🚀 go-pugleaf

Bret,

You make a few common but serious logical errors (IMHO).

1/ "the common sence equation. Ya just can't teach that... " I strongly
disagree (see below).

2/ You yourself claim to be a careful, responsible boater (and firearms
user), with or without regulation, so therefore regulation is not required.
But your conclusion does not follow from your (self-)observation.

3/ "The Boat Operator Card does not a competent boat operator make..." You
make it sound like an all-or-nothing proposition. You know that it's not.
The question should be, does licencing raise the overall level of safety in
the population, sufficient to justify the time, expense and energy?

My sense is that the world is divided into three categories. One does not
need instruction, one will not heed instruction, but the third we can lead
to instruction. I think that the latter category that comprises the
majority. I suspect that a lot of people learn a lot of things from
mandatory training, although of course they don't become experts from one
introductory course. That's not the point. They bump their level of
knowledge and skill up a notch or two, and often come away with the
realization of how much they don't know that didn't used to know they didn't
know. That could be an important safety feature all in itself.

I don't have data for this, but apparently there _is_ good data for car
drivers' licences, for example - training helps, even when mandated. (Not
everybody, not all the time - does not in any way negate the stats).

I think that what many anti-regulators really mean is that they find
regulation inconvenient, and that if only everybody else were like them it
would be unnecessary. But i) it's inconvenient - we all simply have to get
over it - and ii) everybody else isn't like you - we all have to accept
that. By your description, you're in category 1 - a minority. We don't
design systems for the minority. It's always nice if regulators accommodate
such a minority by allowing it to write the exam without taking the course -
as one can for the Boat Operator's Card!

Charles

  ====

Charles T. Low
ctlow@boatdocking.com
www.boatdocking.com/
www.ctlow.ca/

  ====

"Bret Johnston" <bretj@island.net> wrote in message
news:a6kaf90251a@enews4.newsguy.com...
> Ah yes the common sence equation. Ya just can't teach that... It's almost
> like the Fire Arms regulations, I have a FAC, I took the course and as
> before the course I'm still just as carefull as I always was (and for the
> snippers that's damn carefull, including 28 years military experiance with
> the odd firearm).  They regulate the shit out of me but that still doesn't
> stop the illegal sale of restricted weapons and the nut cases, but what
the
> hell I'm regulated.
>
> The Boat Operator Card does not a competent boat operator make.  That
comes
> with common sense and experiance, even the bureocrates in the ivory towers
> should be able to understand that one.  I carry a compass, a GPS, a VHF, a
> sounder, an auxillary moter, flares, fire extinguisher etc. etc. etc. not
> because I'm regulated because it's stupid not to.  I don't go out in bad
> weather, I come in if the weather is worsening, I keep my boat well
serviced
> and have a spare everything.
>
> This is like the fire arms thing, one nut case goes into a college and
kills
> a bunch of women, yes indeed an awfull thing but now I'm regulated to
death.
> Somebody invents the Personnel Water Craft places the village idot at the
> controls and once again I get regulated.
>
> End Rant
>
> Bret
>
>
> "AK" <adam.kennedy@rogers.com> wrote in message
> news:3c8baaee.1612988919@66.185.95.104...
> > I understand what you are saying - but why would a seasoned mariner
> > take a full day course when he could likely teach it?
> >
> > I challenged the test at the boat show and passed. Did the same thing
> > for the Firearms Aquisition Certificate a few years back.
> >
> > Sure -  a lot of it is common sense -  then again a lot of accidents
> > could be avoided if people excercised that.
> >
> > AK.
> >
> > On Fri, 08 Mar 2002 23:03:06 GMT, "Stinky_Cat" <me@here.com> wrote:
> >
> > >X-No-archive: Yes
> > >
> > >
> > >What's the deal with the CCG's Boat Operator Card?
> > >They to claim to want to improve water safety by forcing people to take
a
> > >course and then pass a written exam.
> > >
> > >I was at the boat show two weeks back and there was an outfit there
that
> was
> > >promoting themselves by telling people to try the exam and if you did
not
> > >pass, you did not pay. It was $40.00 if you passed.
> > >
> > >I'm sure you can see what's going on here.
> > >
> > >I saw young children, and others, passing this test and I know for a
fact
> > >they did not pass.
> > >
> > >Of course they are going to pass everyone... at $40.00 a head, how can
> they
> > >not... this is easy money. What a racket!
> > >It does not seem to be regulated at all.
> > >
> > >By the way.. I passed. :)
> > >
> > >SC/*
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>