Will we all have dry boats if the MCA get their way?

rickp

rickp

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 Nov 2002
Messages
5,913
Location
New Zealand
Visit site
So Fred Caygill of the MCA was on the BBC South news at lunchtime proposing that the current drink-boating rules (mainly harbour bylaws) are not strong enough and that they need laws to prevent drink-boating for all bits of water, even far offshore. Then he went on to say "the best way around it is not to have any on the boat".

All to do with their "Don't drink and drown" campaign. Apparently (I quote the reporter) "1 in 7 drownings between 1989 and 2004 were in someway affected by alcohol". I wonder why those particlar years and again, no breakdown of how many of these 1-in-7 involved boats.

Their agenda is pretty obvious...

Edit - I should add I wouldn't take charge of a boat whilst over the legal driving limit - I do deplore the constant need to medle and fix problems that don't seem to exist.

Rick
 
[ QUOTE ]
HM Coastguard are today launching their 2006 Dont Drink and Drown safety campaign - calling time on the public who have had too much to drink, and put themselves in danger along the UKs cliffs, coastlines and beaches.



[/ QUOTE ]

[--word removed--] all to do with boats then.............. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Indeed, but from the way it was being reported, you'd be hard pushed to realise that. Due to incompetance, I didn't manage to record that segment - will have to see if its repeated this evening.

Rick
 
I find this all so depressing as it's yet again an example of power crazed public servants trying to build their own little empires. The obvious riposte is that 1 in 7 does'nt sound like an awful big number to me especially given that I'll bet alcohol was'nt the primary cause of all of these accidents. What about the remaining 6 of 7? What are they going to do about these?
Sadly, I think its only a matter of time before there'll be a new plague of peak capped little Hitlers in flash new RIBs patrolling our coasts and marinas with alco meters. It just so pisses me off
 
The ROSPA site has a breakdown - interesting reading. 87 out of 427 drownings were "coastal" - the rest are rivers, reservoirs, home baths (42!), etc. I guess you could include the 18 in "Docks and Harbours".

73 are down as "alcohol" in the "By Activity" section, though more people drowned just by falling in without the benefit of a restorative beforehand...

Rick
 
indeed - clearly more deaths could be avoided if everyone went boating instead of staying at home drinking.............

if there is any case to present here it would have to be a total ban on the consumption of alchol within say 1 mile of a river, lake or the sea. Obviously including resteraunts, pubs, clubs and bars.

This may not be a popular move but the statistics are pretty clear.
 
Excellent point. If you are going to drown, it would be better if you were blind drunk before you did it so praps MCA should be encouraging us to get wasted before we go near any water
Interesting statistics though. It seems that only 22 out of 427 drowning deaths took place whilst boating and using their 1 in 7 figure for involvement of alcohol that means only 3 people drowned whilst boating and under the influence of alcohol and of those 3, I bet 1 or 2 would have drowned anyway whether having drunk alcohol or not so that leaves a huge massive problem of 1-2 people a year drowning due to the effects of alcohol whilst boating. And the MCA want drink-drive laws for boating on this basis? Dont they analyse their own statistics? Wankers. Lets hope the RYA manages to shoot them down
 
Re: Means to an end

Lets assume for a moment that this thing goes ahead and it beomes illegal to drive your boat when drunk.

They will need 2 things

A means of stopping people and testing and bringing prosecution - That will mean several hundred staff.

They will then need some sort of penalty. OK fines that you pay but the cry would go up for disqualification - like cars. The logic is inevitable.

And just as inevitable is the fact that you can only disqualify someone who is qualified in the first place.

And that is the glittering prize these jokers want.

That is several thousand staff to manage and control a licensing and testing and qualifying and recording system.

And with the thousands of staff go the big salaries and pensions, the executive cars and all the trappings.

Just another job creation scheme all thanks to the liar Blair's stated intention to get rid of 100,000 Civil Service posts.

Never underestimate the ingenuity of the Civil Service when it comes to creating work for itself.
 
Re: Means to an end

Enough already, this post has depressed me quite sufficiently without this nightmare scenario /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: Means to an end

"1 in 7 drownings between 1989 and 2004 were in someway affected by alcohol".
In all cases they were probably affected by water.
 
I say ban alcohol.....millions die from alcohol related problems! Would be much better for the stats than the 3 boaters who died. You will never catch me with a glass of wine in my hand-I drink straight from the bottle! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Always glad to contribute a sensible suggestion to the forum!
 
If more sober people drown than drunk people, it would follow that you have less chance of drowing if you are drunk.

But, to be serious for a moment, it has been discussed before that if you are at anchor, on a mooring or docked for the night and have enjoyed your nightcap following a half bottle of plonk with you FB pie, you have a dilemma if you find that you have to move your boat due to tide, wind or dragging anchor.

As it is illegal to be in a car with your keys when drunk, I sincerely hope they don't do the same for boats.

Here's a good one, a couple of years ago there was a traffic cops show on TV where a lorry driver had parked up in a rest area (Not on the road) and then got himself drunk whilst wearing women's tights and high heel shoes ( You mau recall the episode). He got done for being for drunk in charge. Does the the same apply to an RV parked in a layby for the night? I ask because if they try this with boats, we are all knackered. Mind you, I am sure the mild cross dressing was not a crime, it just showed a lack of style.
 
Well, you can see their point!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Boatyard-0.jpg


/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
My flybridge frige is always full - even now.
Help yourselves if you are passing.
Cant always promise that its chilled though.

Seriously though - this is about leisure.
Drink in moderation and enjoy life - its too short.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top