Originally Posted by LaughingCat (Post 3993440)

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

Originally Posted by Catastrophe (Post 3993361)

Seems a lot of people got PMs from someone on one side of this conversation.

Originally Posted by mittens (Post 3993468)

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.

Originally Posted by korvetkeith (Post 3993406)

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.

Originally Posted by VtSteve (Post 3993413)

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.

Originally Posted by On Time (Post 3993500)

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