On 10/19/06, Derek <glamourpets_at_yahoo.com> wrote: > > <snip> > Does the person who goes out kayaking with nothing > more than a paddle and a pair of shorts and a cotton > t-shirt have a techno-phoboa or are they just plain > foolish? > <snip> I think it depends, in large part, just where they are kayaking. I can paddle on Moses Lake in front of my lake house every day from May through September in a t-shirt and cutoff shorts and the major risk to my life is being run down by an inattentive powerboater. There aren't many techno-gizmos that are going to change that barring proximity radar. The thrust of my argument has been that equipment and clothing (and a PFD) can be appropriate to the circumstances; it's really not in society's best interests to waste time regulating them for adults. That, of course, is based on the theory that the regulations are for safety. It's my humble opinion that most regulations are based on a combination of poorly-thought-out revenue predictions, bureaucratic power struggles, and full employment for obscure relatives. There is no reason to require a PFD on me when I am paddling on Moses Lake in June and I'm not pleased that the idea is being broached. Let the Sheriff's patrol boat go after drunken speedboaters and jetskiers where there is risk to innocent second and third parties. However the 5-year-old girl across the street who occasionally convinces me to let her paddle one of the w/w boats wears a PFD every time. I don't ever want to explain to her mom anything worse than how well she did and how much fun we had. Of course, she grew up using my w/w boats as playthings (I store them in the dining room) and learned to walk holding on to them and used the cockpits as entrances to a cave only a toddler could enter. Craig Jungers When 20-something mothers think "party" they think of me first... for babysitting. :P *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Oct 19 2006 - 20:59:15 PDT
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