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View Full Version : Speed limits on Tampa Bay?



Cuda
01-28-2004, 07:56 AM
Check out this thread and go to the link posted there.



Link (http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70241)

Fish boy
01-28-2004, 09:34 AM
right now the poll is heavily in favor of speed limits. I would be willing to bet that many of the people voting thus far never go in tampa bay, or even own a boat (there are many retirees in the area). Even if you do not live in the area, you know how these things tend to spread...

Please take a second and vote.

Thanks,

Fish

st.pete time poll (http://www.stpetetimes.com/)

BUIZILLA
01-28-2004, 09:45 AM
It looks to me to be heavily in favor of NO speed limits..

IMO, going 100 mph plus in the area he was in, is irresponsible. Open water....okay....

J

Fish boy
01-28-2004, 09:51 AM
Buzz,

You are correct, it is now in favor of no speed limits. Glad to see it is swinging the other way -there is info on atleast 2 other boating forums with links to the poll; hopefull boaters will continue to make their voices heard.

Tampa bay is large enough in many places that you can stand on one shore and barely see the other side. It is not the atlantic ocean, but it is definately no small body of water. Additionally, it is large enough for the big boys (team donzi and the rest of the offshore racers) to use as a race course every year.

Agreed, you really need to be responsible whenever boating- especially at those speeds. Hope you don't mind that I am on the fence about his driving... he was a friend.:(

BUIZILLA
01-28-2004, 10:30 AM
FB, I know those waters reasonably well. I used to attend USF in college, and taught sailing at St. Pete Yacht Club on the weekends.

Sad deal, no doubt....

J

Forrest
01-29-2004, 09:49 AM
Cuda, I'm the last person who wants speed limits in open water but, after reading all those replies about the St. Pete Times poll on OSO, one would think that all those people who responded either to the poll, and (or) that that thread, actually believes that the results of a newspaper poll conducted on the Internet will result in some sort of action - either setting speed limits on Tampa bay or not. The reality of it all is that it would take an action by the Florida Legislature - the passing of a bill in both the Florida Senate (http://www.flsenate.gov/Welcome/index.cfm) and House of Representatives (http://www.myfloridahouse.com/) - to make any sort of a change. If any Representative or Senator in the Tampa Bay districts (House Districts 52 (http://www.myfloridahouse.com/district.aspx?id=4153), 55 (http://www.myfloridahouse.com/district.aspx?id=4217), 63 (http://www.myfloridahouse.com/district.aspx?id=4223) & 68 (http://www.myfloridahouse.com/district.aspx?id=4278), Senate District 16 (http://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/View_Page.pl?Tab=legislators&Submenu=1&File=index.html&Directory=Legislators/senate/016/map_data/) & 18 (http://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/View_Page.pl?Tab=legislators&Submenu=1&File=index.html&Directory=Legislators/senate/018/map_data/)) were to draft such a bill, AND it were to get to the floor in Capital building in Tallahassee - that same bill would difficult, if not impossible to pass since it would require a majority in both houses in order for it to be passed in to law. There are too many other people with conflicting interests who reside in those districts and the other 120 districts in the state - i.e. power boaters, marine industry, and concerned citizens - to allow that to happen. That poll is just a bunch of hoopla that amounts to nothing but to get people to read their paper and to go to their website - and as you can see, it's working. The St. Pete Times doesn't care about the results of the poll, they only care that you saw it, and moreover, its advertisers.

Popcorn in hand!

Forrest

Fish boy
01-29-2004, 05:27 PM
Forrest,
you have a very good point and it provides some relief, however I beleive there are a couple of other ways the same effect on boating could come about w/o having to rely on the above mentioned proceedure.

By statutory authority, the florida fish and wildlife comission has the power to promulgate rules with the effect of statutes. This was done several years ago to allow them to respond to chages in the enviorment and wildlife that needed immediate response (such are size limits on fish, idle speed zones,...etc) without having to lose a threatened species waiting for the politicians and lobbiests to do their thing in Tallahassee

might want to take a look at fla stats (http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0370/ch0370.htm) , specifically, 370.12(2)(L)2 m-p

the Comission could make a no wake zone, or set speed limits within a very short period of time only needing a minimum of extraneous reasons such as manatees or some other necessity.

Additionally, I beleive where the Florida Statutes are silent, the local governments have the authority to step in and pass ordinances that would have the same effect in terms of reducing the speed. That is one reason some places have varying speed limits (or none), some have slow zones, some have idle speed zones...etc. Unfortunately, IMHO, the rules they pass do not necessarily have to be constitutional, or even make a great deal of sense- they are the law until challenged sinc+e they come with certain presumptions.

not trying to split hairs, and I largely agree with your entire post- just wanted to point out that there is more than one way we could end up going slow if the powers that be felt strongly compelled to do so. Then again, I am not an expert, just giving my $.02

fish

Forrest
01-30-2004, 10:37 AM
Fish,

You're right, Chapter 370 does give the Commission great authority, but just about all of 370, as you mention, deals with marine wildlife. Specifically, 370.12(2)(L)2 m-p deals with the Brevard County manatee issue, which as we all well know, is the hottest boating issue in the state. However, the Florida Legislature would need amend 370 to link boat operation in the open waters of Tampa Bay to a wildlife preservation concern. Also notice in (m-o) it mentions Chapter 120, which is another way changes to Florida statutes are made. 120 is the authority of Department of Administrative Hearings (http://www.doah.state.fl.us/internet/default.cfm), but it takes a lot work to get a 120 hearing. Most Legislators and Florida State Government agencies, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, will do almost anything to avoid a 120 hearing. My guess is that the power ($) of the Save the Manatee Club was able to get their case heard under 120 as few years back.

Now, as to local ordinances, who knows! But I do know that the submerged land under Tampa Bay do come under state jurisdiction; however, the county(s) may have jurisdiction over the surface waters.

All I'm saying is that if it makes people feel good to band together and vote on a meanless poll, then by all means, they should do so. I just hope that they all really don't think that they prevented some law from being passed, or for that matter made any difference what-so-ever.

ToonaFish
01-30-2004, 06:21 PM
Isn't Old Hitler still in Tampa Bay?

Bunches,

Celene 'Jaws was nothing to the tales of that monster'