Re: [Paddlewise] How and when to speak up

At 01:43 PM 11/2/99 -0800, James Lofton wrote:

>
>I can only conpare this to the motorcycle helment debate. Most would 
>agree that a helment will protect your head..? , but I have seen people 
>blasting along the hyways with one on and wearing shorts, no shirt, 
>thongs, and have some little thing on the back, barefooted and a halter 
>top. Got them helments on tho! :-(

Michigan has a helmet law. Indiana does not. You want to see the flash of
brake lights when bikers go into Indiana from Michigan and stop to take
helmets off?

>If the kayaking communty wants to have laws that says you have to dress a 
>certain way and carry certain things, well fine. You still can't 
>legislate common sence or even half way good judgement calls.

Too many laws. Too many rules. I know there are people around that would
gladly ask the legislature to mandate that a kayaker wear a dry suit if the
water temperature is under 65 degrees, absolutely across the board. The day
the legislature passes that law is the day I give up kayaking. Too much of
this stuff that's jammed down our throats is stuff where the people pushing
the "reform" give no one else any credit for any common sense.

>My personal opinion is to help pass on help and information to those that 
>ask, but don't try to cram it down those that likely don't.
>
>I've been told to dress for emersion. I know that, I've been in freezing 
>water and work at not repeating the exsperance. I've also had 93 stitches 
>in my face from a bike wreck, but I still won't wear a helment.

That's your call. And it's good that you can make the call. Yes, I
sometimes go out in a kayak on water under 65 degrees without a drysuit. In
fact, I usually don't start thinking wetsuit until it's somewhat colder.
Yes, I've had hypothermia, too (granted, it was from standing in an
ice-cold river trying to remove a strainer with a chainsaw). But, there are
some conditions where it might well be warmer that I'd want one. It's my
call -- not some officious yahoo's decision to make for me.

>If some clown came up to me at the lake and told me I wasn't dressed 
>corectly.., on a good day I would just smile and walk away.

Could not agree more. I would suspect that that's the sort of person that I
really don't much want to be around, anyway.

>I guess I just say lighten up or work to pass laws. They seem to be the 
>American way.
>
>James, wouldn't have done anything if I'd waited for proper 
>instruction(or approval)
>

-- Wes, who's going to hop in the car, not put on a seat belt, run down to
the corner to pick up a pack of cigarettes, and maybe stop and look at the
Harley the guy has got for sale on the way.

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