Rules of the Road: Does anyone care?
 

I'm thinking of getting back into boating, and so I pick up that
ponderous old tome, Chapman's, and I open it up to the chapter on Rules
of the Road.

And as every educated boater knows, there are all kinds of rules
concerning signaling with blasts of the horn when you're overtaking,
changing course, and so on.

And this puzzles me, because I don't think I've ever seen these rules
obeyed, in all the time I've been on the water. I don't think I've
ever heard a boat horn blasted, except perhaps in anger.

Indeed, I would argue that if the rules were followed in an actual
harbour, people would go deaf hearing all the horn blasts!

Why is Chapman (or Mahoney, I guess) concerned with rules nobody
observes out in the real world?

Is it possible that learning about these ancient rules is actually
detrimental to safety out on the water, since nobody obeys them and
it's bad to teach people to expect that they will be obeyed?

Are there any books that talk about what actually happens out on the
water instead of the theory of what should happen?

D

I have been studying the State Boating Safety Handbook which is given
out on request to new boaters.

There is no information on horn or other signalling that I can find
other than the 'right of way' rules.

Maybe it only applies to commercial vessels.?

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been studying the State Boating Safety Handbook which is given
out on request to new boaters.

There is no information on horn or other signalling that I can find
other than the 'right of way' rules.

Maybe it only applies to commercial vessels.?


Throw the "handbook" away and get the complete set of "rules" ..... you will
not find a mention of "commercial versus recreational", in there.

On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 14:24:01 -0400, gfretwell wrote:


I still think some form of hand signals might be more appropriate
for small vessels in close quarters. I doubt a guy on a 2 stroke ski could
hear most horns anyway.

Perhaps, but a horn works at night, and in fog. I wouldn't expect hand
signals to be much use then.

Well, yes ...

But what's the point of being a stickler on rules nobody obeys?

Or even learning them?

Just wondering.

D

wrote:

Well, yes ...

But what's the point of being a stickler on rules nobody obeys?

Or even learning them?

Just wondering.

D



For me, it's a question of liability. If I am obeying the rules
of the road, and there's an accident, I would be in a better
position than if I were not. It's a little like wearing a seatbelt.

-Raf


--
Misifus-
Rafael Seibert

http://www.ralphandsue.com

wrote:
On 15 Aug 2005 05:09:51 -0700, wrote:

And this puzzles me, because I don't think I've ever seen these rules
obeyed, in all the time I've been on the water. I don't think I've
ever heard a boat horn blasted, except perhaps in anger.

I notice the same thing. The only people I see who ever use the horn
properly are the licensed captains running boats for hire. This only
happens when there is a real risk of collision. I assume the lawyers
tell them to do it since the boaters in question seldom react in the
appropriate manner and I have never heard the proper response.

I do think we should evaluate the rules and update them to reflect
watercraft like jetskis that do not really have a usable signalling
device. I still think some form of hand signals might be more
appropriate for small vessels in close quarters. I doubt a guy on a 2
stroke ski could hear most horns anyway.


Hmmm....I thought there already were appropriate hand signals for
communicating with jet skis.....

Reading the Oregon fishing rules book, and they have a big safety notice in
their. "Who has the right of way? THE BIG GUY" Shows a sailboat saying
they will turn, we have the right of way. The deckhand of the tanker is
saying, did you feel a bump?

"Terry Spragg" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Well, yes ...

But what's the point of being a stickler on rules nobody obeys?

Or even learning them?

Just wondering.

D


Just one little detail, or so...

If you have a boo-boo, the fault will be assessed wrt the rules, wether
you know them or not.

Otherwise, if only 10% of those you encounter know the rules, and obey
them, you will improve he odds if you pretend they all do, since it must
be assumed that those who do not will err about 50-50 either way.

If you know them, you can quite rightly lecture those idiots who don't,
advancing your aspirations toward snobbery.

There is no better feeling than being snobbish about being right, even in
court, when you get damages, if you survive.

Terry K

Bill McKee wrote:
Reading the Oregon fishing rules book, and they have a big safety notice in
their. "Who has the right of way? THE BIG GUY" Shows a sailboat saying
they will turn, we have the right of way. The deckhand of the tanker is
saying, did you feel a bump?



Even if common sense didn't dictate that sailors (and others) need to
stay out of the way of commercial vessels, the rules specifically do.
No vessel under 20 meters and no vessel of any size under sail can
impede a power driven vessel following a VTS. Here's an interesting and
far out possibilty: Since a pleasure boat can voluntarily follow a VTS
and the rules say that sailors and small power boats cannot impede aany
vessel following a VTS, there might be a strong argument that a 40'
sailboat needs to give way to a 20' powerboat *if* the powerboat is
following the VTS. It would take a court case to sort this out, but
it's a technically correct appllication of the rules.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Even if common sense didn't dictate that sailors (and others) need to
stay out of the way of commercial vessels, the rules specifically do.
No vessel under 20 meters and no vessel of any size under sail can
impede a power driven vessel following a VTS. Here's an interesting and
far out possibilty: Since a pleasure boat can voluntarily follow a VTS
and the rules say that sailors and small power boats cannot impede aany
vessel following a VTS, there might be a strong argument that a 40'
sailboat needs to give way to a 20' powerboat *if* the powerboat is
following the VTS. It would take a court case to sort this out, but
it's a technically correct appllication of the rules.


VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) and TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme) can be and
frequently are, two different things.
Since the 20' powerboat probably had no need to use the TSS and it is still
bound by it's "obligations under any other rule", I'd be willing to bet the
powerboat would have serious liability concerns if a collision occurred

Thanks for the referance. I had questioned the requirments for a boat
operators license when I registered the boat.

What I was sent was the booklet from the DNR titled Wisconsin Boating
Regulations.

You would think they might refer to a complete set of regulations if
one existed ?

thanks again.

But my point is that NOBODY obeys the rules, even the people on this
forum who say we should obey the rules!

When was the last time you heard somene sound a horn for passing or
other encounters with other boats?

i think anyone who actually obeyed the rules for sound signals would
look and feel a bit ridiculous, thus my question.

Understand that I'm not saying people should disobey rules such as the
rightmost boat hs the right of way, the big boats have the right of way
over small boats and so on. I'm just wondering about the rules that
are never observed in practice, except possibly by commercial vessels.

D

wrote in message
oups.com...
But my point is that NOBODY obeys the rules, even the people on this
forum who say we should obey the rules!

When was the last time you heard somene sound a horn for passing or
other encounters with other boats?

i think anyone who actually obeyed the rules for sound signals would
look and feel a bit ridiculous, thus my question.

Understand that I'm not saying people should disobey rules such as the
rightmost boat hs the right of way, the big boats have the right of way
over small boats and so on. I'm just wondering about the rules that
are never observed in practice, except possibly by commercial vessels.

D


On the contrary, plenty of people obey the rules ..... you just may not have
run across them.
Regarding whistle signals ..... very few people, including commercial
vessels, use whistle signals anymore.
For most commercial vessels, they will generally make passing arrangements
via VHF, but beware, the knowledge of the signals is still required as they
will frequently do this with something like, "I'll pass you on your one
whistle side".
In many case of small boats, the traffic density is so great that the use of
a whistle signal could lead to confusion for vessels other than the
intended.
Personally, when dealing with small recreational vessels, I rarely use
whistle signals, other than the danger signal or a long blast.
As for your basic premise, sorry, but the Rules are all inclusive...... you
need to know them all, whether or not you use them.

otn