Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodsy
HB-847 is a solution looking for a problem! UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DATA TO SUPPORT THE NEED FOR HB-847!
If you want to compromise, and if its truly about safety....
1. Leave the daytime as is.... most of the time your visibility is unlimited, and the safety record speaks for itself!
2. I would suggest a nighttime limit of 35MPH... on all NH inland lakes & ponds! I don't think you will find much oppostion to a nighttime speed limit from either side. 35 MPH is fast enough to allow the biggest boats to plane off safely and yet still get around the lake in a reasonable amount of time. I really don't care what the WinnCrab folks say, I have been on several 33' and larger speedboats, and they just doesn't plane off and go thru the water properly @ 25 MPH. The nose tends to ride high and the boat tends to wallow a bit and feel very sluggish and the engines aren't operating anywhere near effeciently. Trim tabs can help reduce, but not eliminate this, but not all boats have trim tabs!
3. Do not make the speeding violations attach to ones drivers license. Make the violations similar in scope to a speeding ticket on a snowmobile... you pay the fine, no harm/no foul. You don't pay the fine then its off to court with the possible consequence of attaching the violation to the license. You still need to have the MP officers radar certified, but because it is night only, it massively reduces the cost, workload and drain on MP resources. Most people would opt to pay the fine, rather than risk losing in court and having points attached to thier license and subsequent insurance premium increases!
4. A "3 strikes your out clause"... In essence, you can get 2 speeding tickets a season and just pay the fine... on the 3rd offense its mandatory you go before the the judge.... your safe boater cert is revoked until successful completion of a safe boater class, possibly a large fine say $500 for being a multiple offender and points on your driver's license.
5. Better funding for the MP... I know its unpopular, but any watercraft that currently do not require a registration (canoes, kayaks, sailboats etc) should have to purchase a $5 water access sticker. This money will go directly to Navigation Fund and allow the NHMP to put more officers on the water. This allows for better enforcement of our current laws. Nothing makes the busy areas on the lake safer than sight of a NHMP patrol craft just sitting there watching!
6. Allow for the "Quick & Quiet" exhaust to be legal, providing that any boat so equipped be capable of passing the noise test in both the quiet and loud positions. This will eliminate alot of the noise complaints especially late at night.
Woodsy
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I like this one. Complete with how the offenders will be handled. Thanks a lot. If the lights go on, the speed comes down. Cool.
Some people may not like the $5/non-motorized boat water access sticker, but a good idea. Here in CT we pay $20/year/registered vehicle for a town sticker that allows us use of town dump and parking at beaches regardles of number of times used.