Just as every member has the right to post their thoughts on these threads, the families have every right to read the threads. Since this is a reality, we should all exercise restraint.

So, you are privy to the families' financial situations? I certainly am not. The only voluntary donations being collected at this point are for the Bradley Smith Children's trust fund. The boat in the accident was Jeff's, not Brad's. Brad was a self-employed engine builder.

As I stated it was an assumption. but again I would bet ANYONE playing, driving, riding on that calaber boat, that was at the poker run, can afford certain things. basic facts ---- the poor people in this world are not the ones are power boat poker runs.

[QUOTE=mittens;3993366

the Stickers and donations? I agree its pretty tasteless. These are not a poor people, donate to a cause or something in there name? maybe but assumptions are made when you play with 1/2million dollar boats that you can afford a memorial serves.
.[/QUOTE]

Your are the one that is tasteless. The stickers are being asked for as a Show of respect by friends of Brad and Jeff.
Brads wife asked that friends who are attending the funeral were the shirts, she NEVER asked anyone to buy them. Most already have them and those that don't, want to buy them, again as a show of repect for one the best engine builder to ever turn a wrench.
While Brad was a good friend, I would never guess about his Financial status as you have. But he was the engine builder and throttleman in this situation and not the boat owner.
And don't tell me where I should donate my money like some Obama nut hugger. Brad was a friend and a Great guy who left a widow and three kids doing what we love. I can't think of a better place to make a donation. And we are doing it out of RESPECT.
So why don't you stop making ASSUMPTIONS, about people you don't know.

Michael

You, sir, are a complete idiot. You obviously have never owned your own business and further have NO grasp on what it actually takes to succeed in this world financially!
I'm sure you take your paycheck and go home, never giving ONE thought about what it cost to pay utilities, taxes, insurance, payroll, supplies, depreciation, etc. Engine builders are not rock stars that have people throwing money at them for no reason, they work for a living turning wrenches!
Take your petty jealousy elsewhere and quit posting idiotic statements about someone's financial situation that you know nothing about!

If anyone made a bunch of stupid stickers and tshirts when I bite the big one, ill be pissed. Not that it matters at that point.

I have many good friends that ride with me that can't afford fuel for our boat. Yet they boat with us all the time That's not a good assumption.

Those were pretty tasteless comments (and assumptions) about any family, much less one in mourning. I think you should delete that post, and think about why it's way out of hand.

Given the videos and videos of the past, discussing equipment changes and modifications is mental masturbation designed to convince people that they don't have to change their own behavior. The fact that some videos in question were so overboard reckless, probably prompted those drivers to whine and complain, LOUDLY. But those videos were seen, and have been seen across the country.

There were no equipment problems, just outrageously dangerous behavior. While OSO can and will be lobbied by those that have an "in", Far more people know how they roll now than just a week ago. They know that inattention to this behavior will curtail their boating activities at some point in the future. Many that have families saw those actions for what they are, life-threatening.

There's nothing complicated about safety in these runs. There are several examples now of well-run organizations that know how to weed out the problems. Ironically, most of the discussion was generated from videos that had nothing to do with that accident. But it was that attention that got the most reaction, probably from those on camera.

Concentrate on those problem videos, and you'll not need to worry about advanced engineering problems, only bad behavior.

That would cover me, blessed to have great friends that take me out on boats worth more than everything I will ever own..

To anyone wondering about the last thread "Lake Cumberland and the Blame Game". I am the originator of that thread and I requested that it be locked. While I agree with MITTENS that we should be able to talk about what happened, my thread was started to ignite discussion about how to solve the common thread of the past 5 fatalities; the blow-over. What happened was a lot of people being disrespectful, uninformed and downright rude and sometimes mean-spirited posting nonsense that had nothing to do with the topic of the thread.

Does anyone really need to point out what happens when you assume. . .

Not U or ME.

I do apologize for my assumptions. My bad, and I stand corrected.

I have broke freinds that ride on my boat all the time as well. But they are not the friends going to out od state poker runs and throttling my boat either. But again My apology for the assumption.

I do apologize for my assumptions. My bad, and I stand corrected.

I have broke friends that ride on my boat all the time as well. But they are not the friends going to out of state poker runs and throttling my boat either. But again My apology for the assumptions it was not a judment on the family in question, just a basic statement.

more then likely the poor people in this world are not traveling to power boat poke rruns..... and its a true statement.. MAYBE some one brings a friend along, but in general, the boating community especial on this sight/ kind of boats we all have is not for the family living off McDonald salary. and food stamps.

I did as well. I posted both the PM to me and my reply in a couple of the other threads.. It was removed in one of the threads, but I believe it is still up in the other.... It infuriated me even farther than I had been after watching one of the fly by videos..

I know when I was running my boat at poker runs I was spending everything I had to get my boat ready and be there. There are a bunch of guys that have so much passion for the sport that they give everything they have to be involved. I was broke because I was doing poker runs, LOL if I stayed home I would be rich. LOL

MP

Was that post necessary? I can understand people wanting to discuss the issues at hand, but to criticize the manner in which many people grieve and show respect? Some thoughts are best kept to oneself.

Fellow OSO'ers,
I have made a point to read every word on every thread open, closed, locked, and reopened, since and about this most recent terrible accident.

The following conclusions can be drawn:
1) Any deceased or injured and their families must, and should, be respected.
2) To maintain productive discussion we must and should respect each other even when directly critical.
3) News and video travels fast and "goes viral" in this day and age and if high quality indeed elite boating events are to survive basic issues of participant and spectator safety must be solved.
4) We should apply lessons from land motorsport experience to our beloved water motorsport before some lawmaker makes a name for himself altering the boating climate forever.
5) Scaling the discussion up the emotional ladder and insulting comments cause thread closure and/or censure regardless of whether the rest of us think its right or wrong.

Thanks, Andy

Bang yall, this is better than that Jerry Springer show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:nhl_fight::bong::popcorn:

Yeah what he said!

That is 100% false. We've had countless people on our boats that would never be able to afford them. Just because someone is the friend of someone with an expensive boat does not mean they can afford the same lifestyle.

Hey Kittens(and not just you), Its your expert and probably first hand knowledge, ASSUMPTIONS, and your need to say i told you so about this accident that ends up getting threads band or closed. The comments about the families financial status is pretty fugged up also. Everyone wants to know what happened and who to blame but these two men have not even been laid to rest. You will all know in due time what happened because as more videos pop up, people posting their expert opinions and assumptions not only here but on 25 other websites, the greedy attorneys and federales will say we are out to take over the world and we must be stopped. Sit down and drink a beer away from your computer. This will still be a topic a month from now.

Do you guys not read the whole thread? I apologized and retracted.

But AT NO POINT did I say that they had money because of a friend had a nice boat. It was a general statement, The poor people of this country are NOT the ones at powerboat poker runs...... It was out of place and taken wrong, and I am sorry but its true, there is not any wika family's, and ****ing homeless people going to this event. Some maybe well off?, yes, but 90% of the boats there are NOT rich, a select few probably so. Does nto matter to me. the point was IF and WHEN you have the time, to do these kinds of receration things, you are not considered POOR. in my book.

the POOR person is the one trying to figure out how to pay for a treatment for his cancer kid with a minimum wage job. Driving a 1970 car that nothing works on but will get his kid the to doctor. He is not even thinking about a damn poker run, and or fathum the amunt of money it takes to operate one. Sorry for stepping on your internet toes, read the whole thread.

Again I have apologized for the assumptions, and explained the statement was a general not meant to be taken about the family in question.

And what knowledge? I claim to have none about how or why the boat flipped. Never been in a Cat doing over 100. I have been boating for 20 years on all types and I know that The videos show some BAD judgment for sure. but that was not when the incident happens and we all do stupid things. My reason for this thread was because of the censorship a internet forum was implacing on the posters.

Some of you have wasted alot of oxygen & brain cells ranting way off topic. :hijack:

I too have been guilty of this (at work).
A subordinate of mine made the following suggestion to me once & it has stuck ever since. Many of you could benefit from this very same advice.

"Be a Part of the Solution NOT a Part of the Problem"

Many years ago, the Bilge was filled with political threads and causing headaches for uninterested members. Further, some of the members got very heated and subsequently banned. OSO created the Politics forum so knuckleheads like me could jump in the Mosh-Pit of Ignorance without harming others.

Incidents like last week's accident, and yes, it was an accident, drum up plenty of emotions. And Lord knows, we have emotional and opinionated people in this forum.

While it would be tasteless to create a forum focused on accidents, it is probably a good idea that current and future threads focused on the safety of PRs should be held in the Boating Safety Forum. Anyone who knows how to use the What's New and New Posts buttons can join the discussion.

Just my 2 cents.


And to the families, I am so sorry for your loss. We OSO'ers are knuckleheads and, given the disconnected of mashing keyboards and staring at screens, we'll say things that we would never say in people's faces. On behalf of everyone here, please forgive us and understand no disrespect was intended.

Everyone else. . . back to work.

Agree, I am so sorry for your loss and never ment any disrespect to your family, I was speaking generally and throuhg a keyboard.

Does Mr. Hendrick know you call him a subordinate? :party-smiley-004:

Real nice, you trying to get me fired!!??

I thought JG missin' the Chase would finish you off for sure.

It's all part of a master plan, one that has yet to completely unfold.
STAY TUNED...........

I was thinking the same:evilb:

Save your breath! Not even worth responding to such a moronic post!

WOW, just heard. congratulations :drink: