On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 06:00:32 -0000, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Los Angeles -- The Department of Boating and Waterways (Cal Boating)
yesterday hosted the first of two stakeholder workshops to discuss
potential legislation to require safety education for vessel operators.

A good thing.

When are they going to mandate safety education for Cali drivers? (sorry,
couldn't resist.)

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"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
ups.com...
Boating Experts Focus on Mandatory Boat Operator Safety Education

Los Angeles -- The Department of Boating and Waterways (Cal Boating)
yesterday hosted the first of two stakeholder workshops to discuss
potential legislation to require safety education for vessel operators.

The second meeting, which will build on information gathered in Los
Angeles, is scheduled for August 17 at the Clarion Hotel, Terrace Room,
700 16th Street, Sacramento.

"There is no question that California's boating accidents and
fatalities are too high. That's a problem for anyone who cares about
boating and about public safety," said Cal Boating Director Raynor
Tsuneyoshi in his opening statement. "The question we hope to answer
today is: Should the State of California require boaters to receive
boating safety training in order to operate a motorized vessel?"

The all-day workshop had 38 participants including boaters,
representatives of boating interest groups, government agencies,
boating accident victims, safety advocates and educators, marina
operators, and boating law enforcement personnel. "The cooperation of
so many different interests is incredibly valuable in effectively
addressing what we all know is a problem," Tsuneyoshi said.

Mandatory boater education has been gaining traction nationwide in
recent years and 42 states now require some type of certification. The
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been a driving force
behind the nationwide movement toward mandatory education. Mandatory
boat operator education is on the NTSB's list of "Most Wanted
Transportation Safety Improvements" for 2006.

Bill Gossard, National Recreational Boating Program Manager and Senior
Transportation Safety Advocate for the NTSB, spoke to the group about
how mandatory education is working in other states. "If California is
on board with mandatory boating education, a projected decrease in
fatalities is expected at 10 to 15 percent, saving between six and ten
people a year," he said. "California needs to join the states that have
taken this important step toward reducing recreational boating
accidents and fatalities."

"Recreational Boaters of California appreciates the effort that DBW is
making to bring together all of the stakeholders for a comprehensive
and productive discussion of actions that can be taken to enhance
boater safety and education," said Jerry Desmond, Jr., Director of
Government Relations for Recreational Boaters of California.

Harry Monihan, government relations director for the Southern
California Marine Association, a boating industry group, spoke about
the group's historical opposition to mandatory boater education. "We've
always taken the position that you can't legislate good judgment, but
now we are becoming more flexible because our members and customers are
being subjected to risks of uneducated boaters on the water," Monihan
said.

More than one participant spoke from experience in describing the
damaging affects of boating accidents. Pam Rudy spoke of her son Kyle
who was killed last year when a rented pontoon boat he was vacationing
on ran over him. She attended the meeting to express her belief that
there is an urgent need for mandatory boater education in California.
"I believe that education is urgent and necessary. California needs to
do this now," she said.

A boater education law passed the California Legislature in 1999 but
was vetoed by Governor Gray Davis. At the time, Chris Brewster was
Lifeguard Chief for the City of San Diego, which sponsored the bill. He
is currently President of the United States Lifesaving Association.

Brewster began his remarks by apologizing to the victims present. "If
we had been able to get that legislation passed in 1999, many of the
injuries and deaths described today probably wouldn't have happened,"
he said. "Each day that we don't have mandatory boater education, we
are responsible for more tragedies. We must find a way to come to
consensus and move this forward."

The morning was spent reviewing and discussing material about accident
statistics and existing boating education laws nationwide. Throughout
the afternoon, participants had an opportunity to share their concerns
and help outline the specific issues that need to be addressed in any
proposed legislation. "The variations on structuring a boating
education law include age, type of vessel, reciprocity with other
states, penalties, administration, and dozens of others. Each detail is
important to someone," Tsuneyoshi said.

In an informal poll of the meeting participants indicated nearly 80
percent conceptual support of pursuing a mandatory boater education law
in California. "Now we have to find a way to satisfy objections that
are related to structure and process, and we have to determine who
might sponsor such legislation," Tsuneyoshi said.

The next meeting will focus on discussing the various options and
developing a framework for a law, although no group has come forward to
lead the process yet. "We have been clear that any boater education
legislation has to come from the boating community," said David
Johnson, deputy director of Cal Boating. "The department can lead the
discussion, facilitate consensus and provide technical assistance to
any group that wants to sponsor mandatory boat operator education
legislation, but Cal Boating can't be the sponsor of the legislation."

The Department of Boating and Waterways promotes on-the-water safety
and helps develop convenient public access to the waterways through
programs funded by vessel registration fees, boating fuel tax dollars
and boating facility construction loan payments.

- 30 -

If it's your boat, it's your responsibility. Take a boating safety
course.


Maybe we can also get our legislators to also take a course in good
governing.

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:


Yeah, our drivers education is so effective we never have any bad
drivers on the road ;-)


Yeah, but can you imagine what the roads would be like if there were
*no* licensing laws requiring basic familiarity with rules and a test
for basic competency? Whenever you get a lot of people together, with
opposing directions of travel and/or priorities in a small area "no
rules, no minimum exposure to any rules, and no qualifications of any
kind" is a recipe for a disaster.


Seeing the lack of good drivers in California, and while traveling through
Washington from Sumas to Oregon I noticed a lack also, I find that the
driving is not much worse in Peru and Ecuador where lines on the street are
just an advisory. Just returning from an 8000 mile trip to Alaska, and for
the whole trip only saw 4 accidents. 1 in Alaska, where a camper van went
off the side of the road and over corrected, and rolled near Coopers Landing
on the Kenai and the same thing coming up from the WAC Bennett dam in BC,
but a VW Jetta, I saw 2 accidents yesterday on I-5 in Oregon. Seems as if
lots of cars in a confined area induces accidents. Same with boats.
Education may help, at least you can rap the head of the blow boater who
claims to have the right of way over power driven boats with the manual. If
he survives the right of way battle with a tanker.

Calif Bill wrote:
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:


Yeah, our drivers education is so effective we never have any bad
drivers on the road ;-)


Yeah, but can you imagine what the roads would be like if there were
*no* licensing laws requiring basic familiarity with rules and a test
for basic competency? Whenever you get a lot of people together, with
opposing directions of travel and/or priorities in a small area "no
rules, no minimum exposure to any rules, and no qualifications of any
kind" is a recipe for a disaster.


Seeing the lack of good drivers in California, and while traveling through
Washington from Sumas to Oregon I noticed a lack also, I find that the
driving is not much worse in Peru and Ecuador where lines on the street are
just an advisory. Just returning from an 8000 mile trip to Alaska, and for
the whole trip only saw 4 accidents. 1 in Alaska, where a camper van went
off the side of the road and over corrected, and rolled near Coopers Landing
on the Kenai and the same thing coming up from the WAC Bennett dam in BC,
but a VW Jetta, I saw 2 accidents yesterday on I-5 in Oregon. Seems as if
lots of cars in a confined area induces accidents. Same with boats.
Education may help, at least you can rap the head of the blow boater who
claims to have the right of way over power driven boats with the manual. If
he survives the right of way battle with a tanker.

There's a big difference between automobile and boat driving to take
into consideration: most people, before they take the wheel of a car,
have fifteen or sixteen years' experience watching it done, and so
probably know most of the basics even before being formally trained in
advance of getting a license. (Despite this, I still support mandatory
education and licensing for car drivers.) But this is very different
with many boaters, who can often buy and start driving their first boat
with little or no experience or knowledge. That's one of the reasons I
support requiring people to show that they at least have been exposed
to the basics.

richforman

wrote:
On 27 Jul 2006 06:40:29 -0700, wrote:

That's one of the reasons I
support requiring people to show that they at least have been exposed
to the basics.
Before I get misunderstood, I am saying I wish boating education was
more like FAA education, where yoiu have to qualify for each class of
boat you operate. That will never happen. Simply putting in some
insignificant qualification like the current driver's license is
virtually meaningless ... for cars or boats.
The driver's license is just a tax and an ID to cash checks (get on a
plane or buy a gun).
Parallel parking a Saturn in driver's ed no more qualifies you to
drive a motor home or a Hemi 300 than that power squadron evening
course at the civic center qualifies you to operate a 46' Bertram or
an 800 HP Donzi.

Hmmm, interesting, you're taking this from the other angle compared to
some other posters. I don't disagree, but I'd say it's better than
nothing - at least it seems to help, and it makes sense to me that it
would, to ensure that boaters have had at least some exposure to the
rules of the road, how to read nav aids, interpret lights, etc. It
doesn't guarantee that they won't screw up, but statistics seem to show
that it lessens the volume of problems, in states where these rules
have been introduced. You're suggesting that the licensing
requirements be even more strict and meaningful, and as you say,
that'll probably never happen.

richforman