Should life jackets be mandatory?

[Bottom Bouncer 22]

Well I might as well jump in. Do I agree with wearing a life jacket... Absolutely. Do I agree with wearing a helmut on a snowmachine... Absolutely. Do I agree with wearing a seat belt... Absolutely. Do I agree with wearing a helmut on a Quadrunner... Absolutely. Do I agree with wearing a life jacket from the minute I step in the boat until I hit dry land? NO. Do I agree with having to wear a helmut on my snowmachine when I'm traveling 5 mph to my buddies ice shack 100 yards away or traveling to a Island 75 yards away from my ice shack? NO. Do I agree with wearing a seat belt when I'm traveling at low speeds in the bush hunting or fishing? NO. Do I agree with wearing a helmut on a Quad when putting along sightseeing or camp hopping at low speeds? NO. If a law was passed to wear a PFD at all times. I would just like to say in closing.... Pulling my boat to the lake with my truck $25,000, Sitting in my boat on the lake $15,000, 5 Dozen minnows $20.00, Sitting down in my boat to eat a sandwich and drink a pop without wearing a life jacket in 90 degree weather on a calm like glass day in 2 feet of water and getting busted by the O.P.P... PRICELESS.

[Guest fishermedic]

Well I might as well jump in. Do I agree with wearing a life jacket... Absolutely. Do I agree with wearing a helmut on a snowmachine... Absolutely. Do I agree with wearing a seat belt... Absolutely. Do I agree with wearing a helmut on a Quadrunner... Absolutely. Do I agree with wearing a life jacket from the minute I step in the boat until I hit dry land? NO. Do I agree with having to wear a helmut on my snowmachine when I'm traveling 5 mph to my buddies ice shack 100 yards away or traveling to a Island 75 yards away from my ice shack? NO. Do I agree with wearing a seat belt when I'm traveling at low speeds in the bush hunting or fishing? NO. Do I agree with wearing a helmut on a Quad when putting along sightseeing or camp hopping at low speeds? NO. If a law was passed to wear a PFD at all times. I would just like to say in closing.... Pulling my boat to the lake with my truck $25,000, Sitting in my boat on the lake $15,000, 5 Dozen minnows $20.00, Sitting down in my boat to eat a sandwich and drink a pop without wearing a life jacket in 90 degree weather on a calm like glass day in 2 feet of water and getting busted by the O.P.P... PRICELESS.

OK, I'll play devil's advocat.

You're on your snowmachine heading out to the ice shack 100 yds away. You're driving slow and without a helmut, you're going slow, you're relaxed, nothing 's going to happen. You have one hand on the throttle and one hand on the bucket of minnows. When the ski hits a lump of ice from an old hole that was covered in snow it catched you off guard and throws you from the machine. Your head hits the ice just the right way and causes a serious head injury (it doesn't take alot of force if it hits right/wrong).

You're out hunting a bush road, 5km/h, looking for birds. Around the bend in the road comes a logging truck at 70km/h, you stop before he hits you but at the speed he's moving your head goes through the windshield anyway because you're not buckled.

You're on the quad going to a neighbours camp, taking your time, nice and slow. The kids from the camp down the road comes whipping around the corner in his Dad's truck and hits you.

You're sitting in the boat in two feet of water having a pop. It's nice and calm but you're looking at a moose in the bush and your buddy moves suddenly to the same side of the boat as you. You loose your balance and go in hitting your head on the bottom. You don't have a jacket on so you stay down, unconscious. Your buddy is waiting for you to come back up lauging 'cause you went for a swim. By the time he realises somthing is wrong and finds you in the sediment you stirred up you've already inhaled alot of water.

So will the helmut, seatblet or life jacket save you in all of these cases? Maybe, maybe not, but if you knew that one of these stories would happen to you your next time out would you wear the helmut or the seatbelt or the life jacket? The problem is that you never know when it will happen until it's too late.

So what are my real thought's on the subject? I'm guilt of all of the above but I am trying to change my habits and I should probably try harder. As for the life jackets, my first thought was make them mandatory while up on plane, but I've never fallen out of a boat on plane. I've gone for a swim twice (without expecting it or doing it on purpose), once was in a canoe (it was the maiden voyage of a homebuilt craft) and the other is a better story.

We were fishing Lac. It was a beautiful morning, hot and sunny and the lake was glass calm. We sat on a hole jigging and the fishing was hot. We had double headers quite often. I put my rod on the bow of the boat (it was a closes bow) after releasing a fish and went to get a minnow. My buddy released a fish and went to the same sid eon the boat to get a minnow as well. The boat leans, my buddy moves back to the other side to level it out and my roc starts sliding to the same side he's on. Two steps and I'm there witha hand on the rod 6 inches before the handle is under water. Now both of us are on the same side of the boat again. I had the rod but now I'm slidinf across the bow of the boat. There was nothing I could do, without a sound I went in head first. I cam eup beside the boat, minus my Dad's sunglasses, and was able to grab the boat and hold myself above water. It was hilarious but only because I was fine. It could have turned out alot differently. It would have taken 15 or 20 kminutes to get to Pine Point to call for help. Another 30-40 minutes for the ambulance or helicopter to get there and 30 minutes by chopper or an hour and a hlaf by ambulace to the hospital in T Bay. If I had inhaled enough water to make breathing difficult two hours with limited oxygen could have cause some problems.

Anyhow, make life jacket mandatory, it'll make changing my habits easier, then I'll wear on all the time and it just may save my life.

My somewhat lengthy two cents.

[unbedable 16]

I can see this argument from both perspectives. As far as it goes for not wearing one, I didn't realize how tired you get in open water until I jumped out of my friends canoe and tried to swim beside it. Having been in lifeguarding, I knew I was going to be too tired to catch up, so I at least knew to sit there and tred water until he turned around; but that too tires you out. (Cold water, food....obvisously various factors influencing your stamina)

In opposition though, my uncle and his buddy fell out of the boat when they hit a rock. The only reason my uncle didn't get creamed by the boat or prop as it was circling around was because he didn't have his life jacket on, and was able to duck under. If he had his PFD on, he would have been torn to shreds.

But when sitting out at my lake, I might wear one when I open up my 9.9 but just bobbing on a lake I am familiar with, with a buddy, with a deep and wide, I do not feel it should be made mandatory to wear one.

It should be up to that person. Its a smart idea yes! But then again, should they enforce rules to wear sunscreen or wading belts all the time because it is a smart idea?

I know I don't wear one all of the time, but I still have not voted in favor of either way....

[Bottom Bouncer 22]

Fishermedic... with as many kids as you have where did you find the time for that post But Brian you are absolutely right there are hundreds of scenarios which would warrant safety equipment and believe it or not I am a believer in anything being possible. Like they say better safe than sorry.

JUST FOR FUN......Oh you also forgot the one obvious example, that being the one where your on the lake and a METEOR falls from the sky and hits the lake creating a tidal wave that you barely ride out only to get consumed by a giant PFD eating Northern Pike.

Brian take care and tight lines.

[Fisherman08 6]

Actually this is another point that burns me. OPP makes a big production about all the drownings in the Muskokas last month and use it as rational for their push to make PFDs mandatory. I believe most of those drowning were related to swimming, not boating.

As someone said, the vocal minority often dictate the rules for the rest of us. The cancellation of the spring bear hunt and the gun registry are two fine examples of poor government reglations based on a vocal minority. I would just as soon not encourage the government to come up with more regulations, soon I'll have to leave the house rolled in bubble wrap .

[Guest JEG67]

Medic, that sounds like a script for the next Final Destination movie. Seriously, the quad senerio did hit home. Friend at camp has his friend and family out for the weekend. His friend takes the quad down the driveway to get the paper, falls of the quad somehow, no helmet. My friend goes to see what's taking so long and finds his friend dead with a head injury. He then goes back to the camp and must tell both families what has happened. True story, very horrifying, and yes, a helmet would have most definately prevented this tragedy. I see it all the time, people on quads with no helmet. Insane......

JG

[Guest Patch]

In opposition though, my uncle and his buddy fell out of the boat when they hit a rock. The only reason my uncle didn't get creamed by the boat or prop as it was circling around was because he didn't have his life jacket on, and was able to duck under. If he had his PFD on, he would have been torn to shreds.

I'm not making light of this situation, but I'm guessing the tether strap, yet another safety device, was not being used as it was designed. These saftey devices work. We just gotta use them.

[Gone8to1248 158]

I always wonder how they pick the age that we are wise enough to do or not to do somethings in life. I read on here talk about it being under 18-19 years old to be mandatory to wear a PFD, why not 21 or even say 35 years old? I'm from Illinois as most of you know and our drinking laws are 21. For awhile they dropped it to 18 for beer and wine and then moved it back to 21 years old in order to drink! Now lets look at some other numbers and try to figure out the ryme and reason on how they come up with the age limit.

You can get a drivers license at---16

You could be drafted and sent to war at---18

You are now saying no PFD if over--19

You can't drink until--21

So I guess I can go out and wrap a car around a tree, fall out of a boat and drown,go to war and get shot,and do all of this and never get a chance to legally have a cold beer! I know this is way of point but then again a little humor never hurt! All I can say is Buckle up and drive safe,Put on that PDF and stay safe, Go to Canada and avoid the draft and stay safe, and for the beer.......well bottoms up and stay safe!!

Bernie

[Guest Nonus]

Well I was saying 18 cause that is when you are legally an "adult" therefore you should be able to do whatever the government says you can do.

[Guest Moosester488]

Don't worry, I am quite calm at all times-- like the ebb and flow of the tide...like the whisper of the breeze in the trees.....

I just take issue with any statement that equates drinking alcohol with being able to make a rational decision. As you know, alcohol is involved in large number of tragic events- on and off the water. And as one of our members stated in this same thread- he fell out of a boat three times due to the influence of alcohol.

(ps. who decided that 19 was the legal drinking age? Not the 18 year olds! Rather, the same folks who are going to mandate PFDs, cell phone laws etc)

On a side issue regarding laws specific to kids- bicycle helmets! It amazes me how adults will go for bike rides with their kids, make kids wear helmets but not put one on themselves. Are their craniums made of titanium? Some smart people I know do this same stupid thing. Perhaps they want to punish their kids by making the kids have to feed and bathe them and change their diapers after they've had a serious head injury.

That's my rant.

My zen has returned and my chi is now placid and calm.

Regarding subsidizing PFDs- the government isn't forcing you to go out on a boat. But if you are on a government boat (Coast Guard, OPP, Canadian Forces, etc) I bet they will have a PFD for you to wear. And if you fall out, it would be good to know how to swim!

Thats right the government isn't forcing people to get into a boat which is part of living in a free country! So is stating ones

opinion without getting jumped on by an obviously alcohol fuelled rant. And also there is a big difference between values

and bending over and taking it whenever the government tells you to. Nobody was asked about the laws enacted in your rant and stating that all laws are values proves who is really in the BUBBLE!

I agree that maybe there should be an age limit,maybe not 19, but when there is a law passed I guess it will be a "value" to some people.

[Guest adams]

Here's my take on it. If the government (provincial or federal or both) spent more time money and energy on cancer research and similair worthwhile causes a lot more lives would be saved. If I choose to get into a boat I assume the risks therein. No one chooses to take on a terminal illness or the like. A little bit more big picture thinking would help us all I think.

[gone fishin' 3]

No one chooses to take on a terminal illness or the like.

And yet people continue to smoke......... isn't that a choice on a terminal illness- lung cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, COPD, emphysema etc.

[Guest Kerry]

If you look at it as if it is your choice then please consider this.

When you go fishing and do not wear a PFD then maybe say goodbye to your parents, just in case and explain that if you drown, it is your choice and they should not be heartbroken over your demise. Perhaps say goodbye to your wife or husband, probably your children and hey what about your friends? Those people who love and depend on you will for sure, understand that it was your choice to drown and change their lives without thinking of your responsabilities to them, after all it is your life, what right would they have to hope you come back from your boating trip. Who do they think they are telling you to be careful?

I wear mine every time I step into my boat, or any other boat and for wading or drifting I have a certified inflatable vest, because other people depend on me, I'm not in this alone.

[gone fishin' 3]

Thats right the government isn't forcing people to get into a boat which is part of living in a free country! So is stating ones

opinion without getting jumped on by an obviously alcohol fuelled rant. And also there is a big difference between values

and bending over and taking it whenever the government tells you to. Nobody was asked about the laws enacted in your rant and stating that all laws are values proves who is really in the BUBBLE!

I agree that maybe there should be an age limit,maybe not 19, but when there is a law passed I guess it will be a "value" to some people.

Definition of VALUE (noun): .the social principles, goals, or standards held or accepted by an individual, class, society, etc.

Nothing there about taking it or giving it in the butt.

You state that "Nobody was asked about the laws enacted...." All laws have to go through the proper process. You don't just wake up one morning and find a new law enacted. The population is given opportunity to respond to proposed laws by going through their MP or MPP. Even the hated gun registry had to go through the proper steps. Everyone knew it was going to happen, everyone in NW Ontario fought it, but it passed. Why? Because the 2 million people in Toronto and the 2 million in the Vancouver area probably thought it was a good idea given the level of gun violence there. The 150,000 voices from our region were overshadowed. (I am by no means defending the registry). So, in the context of our society, and not the NW Ont bubble, Canadians felt that the gun registry was a good idea, a step towards the societal values of less gun violence. (I know, I know, the long gun registry is not related to the violence in these cities, but I suspect from their point of view a gun is a gun).

By the way, a point of grammatical correctness in your statement- "Alcohol fuelled rant" would imply that I was drunk at the time of writing my post. I would strongly deny those allegations. It should have been "a rant on alcohol" or something to that effect.

And I did not jump on anyone. I responded to a statement. Isn't that what this board and discussions are all about. And I apologize to the original person who posted that note about alcohol if I took it out of the context in which it was written.

YOUR post, however, is "jumping all over me".

[rceme74 20]

With more less experienced people on the water these days, and with little reguards for others saftey, life jackets should be manditory. I wear a floater jacket and my wife has a floater coat. We both wear them all the time. My grand kids also have their life vests on all the time. It is a little uncomfortable but so is drowning.