Virginia noise and speed limits
 

I have been appointed to a committee to come up with a safety plan for boat races, jet ski races and regattas on Lake Anna in Virginia. We are looking for others who know of any established racing safety programs. They are trying to establish speed and noise limits on our lake. We are trying to fight this by proposing a safety plan for these events. Actually they are trying to get a Virginia statewide laws established for speed limits and noise restrictions. Anybody willing to lend a hand or just a voice in fighting this please contact me. If we all lay back and don't ban together they will be successful. We need to all speak up and be heard in Richmond.

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

Let me know if I can help out Dave.
Matt :mad:

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

Everybody in the state needs to help out!!! We dont need this to get off the ground.:eek:

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

What are all of the details? A specific group of doo gooders or is someone wanting state legislation? Is it in the newpapers yet? How did your committee come about? We need more info....

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

Well as for the newspapers I went to a meeting of the Lake Anna Advisory Committee and they seemed receptive and appointed myself and two other fast boaters to the committee for a safety plan and we got about a three page spread in The Central Virginian newspaper and another three pages in the Lake Anna Observer newspaper. There are alot of people (mostly older they look like they should be in wheel chairs) against us and want noise and speed laws.The problem is they have nothing better to do with their time but to get these laws passed. We need to get our voices heard. In talking with DGIF there are real problems with enforcement, but as we know they have passed laws in other states and all they have to do to solve the enforcement issues is to talk to these other states. I have heard from alot of people who I pissed off in going against any legislation to be introduced I have been pulled out of the running for the most popular person in our neighborhood of elderly folks. The Lake Anna Civic Association is one of the biggest problems they are joining forces with the Smith Moutain Lake Civic Association . We are going to organize a membership drive and get people to come to their meetings and be heard. So far I have two other people who showed up at their second meeting but we were shut down after just three minutes but the more of us who show up the louder our voices

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

First I have to ask about the safety plan? Did something happen? As far as noise, this is good for the papers, what about motorcycles, garbage trucks, planes flying overhead OTR trucks. They are legal in the US. I would also, even though we know not all exhaust is stock, make reference about the manufactures of boats. There again, a performance boat is legal in the US they are not breaking any federal laws so why should the state be involved. Also, ask any of the blue hairs if they have ever broken a bone/hip. If yes, which I'm sure there will be alot, should we outlaw sidewalks, steps or walking? Also, get a good newspaper editor on your side. I would also watch out for the safety plan, it almost sounds like bait. Again, are they trying to use an incident or accident that happened to push the safety issue? Get in touch with your local Marina owners and maybe also look up some of your realtors. They are not selling 1M+ homes to bluehairs. I looked up the Smith civic and found some articles. If you will google them it may give you some allies that have gone against them or that believe in growth and boating rights.

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

I would also watch out for the safety plan, it almost sounds like bait. Again, are they trying to use an incident or accident that happened to push the safety issue?[/QUOTE]

I agree. A safety plan implies there is a safety problem, an admission of guilt that probably doesn't exist. Make them prove there is a safety problem that is beyond the normal safety issues of boating. Same thing with the noise issue.

Be on the alert for distorted facts, and statistics. These type of people lie through their teeth.

Get "experts" such as the coast guard to testify that there are no safety issues beyond the norm.

Oftentimes, law enforcement is your friend in these cases, because they don't want to enforce "stupid" laws.

Michael

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

go to our website www.smlpba.com
you will find all the statewide facts there,
we worked with DGIF last year and the lake task force to shed some light on the "REAL PROBLEMS" on the lake and state wide. :D:

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

Tell them to turn their hearing aids down so they can't hear the so called loud noises.They do it at night so they can sleep.

Re: Virginia noise and speed limits
 

We agree about a "Safety Plan" and you bring a good point about by a safety plan we might be admitting about a safety problem. We are bigger believers that boater education and boaters not paying attention to their surroundings are the biggest problem. I wish I somehow could post the newspaper articles the papers were very favorable to us at least the way I read the articles. A couples of weeks ago I went to the SMLPBA site after talking to Rich and Brian but couldn't find the threads or stats on the site, but i will look again. In my opinion we all just need to speak up and be heard as a group "One for and all for one" . If we all sit back they will sneak this in and get it passed