Another Boating Accident in Brick NJ
08-14-2008, 10:58 AM
#201
Registered
Letters sent to the BRC, Sen Sarlo, and appropriate news reporting agencies
08-14-2008, 11:15 AM
#202
Gold Member
The facts prove that enforcement of the current laws will make NJ boaters safer, not an additional law that will not be enforced just as other current laws on the books are not enforced.
One additional comment. I know nothing of that waterway, but I was interested in the comments made in the news about NWZ's being added there before this accident. Has anyone determined whether the accident occurred in a NWZ? Because if it did, a speed limit was already in place by default.
08-14-2008, 11:42 AM
#203
Registered
[QUOTE=DaveP;2653367]Here is an example of another mental midget who has no clue as to the facts. This email came this morning.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Vaeth <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Sent: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 5:23 pm
Subject: speedboat accident
Your constituents are murderers. Not enough police protection, You are a joke.
For those of you not from this area most of these emails are coming from Bay Head the only town in New Jersey that does not allow public access to there beaches. I guess they want the bay too.Maybe we also need to ask our elected officials why that is
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Vaeth <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Sent: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 5:23 pm
Subject: speedboat accident
Your constituents are murderers. Not enough police protection, You are a joke.
For those of you not from this area most of these emails are coming from Bay Head the only town in New Jersey that does not allow public access to there beaches. I guess they want the bay too.Maybe we also need to ask our elected officials why that is
08-14-2008, 01:14 PM
#204
Registered
There is cetainly a lot of finger pointing going on regarding this unfortunate incident. There are cetainly a lot of differnet viewpoints as to culpability and who is responsible. My own opinions have no place as the only things they are based on are hearsay from people very close to the investigation and others not so close. Some of it seems plausible and other parts seem ridiculous.
On a simple level, am I wrong in believing that anyone who choses to go for a boat ride at 1AM on a night with virtually no moonlight has to take some responsibility if an accident occurs???????? This is regardless of whether other mitigating factors exist.
On a simple level, am I wrong in believing that anyone who choses to go for a boat ride at 1AM on a night with virtually no moonlight has to take some responsibility if an accident occurs???????? This is regardless of whether other mitigating factors exist.
08-14-2008, 07:28 PM
#206
Registered
This is a copy of an email I sent tonight
Mr Brown - I am a member of the New Jersey Performance Powerboat Club and a safe boater. This email is sent to you to offer my opinion about a proposed 10 mph night time speed limit on Barnegat Bay. I don't boat at night, so one would say this does not affect me, but it does. The reason being that this speed limit is uneforceable and will only be observed by responsible boaters. Boaters who do not operate the vessels in a safe manner will just add it to the list of laws they are already breaking. And accidents like this will happen again. My solution is to drastically increase the NJSP Marine Police budget by adding a $10.00 surcharge to every boat registered in NJ. This will enable the many existing laws that are currently not able to be enforced due to severe manpower shortages.
During the last 10 days since the tragic accident in Bricktown, NJPPC has been sent several emails calling us "murderous scum". These are totally unwarranted, as the alleged driver of the hit and run boat was not a club member.
Most high performance boat owners are experienced operators, proof of that is that it's rare for us to have an incident such as this in NJ. Most fatalities are people who were fishing either inshore or offshore. But, for some reason, high performance boat owners are considered murderers.
A perfect example of my thoughts is alcohol related vehicle accidents. In the not too distant, past they were much more common. Strict enforcement of existing laws, not new laws, changed that. I sincerely hope that we can work together to make NJ safe for all boaters.
Timothy A. Sharkey
Mr Brown - I am a member of the New Jersey Performance Powerboat Club and a safe boater. This email is sent to you to offer my opinion about a proposed 10 mph night time speed limit on Barnegat Bay. I don't boat at night, so one would say this does not affect me, but it does. The reason being that this speed limit is uneforceable and will only be observed by responsible boaters. Boaters who do not operate the vessels in a safe manner will just add it to the list of laws they are already breaking. And accidents like this will happen again. My solution is to drastically increase the NJSP Marine Police budget by adding a $10.00 surcharge to every boat registered in NJ. This will enable the many existing laws that are currently not able to be enforced due to severe manpower shortages.
During the last 10 days since the tragic accident in Bricktown, NJPPC has been sent several emails calling us "murderous scum". These are totally unwarranted, as the alleged driver of the hit and run boat was not a club member.
Most high performance boat owners are experienced operators, proof of that is that it's rare for us to have an incident such as this in NJ. Most fatalities are people who were fishing either inshore or offshore. But, for some reason, high performance boat owners are considered murderers.
A perfect example of my thoughts is alcohol related vehicle accidents. In the not too distant, past they were much more common. Strict enforcement of existing laws, not new laws, changed that. I sincerely hope that we can work together to make NJ safe for all boaters.
Timothy A. Sharkey
Last edited by Expensive Date; 08-14-2008 at 07:31 PM.
Platinum Member
08-14-2008, 08:30 PM
#208
Registered
10mph Speed Limit - I need your HELP!!!!!!!!
Toms River, NJ - August 14, 2008
YES! I NEED YOUR HELP - TODAY!
You have all seen the news stories from the last week and a half. Fortunately we have received som every fair and unbiassed press which I am very thankful for.
BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the last 48hrs I have learned that there are ALOT of emails coming into the press and the Boat Regulation Commission that are in favor of a 10mph night time speed limit. With that said....we need to ACT AND ACT NOW!
Our Position: "Increased Funding For The State Police To Enforce Existing Laws is the answer to Safer Boating In NJ - not new laws that would not be enforced just like the existing ones."How can you help me fight this "mis-information campaign?"
SEND AN EMAIL TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE NOW!
Mary Ann Spoto - Star Ledger [email protected]
Margaret Bonafide - Asbury Park Press [email protected]
Roger Brown - Chairman NJ Boat Reg. Comm. [email protected]
Briana Vannozzi - NJN News
[email protected]
You can write your own letter to these people or if you wish, you can copy and paste this sample letter (see below) and just add the name it is addressed to and your name at the bottom.
Take the time to help today to we can win this fight tomorrow!!!
Thank you!
Best Regards,
Dave Patnaude
President
NJ Performance Powerboat Club
Dear____________;
It was with great regret that I learned of the boating tragedy that recently took place on the Metedeconk River that resulted in a fatality. While I did not personally know any of the boaters involved, my deepest thoughts and prayers go out to all involved. It was truly a tragedy that is upsetting in many ways, not the least of which of how some people are trying to blame all power boaters in New Jersey. The State Police and the prosecutors office have not finalized their investigation at this time, yet people are making several assumptions:
Do we know if any of the drivers were not carrying a valid boat safety certification card?
Do we know if anyone was drinking that was involved?
Do we know if either boat had legal running lights on?
Do we know if the boats were on plane in a no wake zone?
If we are to follow the logic of a few, then if someone dies in a car accident at night, we should ban cars from driving at night, or reduce the speed limit on the New Jersey Turnpike at night, or the Garden State Parkway at night? How many people die in car accidents at night? If a plane crashes at Newark airport in the evening, should we ban night flights or maybe ask them to land their planes a bit slower? New Jersey is one of the largest boating communities per capita in the United States and it's safety record is one of the VERY best. So how is it when there is one terrible and regrettable accident that comes to the public's attention, some people try and penalize everyone else.
New Jersey has some of the toughest safe boating laws in the country. We also have laws against driving and drinking. We have laws that require proper lights on all boats at night. We have laws that require you drive a boat at a safe speed based upon current conditions. New Jersey is doing a great job of protecting boaters through it's current laws and setting a great example to other states. So why is it that some people are convinced that we need Speed Limits on the tidal waters at night? If someone drinks and drives a boat at night, or takes drugs and drives a boat at night, or drives at any speed without running lights, or operates a boat without a proper legal certification, will a 10mph law have any impact on them; most likely not. Those that wish to break the law will not be any more careful because of a new night time speed limit law.
The real root of the problem is enforcement of current laws that already exist. Due to the budget crisis that the state of NJ is in, man power hours have been greatly reduced in the ranks of the State Police on the water. That is a fact.
Toms River, Mantoloking and Brick's Police Departments have all admitted on the record that they have had or have tried to have their own marine patrols but due to budget issues they have had to either eliminate them or cut them back significantly. That is a fact.
On a national level, according to the United States Coast Guard 2007 Accident Statistics, excessive speed is attributed to only 12% of all boating accidents and only 7% of all fatalities. That is a fact.
The State Police have already testified, on the record, that trying to measure and enforce a speed limit is extremely difficult on the water with current radar equipment. That is a fact.
So how do we make NJ's waters safer for all boaters that includes Power, Sail, Canoe, Kyack, Personal Watercraft? The answer is increased funding for the State Police to have a much greater presence on the water from Memorial Day to Labor Day. If our existing laws were enforced better, we would have safer waterways and I am sure there would be increased revenue to the state from the summonses that would be written to those who break the existing laws.
The facts prove that enforcement of the current laws will make NJ boaters safer, not an additional law that will not be enforced just as other current laws on the books are not enforced.
Sincerely,
_____________________
Toms River, NJ - August 14, 2008
YES! I NEED YOUR HELP - TODAY!
You have all seen the news stories from the last week and a half. Fortunately we have received som every fair and unbiassed press which I am very thankful for.
BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the last 48hrs I have learned that there are ALOT of emails coming into the press and the Boat Regulation Commission that are in favor of a 10mph night time speed limit. With that said....we need to ACT AND ACT NOW!
Our Position: "Increased Funding For The State Police To Enforce Existing Laws is the answer to Safer Boating In NJ - not new laws that would not be enforced just like the existing ones."How can you help me fight this "mis-information campaign?"
SEND AN EMAIL TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE NOW!
Mary Ann Spoto - Star Ledger [email protected]
Margaret Bonafide - Asbury Park Press [email protected]
Roger Brown - Chairman NJ Boat Reg. Comm. [email protected]
Briana Vannozzi - NJN News
[email protected]
You can write your own letter to these people or if you wish, you can copy and paste this sample letter (see below) and just add the name it is addressed to and your name at the bottom.
Take the time to help today to we can win this fight tomorrow!!!
Thank you!
Best Regards,
Dave Patnaude
President
NJ Performance Powerboat Club
Dear____________;
It was with great regret that I learned of the boating tragedy that recently took place on the Metedeconk River that resulted in a fatality. While I did not personally know any of the boaters involved, my deepest thoughts and prayers go out to all involved. It was truly a tragedy that is upsetting in many ways, not the least of which of how some people are trying to blame all power boaters in New Jersey. The State Police and the prosecutors office have not finalized their investigation at this time, yet people are making several assumptions:
Do we know if any of the drivers were not carrying a valid boat safety certification card?
Do we know if anyone was drinking that was involved?
Do we know if either boat had legal running lights on?
Do we know if the boats were on plane in a no wake zone?
If we are to follow the logic of a few, then if someone dies in a car accident at night, we should ban cars from driving at night, or reduce the speed limit on the New Jersey Turnpike at night, or the Garden State Parkway at night? How many people die in car accidents at night? If a plane crashes at Newark airport in the evening, should we ban night flights or maybe ask them to land their planes a bit slower? New Jersey is one of the largest boating communities per capita in the United States and it's safety record is one of the VERY best. So how is it when there is one terrible and regrettable accident that comes to the public's attention, some people try and penalize everyone else.
New Jersey has some of the toughest safe boating laws in the country. We also have laws against driving and drinking. We have laws that require proper lights on all boats at night. We have laws that require you drive a boat at a safe speed based upon current conditions. New Jersey is doing a great job of protecting boaters through it's current laws and setting a great example to other states. So why is it that some people are convinced that we need Speed Limits on the tidal waters at night? If someone drinks and drives a boat at night, or takes drugs and drives a boat at night, or drives at any speed without running lights, or operates a boat without a proper legal certification, will a 10mph law have any impact on them; most likely not. Those that wish to break the law will not be any more careful because of a new night time speed limit law.
The real root of the problem is enforcement of current laws that already exist. Due to the budget crisis that the state of NJ is in, man power hours have been greatly reduced in the ranks of the State Police on the water. That is a fact.
Toms River, Mantoloking and Brick's Police Departments have all admitted on the record that they have had or have tried to have their own marine patrols but due to budget issues they have had to either eliminate them or cut them back significantly. That is a fact.
On a national level, according to the United States Coast Guard 2007 Accident Statistics, excessive speed is attributed to only 12% of all boating accidents and only 7% of all fatalities. That is a fact.
The State Police have already testified, on the record, that trying to measure and enforce a speed limit is extremely difficult on the water with current radar equipment. That is a fact.
So how do we make NJ's waters safer for all boaters that includes Power, Sail, Canoe, Kyack, Personal Watercraft? The answer is increased funding for the State Police to have a much greater presence on the water from Memorial Day to Labor Day. If our existing laws were enforced better, we would have safer waterways and I am sure there would be increased revenue to the state from the summonses that would be written to those who break the existing laws.
The facts prove that enforcement of the current laws will make NJ boaters safer, not an additional law that will not be enforced just as other current laws on the books are not enforced.
Sincerely,
_____________________
Just food for thought as we try to articulate our arguments.
08-22-2008, 07:34 AM
#209
OSO Content Provider
Commercial Member
I just found this this morning on another site:
If the powerboaters of NJ don't do something soon, rest assured there will be a limit on how fast you can go on the waterways of NJ.
Read this morning that sarno's office is promoting a petition drive FOR the limit!!!Lets all get our own letters out there. How about a caravan to Margate next month for the hearings??
Just sent this to all-
Dear ________________
This very old proposal for speed limits on the Barnegat Bay should not have been resurrected as it has.
The FACTS speak for themselves:
1) We can not enforce the laws we already have.
2) Only seven percent of boating fatalities relate to speed.
3) Only twelve percent of all boating accidents relate to speed.
4) The state police have stated that measuring speed on water is at best very difficult.
5) The thirty MPH limit is the "wake zone" for many larger boats, where the most damage is done to the ecology.
There are many more reasons to oppose this legislation if you take the time to research it.
Thank you for listening,
Just sent this to all-
Dear ________________
This very old proposal for speed limits on the Barnegat Bay should not have been resurrected as it has.
The FACTS speak for themselves:
1) We can not enforce the laws we already have.
2) Only seven percent of boating fatalities relate to speed.
3) Only twelve percent of all boating accidents relate to speed.
4) The state police have stated that measuring speed on water is at best very difficult.
5) The thirty MPH limit is the "wake zone" for many larger boats, where the most damage is done to the ecology.
There are many more reasons to oppose this legislation if you take the time to research it.
Thank you for listening,
If the powerboaters of NJ don't do something soon, rest assured there will be a limit on how fast you can go on the waterways of NJ.
08-22-2008, 12:35 PM
#210
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From today's local fish wrapper:
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...2/1032/OPINION
Boaters need speed limits
The time is now for active legislation in Trenton to prevent boating disasters like the one that claimed the life of one man and injured four others at the mouth of the Metedeconk River Aug. 3.
The combination of heavy boating traffic, poor visibility and speeding has long been a problem with an otherwise popular summer pastime enjoyed by locals and visitors at the Jersey Shore.
We must draft legislation to restrict boat speeds in all inland New Jersey waterways to 10 mph from dawn to dusk. Copies of petitions to do so are being circulated. Additional copies are available through my legislative office.
Sen. Paul Sarlo
D-BERGEN
He just doesn't get it. This apparently happened in a no wake zone. There were laws in place, it's just that they weren't followed. Think he would have made an exception and followed this one?
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...2/1032/OPINION
Boaters need speed limits
The time is now for active legislation in Trenton to prevent boating disasters like the one that claimed the life of one man and injured four others at the mouth of the Metedeconk River Aug. 3.
The combination of heavy boating traffic, poor visibility and speeding has long been a problem with an otherwise popular summer pastime enjoyed by locals and visitors at the Jersey Shore.
We must draft legislation to restrict boat speeds in all inland New Jersey waterways to 10 mph from dawn to dusk. Copies of petitions to do so are being circulated. Additional copies are available through my legislative office.
Sen. Paul Sarlo
D-BERGEN
He just doesn't get it. This apparently happened in a no wake zone. There were laws in place, it's just that they weren't followed. Think he would have made an exception and followed this one?
