Drinking and boating

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Searider

No requirement in the code for passengers to wear lifejackets. You just need to have them on board.

Good point - don't see many people on ferries wearing them do you?

Having said that by the very nature of most RIB rides I WILL insist.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Searider

My 5 year old non swimmer has to wear his lifejacket as soon as we get onto the pontoons.

Good for you - they are probably far more at risk on the pontoon than they are on the boat.

I have seen numerouse near misses when people are wandering around marinas - they seem to think they are still on dry land - on the boat they tend to hold on tight!!!

[Searider]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Good point - don't see many people on ferries wearing them do you?

Having said that by the very nature of most RIB rides I WILL insist.

It seems to be the norm that in charter RIBs that all persons wear lifejackets - I guess that we've all done our risk assessments and agree that lifejackets are a must.

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Where on earth did you get your figures? No evidence at all to support them.Just found this on Wikipedia......

Should have said 'When fitting seat belts in car became mandatory’ as opposed to ‘wearing’ them This happened in 1967 before proper stats of road death were taken, however of the statistics that are available figures vary from 10k to 18k down to 5k which is significant however you look at the figures.

Compulsory lifejackets might save 10 people in sea boating related deaths. Go figure. Des

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Scary Des

Another issue is that this is an area of the law where people are punished because they ‘might’ do something wrong as opposed to being punished for ‘actually’ doing something. If, as a result of drinking, you always had an accident then a ban makes sense but that is not the case, the vast majority will not have an accident.

no I think it is wrong to drive a boat whilst drunk even if you happen not to have an accident - the same way as it is to drive a car when drunk.

An analogy is, small businesses are very likely to fiddle there VAT so because this might happen all small businesses should be fined in anticipation., clearly this make no sense.

thats a crap analogy. and as the director of an SME I take umbridge at the claim we are very likely to fiddle the VAT.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Polwart

no I think it is wrong to drive a boat whilst drunk even if you happen not to have an accident - the same way as it is to drive a car when drunk.
thats a crap analogy. and as the director of an SME I take umbridge at the claim we are very likely to fiddle the VAT.

Quite right. If there is a legal way of avoiding paying even more than you are supposed to why not use it? The government's taxes aren't exactly "fair" are they?