[Evenstar]

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

If we start legislating against fear, where does it stop? I'm afraid of drivers under 18 and above 85. Can we pass a law to get them off the road? I'm afraid of big trucks on the highway when its raining, can we restrict them? Fear is an emotion that can be controled by understanding the risks and addressing them. If someone can't control their fear, then they should stay away from the situation that triggers the emotion. I'm sure there are sea kayakers who could enjoy a hot busy day in July, without fear taking over. ...

30 of our RSA’s contain the word “fear”, 246 RSA’s contain the word “harm”, and 236 more contain the word “danger”. So we have all sorts of laws with regards to the fear of injury, or to protect people from potentially dangerous or harmful acts or conditions. Protection of individuals or of groups of individuals from harm is one of the main reasons for passing laws in this state.

NH RSA TITLE XXII 270:1:II states that following: “In the interest of maintaining the residential, recreational and scenic values which New Hampshire public waters provide to residents of the state and to the promotion of our tourist industry, and in light of the fact that competing uses for the enjoyment of these waters, if not regulated for the benefit of all users, may diminish the value to be derived from them, it is hereby declared that the public waters of New Hampshire shall be maintained and regulated in such way as to provide for the safe and mutual enjoyment of a variety of uses, both from the shore and from water-borne conveyances. Such provisions shall take into consideration the following: the variety of special uses appropriate to our lakes, public safety, protection of environment and water quality, and the continued nurture of New Hampshire's threatened and endangered species.”

In my opinion, our public waters are not being regulated very well, if a small percentage of the boating population is causing a larger percentage of the public to avoid these same waters – for whatever reasons.

I happen to have a great deal of contact with other paddlers, so I know for a fact that many of these paddlers avoid paddling on many of New Hampshire’s larger lakes (and especially on Winnipesauke) because they are afraid of the high speed powerboats. And I don’t believe that this fear is unfounded – it is based on the actual risks of sharing the water with boats that are traveling at 15 to 30 times our speed – and the fact that the operators of these boats may not see us.

This same fear (concern, apprehension, uncomfortableness, or whatever you want to call it), which is keeping many paddlers off of these public waters, is (in my opinion) the very reason that we don’t have kayakers and canoeists being killed by powerboaters. The thing is, if paddlers weren’t so afraid to use these waters, there would be more of us out on them, and there would be more accidents – which would then certainly lead to a speed limit law.