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Originally Posted by Island Lover
I believe 60 is the best answer.
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IL,
We agree in most cases, but not here. There is not a single jurisdiction that has tried a 60mph limit, so we have no evidence that a 60mph limit will work, as 45mph limits have been proven to do. 45/25 is the norm, some as low as 40. Those have all proven enforceable and effective, as at Lake George. And 45 is plenty fast in a boat, surely fast enough for any type of safe boating activity.
With the unfortunate admissions from Glendale about their lack of desire for this law (a "burden" to Barrett versus a "tool" to Schneider), and the tolerance that all law enforcers give to all speed limits, a 60mph limit would probably be enforced at 75mph. Who wants boats flying around our crowded lakes going 75MPH with MP saying "I told you so"? Isn't that exaclty the kind of speed that brought this whole issue up?
And with a 45 mph limit, a patrol boat can easily determine speed by following ("I was following him your honor, my boat was going 55MPH, as fast as it could go, and I could not keep up, so I know he was going over 55."). The MP has no boats that can go 80MPH to use this tactic with a 60MPH limit. To get them such a boat would require just the kind of funding that the opposers are objecting to. Recall that Schneider has previously explained that their speed limit actually saves them money rather than costs, because it reduces the complaints and need for officers when the traffic is going slower.
45/25 works so perfectly at Lake George, which is such a parallel lake to so many of ours in so many ways. It is the perfect example, and we are foolish if we do not learn from and copy it.
Perhaps the 160MPH event under the eyes of Lake George MP (assuming that actually happened) was in one of those supervised events like HB162 also allows?
Must head off for work now.