Does a dive flag protect you? Think again.

[Gary D.]

all you need to do is mount your flag on a higher mast.
Like this one:

You can't appreciate those 9 long barrels until you are under a salvo going over your head. The closest description would be standing next to a railroad track when a freight goes by at 60. Almost makes you wizzzzz your britches.

They DO get respect when the dive flags fly.

Gary D.

 

[djtimmy77]

Rob was on TV tonight....

Diver hit by boat, exclusive interview West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Treasure Coast local news, weather, live radar, investigative from Newschannel 5 | WPTV.com

 

[bfw]

Required training is the answer

PART of the answer. Would you suggest more driver training will eliminate drunk driving? Our state's basic boating course is 20% about drinking and boating, but that doesn't mean the dept. of natural resources doesn't go out and bust people for it, too.


The other part is stiffer penalties.

Both you and Dan are right. Stiffer penalties, and required training so no one can say they weren't warned.

 

[D_B]

too many comparisons to driving, it's not the same, drivers have to pass a test, they must know the traffic signs, they need a license to drive , and Insurance .. which is something that can be taken away from them
.... My point is that people can boat without ANY training , without ANY license

... or without any risk it seems

 

[danvolker]

too many comparisons to driving, it's not the same, drivers have to pass a test, they must know the traffic signs, they need a license to drive , and Insurance .. which is something that can be taken away from them
.... My point is that people can boat without ANY training , without ANY license

... or without any risk it seems

DB,
I think you would agree, that even a retarded person could pass a drivers exam, and be abe to legally drive a car. Not to mention all the people who have Attention Deficit Disorder!!!! Yes, they had to pass a test. Does it mean their driving will reflect some higher order of performance and safety? I don't think so.

The real issues involve paying attention to what is in front of you, and exhibiting "common sense" in choices as to how to proceed ( when you get to a situation which could involve danger to someone).

While common sense is a big deal, "Fear of Punishment" can help keep the "pay attention" part functioning
Regards,
Dan

 

[Andy077]

Bah, no one wants to dive between Camden NJ and Philadelphia PA, its too dirty...

Couldn't be much nastier than where I did my cert dives, just outside Norwalk Harbor CT.

I'd use the USS Connecticut, but her masthead is usually at a few hundred feet already!

 

[D_B]

right now .. I can use the "I didnt know that's what that ment" for ANYTHING I DO when I drive a boat .. who's gonna prove different ?
I didnt pass any test that says I know , I have not been awarded any licence, I have no insurence .. there is nothing that says I have to know ANYTHING to drive a boat

how are you going to punish with something like that? you have to have something that says you ignored your training, then you can take away .. licence, boat, leavy fines, jail time

 

[seaducer]

right now .. I can use the "I didnt know that's what that ment" for ANYTHING I DO when I drive a boat .. who's gonna prove different ?
I didnt pass any test that says I know , I have not been awarded any licence, I have no insurence .. there is nothing that says I have to know ANYTHING to drive a boat

how are you going to punish with something like that? you have to have something that says you ignored your training, then you can take away .. licence, boat, leavy fines, jail time

Not really. Ignorance of the law does not immunity make.

 

[J.R.]

Did some interesting research...

According to the FARS Encyclopedia, there were 38,642 fatal crashes in 2006.. that is for 245,628,000 registered vehicles... this gives us an incident rate of 1 death for every 6356.50329 vehicles

According to the 2006, the USCG Boating Statistics Report states there were 710 boating related deaths with 12,746,126 registered boats... for a rate of 5.6 deaths per boat... or one death for every 17952.2901 boats.

Now... I'd note that EVEN with the laws... enforcements... fines... etc., etc., etc... the number of deaths per boat (with it's lack of licensing and minimal enforcement) is still lower than the number of deaths per car...

Let's take a look at one other statistic... the boating death rate in 1991 was 8.3 per 100,000... the highest in the last 16 years... the death rate showed a marked decrease around 1996 and has held between 5.8 and 5.3 per 100,000 for the last 8 years... now let's map this phenomenon against gas prices... hummm...

I think it would suggest that the BEST way to reduce incidents on the water is to jack up the price of gas to an unaffordable level... people will still own boats but they won't be able to afford to run them... result...lower mortality and incident statistics and... THINK OF ALL THE MONEY THAT WOULD BRING IN FOR THE GOVERNMENT (One could postulate that with increased "in dock" time the alcohol consumption rate would climb raising revenues even further AND as the police would hopefully catch on... they could set up sobriety check points at the entrance to marinas thereby improving local balance sheets as well...)

http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/Boating_Statistics_2006.pdf
FARS Encyclopedia

 

[String]

"Ignorance is no excuse from the law". That generally applies in most western countries.