "Certified" is like getting a Pilot's License from successfully completing a Microsoft Flight Simulator Test on your PC. Neither one teaches you how to "feel" what's going on.

Yeah you might know most of the terms and rules, but do you know what to do when you're trying to get into Shinnecock Inlet on a summer afternoon on an outgoing tide with the normal brisk SW breeze? You might say, "My those are large standing waves" but do you have a clue????

no - that's something you learn with practice - just like knowing how to react to a slide during a snow storm in your car - are you suggesting that we should remove drivers tests & permit classes from motor vehicle operation

The other thing to remember is that these laws seem oppressive and aimed at protecting people from themselves, but they're also there to protect you from others, in particular those clueless or lacking in common sense that can't immediately see the obvious.

No matter how responsible, experienced, careful, intelligent, etc. you are - you're still at risk from all the careless nincompoops around you. If things like this cut down on some of that stupidity, I'm all for it, even if I have to be inconvenienced to do so.

Most counties in New York do not require any type of safety education for perspective or current gun owners, despite having some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the country. Yet despite the incidents of "muzzling" people at public ranges I do not recall any fatal accidents downstate from stupid gun handling. (Exceptions are the upstate idiots who do not wear blaze orange while deer hunting. (RIP.) However, I DO recall fatalities from stupidity while boating, kayaking and canoeing. I have taken a USCGA boat safety course (Excellent!) years ago, a Nassau county police boating safety course (meh) about 8-10 years ago, and an online USCG (or state ?) course three or four years ago. While as Roccus statedcourses are useless in running inlets, they are good reminders of horn use, PFD and lights/flare requirements, etc. For the newbies, they are good for anchoring, right of way, etc. I never boat on weekends and instead use my kayak, primarily in waters that are speed regulated and too shallow for boats (although I love seeing a Bayliner try to race up to me in the marshes, where my paddle is hitting bottom, lol.) Even from my low vantage point on a yak I see enough stupidity by weekend boaters and feel that at least some of it might be mediated by requiring boating safety courses.
and here I sit having just caulked the countertop and backsplash gap (why do contractors use grout anyway?) repainting the vinyl sided peak (some lifelong guarantee huh? ) instead of at least getting my boat ready for the season, but while taking a break from more honey-do stuff felt I had to add another two cents here.