Possible PWC Ban On Lake George

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

Dad says he saw a news item on TV about an upcoming vote to ban PWCs on Lake George.

Fast Eddie, and neighbors:
Do you know about this? Are you planning to vote?

I, personaly have very little interest in lake lice. They hold no appeal for me. However, I feel for the poor people who enjoy these craft responsibly (yes, they do exist). I fear once they're gone, the Nazis will be coming after us next.

The simple fact is there are already laws on the books governing the the way in which these things, as well as all other powered craft are driven/ridden. Laws on no wake zones, speed limits, speeds within a certain distance of the shoreline and/or other craft, etc. Tell the cops to get off their fat asses and go out and do some enforcement!!!

Hell, go ahead and confiscate the damn things and sell them on friggin' eBay, raise some badly needed revenue for the town, I don't care. I won't shed a tear. But, nooooo! That's too much like work.

Because of the actions of an irresponsible minority, the responsible majority has to LOSE THEIR FREEDOMS at the hands of some elitist snob NAZIS who would rather throw up a blanket ban than enforce the laws we already have???!!!

This kind of lazy-assed legislation infuriates me to no end!!! :mad:

FR :rolleyes: :mad: :rolleyes:

[Barry Phillips]

I agree, the fault is with the riders who do not respect boating rules, I boat on Lake George a lot and I do not see them as to much of a problem, is it still a free country? Not sure anymore. I would like to see an age limit for PWC riders, to many young kids on machines that run 50 to 60 mph. There is a group on the lake who are way out of control in terms of speed limits, power boat usage etc. The rules are there, they just need to be applied along with common sense.

SO-SLO

[MOP]

The only people that seem to run them in a fairly normal manner are also boat owners. I've toured the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence on them and a few times by boat, was better by boat real big cooler for various goodies. Personally they should self destruct or turn into a real boat after so many hours. There was a write up in one of the boat mags about the astounding injury and death rate. My son in law has two, I worry about the grand kids getting their hands on them.

[FASTEDDIE]

Weighing all the factors, the ban will never happen. The first meeting has already taken place and this is the second meeting.Too many businesses rent PWC and count on that business to draw people .Last meeting they wanted to spread it to snowmobiles and the motel owners who stay open all year screammed.If you ban motorized vehicles like these you then can eliminate the February winter carnival that brings in snowmobile,ATV races and auto and motorcycle races.Many millions of dollars of needed cash flow,sales tax ETC. It ain't gonna happen boys.Watch and see.

[2biguns]

With all the smart bombs and other high-tech equipment being utilized in Iraq, one one think that by now, the U.S. Government would have developed a missle capable of blasting these little "chariots of satan" into the wild blue yonder without harming the enviroment or leaving much more than a gooey spot on the water.

[Indyblackhawk]

I ride PWC's just as much if not more than the Blackhawk. Sure there are iresponsible riders out there on PWC's. However there are also irresponsible people in fast boats, many with alchohol. Last summer I was riding my Sea-Doo, just cruising around 40mph, all of a sudden a 29' Fever came literally 15 feet from me going 75+, then just to be an ass he flipped open his exhaust right as he passed me. I would much rather see teens driving 50-60mph skis then drunks driving 70+ MPH boats

[MOP]

He may have been sober just hated wet bikes, I've seen alot of them getting buzzed around here people hate them. Its a shame a few AH's have screwed it up so bad.

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

M.O.P.: I agree with your assessment of them. The few times I've ridden them, I got bored in half an hour, and each time the thought that came to me was "Boy, I'm sure glad I didn't spend MY money one of these things. For the same money I could get a decent boat and get a lot more use out of it." Oh well, to each his own.

Fast Eddie: I hope you're right about the vote. I still think you should vote anyway if you're eligible, if for no other reason than to help create such a landslide result in support of our individual freedoms that this issue can be put to rest for good.
I've said it before, and I think the analogy is an accurate one. PWCs are the proverbial canary in the recreational performance boating coal mine. As much as we may hate some of the jerks who ride them, we need to be supportive of the rest. I fear the fate that befalls them may someday be our own.

FR :p

[MOP]

I do have to agree with Flat Racer, we lose a little freedom every day. I ride them up at my Buddys, I had a great time gunk holeing the back rivers off the St. Lawrence.

[Tomahawk]

I'm with 2Biguns on this, and my company sells them. At least they're 4-strokes. As a minimum, the rental of them should be banned for everybody's safety and boating pleasure. :mad:

[Air 22]

Always 2 sides to a story guys...just like skiers and snowboarders we have to share our usable space. Responsibility, respect for one another, user knowledge and tougher violation laws are needed. Fast Eddie is correct :D ...a ban won't happen on LG. Being from there myself spending all my summers growing up on LG PWC have been around for 20+yrs. The Lake George Park Commission, Warren County Sherrif's Office and Lake George Police patrol the lake but are not really staffed properly to "catch" all the a-holes out there! Tougher laws and fines will hitt'em were it hurts...the pocket book eek!
Millions of greenbacks flow into LG b/c of tourism there..its the area's life blood. Banning PWC would drive millions of dollars away and put 100's of small business under. A cell hot-line should be set up just like in highway use to report vilotators etc. To bad a few ruin the fun for the rest of us :mad:

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

I say fine the livin' sh!t out of the violators. Confiscate them. Use the good ones for the lake cops to chase down more violators, then auction off the rest every fall.
They've got cops on motorcycles and bicycles, why not jet skis? I'm sure some places already have them.

But don't take away the right to use them responsibly!!!!!!!!!!!!

An additional $.02 from FR :p

[daboys]

I am not in favor of the ban - another freedom being challanged by the unknowing, bolsterd by irresponsable behavoir. Incedently I own one, a Kowasaki 1100 three seater - got it to teach the kids to water ski. They all have taken the boaters safety course and they know they lose ridding / driving proivledges if they operate the jet ski in an irresponsable manner.