The point is they are cheap, fast and can turn around and be headed in the opposite direction at a high rate of speed in a matter of seconds. Most people have no training on how to ride them whatsoever. I've had 2 close calls with PWCs.

One was a father and 3-4 year old daughter looking over their right shoulder(for what I don't know?) as they slowly angled in front of me. I would guess that they looked over their shoulder, and not where they were going, for 4-5 seconds at about 35-40 mph! I saw them coming from a distance and slowed down(I was cruising at 30mph or so), they still kept coming so I slowed some more, still kept coming so I got off plane to idle speed, they finally looked over and saw me, waved and took off in the other direction.

The other was a total idiot that decided he wanted to race me as I was getting on plane(at the time I had no idea he was trying to race). I started opening the boat up and I had an eye on him because he was close to me. He was ahead of me and kept looking over his shoulder at me. Okay, he's aware I am here, I'm going to veer off to the left away from him and open my boat up. I start doing this and he starts veering with me thinking I want to race! He is looking over his shoulder at me heading for a boat that is sitting anchored. I notice this and slow down and get off plane. He figures I don't want to race so he decides to quit looking at me and watch where he is going. Almost hits the anchored boat, cranks it to the left and cuts right in front of me. If I wouldn't have noticed where HE was going it may have been ugly. Followed him to shore and had a few words.

Sorry I know this was long winded but these two incidents both could have been ugly if I wasn't watching where THEY were going. This is two CLOSE calls I had. I could go on all day about the not so close moron moves I've seen them pull. But, they are out there and I deal with it.

No, not every PWC rider is an idiot. But the majority of them are!

Since were on the subject of lake lice, This weekend a friend of mine just 3 boats behind me was driving about 35 in a wide river when a jet ski came flying by on the right and a cuts in front of him, he turned hard but the ski ran right into the side of him. It hit so hard it killed the motor, knocked him on the floor and gave him a black eye. Another Ski ran up next to the guy laying in the water, picked him up and took off.
Then another bike shows up with 2 people and one gets on the crashed bike and tells me friend the the best thing he can do is get the He&+ out of here. So we waited for the cops to show up. Then we find out that the driver of the water lice is a cop and was drunk. He broke his leg and was busted up. The good news is the boat wasn't hurt.
I my friend would have been drinking he may not have cut the wheel so fast and that would have been one more death.

Racer, I am sorry this happpened to your friend. Am glad to hear he is OK.
I would still have the boat checked out.

As for the PWC, guess my comment on the maturity level and what some people have of don't have was not to far off base Not to mention the reduction caused from drinking

This whole thread is really quite simple to understand.

Are all PWC operators idiots? No. Of course not.

BUT the VAST MAJORITY of boneheaded, not paying attention moronic moves are by PWC operators. They don't pay attention, PERIOD. I see it every single time I go out on a boat. EVERY SINGLE TIME. What amazes me most is that there is not at least one death every single weekend.

I don't mean in any manner to disrespect the responsible PWC operators on this Forum. But you guys are in the extremely vast minority. And that is a fact.

unbelieveable!

O.K you guys win I'm selling my PWC and buying a canoe but if I read a all caners are crazy thread " he kept swerving in front of me I couldn't miss him" it may be time to change your spark plugs

hmm,,, you got a few ski's?
anyway i cant freakin stand 90% of the dopes on jet skies.. they are pretty darn stupid.. we have had our fare share of bad experiences, they worry the chit out of me

Like we said not all of them are idiots just most of them! Be happy you're the minority.

I drove a PWC for 4 years and had a blast on it. And I got "crazy" on it all the time, but it was ALWAYS away from other watercraft.

Like I said, I've seen some responsibe PWC drivers out there, and I like to think I was one of them. But there sure are a lot of people that don't pay attention on them.

Another good point that was brought up is a lot of the PWCs are "loaned out" for the quick ride. Do you guys toss your keys to your boat to just anyone?

Most of the people I see riding can't be more than 12 or 13 years old. I can't imagine how a parent would let a child get on one of those things. The best part was all his buddies on shore wanting to kick our AS*(&)& because we wouldn't leave before the water patrol go there.
If it makes anyone feel better most of the ski boats are just as bad, especially the ones pulling tubes.

heard on the radio this morning that in slidell la 1 was killed yesterday on a pwc , cut in front of a boat and they got run over , i'll post a link as one is avaliable really sad.