Lanier Rider Action

[>Fuse<]

Just a question to other GA residents; we pay taxes in Dekalb and Gainesville, who should we send letters to expressing our displeasure with the way our group has been treated?

AWA has action alerts or whatever for plenty of other lakes forcing complete bans on PWC, but I honestly don't view this as being much different. We've been told that our sport isn't welcome, despite the respect we've shown, so lets get a list of contacts going.

As a property owner on Lanier, I'm not too happy about the thought of being singled out simply because my ski lacks a seat while I watch bass boats fly through no-wake zones chugging Budwiser. We may not be able to have the ride here, and that may just have to be the way it is, but we've been mislead and mistreated, and I wouldn't expect the bigotry to encompass just this one event. Some of us spend every available weekend on these waters. I would have loved to see the kind of money this crowd brings in go to a charity on my local lake, instead I have to worry about whether or not I should even go near jetski and cocktail cove when I'm on my stand-up.
:bs2:

 

[jetskiking]

Here are some useful links. Cant do all the work forya:biggthumpup:

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/senate/index.htm
http://www.gov.state.ga.us/
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/house/index.htm
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#ga
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=GA

A nice letter stating your concern with the issues of not having a safe place to practice your sport or ride and your growing concerns with discrimination on pwc's will probably get you alot further than pointing fingers and being angry.

 

[Nascency Chris]

A nice letter stating your concern with the issues of not having a safe place to practice your sport or ride and your growing concerns with discrimination on pwc's will probably get you alot further than pointing fingers and being angry.

except for the fact that freestyle is technically illegal...most people will get that far into a conversation about it and once thats brought to light they will tune you out...

maybe we need to talk with people on how to make freestyle a legal activity on public lakes first?

 

[jetskiking]

Yes, there are alot of illigal activities that they issue special events permits. Thats why they have special events permits. My whole problem isn"t just about Lanier. There have been other instances like running bouys solo at allatoona. How are you breaking the law then?Yes the Lanier thing sucks but I have ridden Georgia Lakes for many years and this is becoming a trend.How about the freestyle evnts at Havasu how can they do it there?

 

[Rickster]

except for the fact that freestyle is technically illegal...

Technically, anything you do on a PWC other than going straight and doing gentle turns could be construed as 'Careless or negligent'.

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=36&PART=327&SECTION=3&YEAR=2000&TYPE=TEXT

No person shall operate any vessel or other watercraft in a

careless, negligent, or reckless manner so as to endanger any person,
property, or environmental feature.

And unfortunately for us, the person they refer to above also include the person commanding the vessel.:bs2:

IMO, it is best to educate the LEOs in our local riding areas of what freestyle actually entails, instead of trying to change the above regulation, which you would have to in order to make 'freestyle' legal. Not unlike Yamaslut has done in Daytona.

We are lumped with 360* freestyle couchers, whether we like it or not.:banghead:

 

[Nascency Chris]

Technically, anything you do on a PWC other than going straight and doing gentle turns could be construed as 'Careless or negligent'.

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=36&PART=327&SECTION=3&YEAR=2000&TYPE=TEXT

thank you rickster...

its like getting pulled over in your car...if you are a dick to the cop or they just don't like the way you look, they will find some way to at least give you a ticket if not take you to jail...

 

[jetskiking]

thank you rickster...

its like getting pulled over in your car...if you are a dick to the cop or they just don't like the way you look, they will find some way to at least give you a ticket if not take you to jail...

You guys are such fatalist. Wouldn't the fact that the laws are so vague be something to fight.

 

[RoyalFlush@PCB]

Wouldn't the fact that the laws are so vague be something to fight.

I don't know... :cool2:




Are you a lawyer? :biggrin:

I tend to agree with Rickster and Nascency Chris.

 

[Speedfreak]

You guys are such fatalist. Wouldn't the fact that the laws are so vague be something to fight.

I agree a well thought out planned nose stab isn't any of the things described. It isn't careless, negligent, or in a reckless manner. And it doesn't endanger any person, more than going under water while swimming. It is ok with the property, and environmental features.

Freestyle could be looked at like wakeboarding. That looks like it endangers the rider like freestyle does but neither is endangering.

 

[RoyalFlush@PCB]

I agree a well thought out planned nose stab isn't any of the things described.

What about a poorly thought out nosestab? :smile:

It's kind of like the "interpretation" of Building Codes---it's left to the discretion of the "governing authority" to determine whether a violation of the codes has occured.

 

[Speedfreak]

What about a poorly thought out nosestab? :smile:

It's kind of like the "interpretation" of Building Codes---it's left to the discretion of the "governing authority" to determine whether a violation of the codes has occured.

I know it is all in the eye of the beer holder....... but a poorly thought nose stab looks like a well thought one you disapear and then reapear.. to the untrained eye it looks good.. that is why the people at my lake think say I am so good... They have never seen good....LOL

 

[jetskiking]

I don't know... :cool2:




Are you a lawyer? :biggrin:

I tend to agree with Rickster and Nascency Chris.

No Im not a lawyer but I did stay at a Holiday in last night:biggrin: I can understand just wanting to fly below the radar screen but the sport is growing again and we are already starting to show blips. Not saying go out and be a jerk to the local DNR but taking a couple of minutes to shoot off a letter to the people that represent you cant hurt:biggthumpup: And believe it or not there are Lobbyist and lawyers that work for the Munufacturers and other organazations representing us in washington and it does help when the politicians get a little nudging from there constituants. Like I said I have rode jetski's on Lanier and other local lakes for many years and have noticed an anti jetski movement over the past couple of years in Ga. Things like what happened at The Lanier Meeting are what scare me. "We dont like you or your group" Whats to keep theses same people from getting Jetski's Banned completly from Lanier or other Ga. Lakes? Stuff like this should open your eyes and make you want to get politically active about your passions. Hasn't the AWA been telling us to do this for years anyway?:dunno:

 

[jetskiking]

What about a poorly thought out nosestab? :smile:

It's kind of like the "interpretation" of Building Codes---it's left to the discretion of the "governing authority" to determine whether a violation of the codes has occured.

Yes this is true but there is also a dispute process set up if you are asked to do anything unreasonable. Sometimes it is easier to just comply and please the inspector but what if that was going to put you way overbudget and jepordize your buisiness? And yes I am a contractor.

 

[RoyalFlush@PCB]

Yes this is true but there is also a dispute process set up if you are asked to do anything unreasonable. Sometimes it is easier to just comply and please the inspector but what if that was going to put you way overbudget and jepordize your buisiness? And yes I am a contractor.

Can you identify with absolute certainty what the BEST dispute process is in the case of the jetskiers against the government?!? It's a little more easy to identify the avenues you must pursue to attempt and resolve a code compliance issue in the contracting business, IMO.

What if NOT complying was going to jeopardiaze your business---regardless of the budget? Would you accept the loss to salvage the business? :dunno: What if NOT complying to the DNR, Marine Patrol, etc. was going to affect your sport in a negative light?

Do you run your ski with a fire extinquisher?

Got a whistle that is accessible?

Functioning Lanyard?

Registration and ID Card?

Stock Exhaust?

There are far too many issues that can be brought up (by 50 States) than can be solved by May of 2007. While I agree that we need to fight for our rights, I think that any "knee-jerk" reactions could potentially back-fire on our sport.

 

[jetskiking]

I would Hardly call writing a letter to your representatives a knee Jerk reaction. Now calling the D.N.R. and wanting Mike Williams head on a platter would be a knee jerk reaction. This isn't about the Lanier Ride. Its about the anti jetski sentament on OUR local lakes. I can understand that you Florida guys got it good but its not so cool here in Ga. And yes I can say for certain that this would be the proper way to settle a dispute with the government. Do you have the money to fight the U.S. Government? I dont. so you do what you can. Yes my boat does have an extinguisher ,a working lanyard, No whistle required here in Ga., Registered and legal. O.K. you might have me on the exhaust:frown:. Just like voting. If you dont vote then you have no right to bitch about your politicians. If you dont become active and try to do something to change Laws then you have no right to bitch about the laws.

 

[parrdaddy]

Functioning Lanyard?

:banghead: yep, I found out about this somewhat new law in TX last September :banghead: And the lesson only cost me $225......which I thought was a little gay!

 

[Rickster]

I would Hardly call writing a letter to your representatives a knee Jerk reaction.

The problem is that you are lobbying for something that is currently illegal, or could be viewed as illegal.

Its about the anti jetski sentament on OUR local lakes.

How could warning a bunch of people, getting together to commit what is being viewed as an illegal activity, be considered anti jetski?

I can understand that you Florida guys got it good but its not so cool here in Ga.

:bs2:
There are less and less places to ride here is So Fla, especially for standups. You cannot beach the ski's on most Atlantic Beaches, and the manatee/no wake zones kill freestyle. Freshwater is VERY limited also.

If you dont become active and try to do something to change Laws then you have no right to bitch about the laws.

Not killing your idea, but I think what Chris, Chick and I are saying is that you need a well thought out plan of attack to go against the man, not just a letter.

 

[RoyalFlush@PCB]

Thank you Rick---you summed it up very well. :arms:

 

[wayne]

I agree a well thought out planned nose stab isn't any of the things described. It isn't careless, negligent, or in a reckless manner. And it doesn't endanger any person, more than going under water while swimming. It is ok with the property, and environmental features.

Freestyle could be looked at like wakeboarding. That looks like it endangers the rider like freestyle does but neither is endangering.

i agree with speedfreak on this. people go to the lakes and do flips over each other behind the same boat on their wake boards and that is not considered dangerous? at least when people are freestyling on their ski they are not back flipping over another ski. if any thing happens you and the ski are the only ones at risk. if the wake boards screw up they could seriously hurt one another.

 

[michael950]

Driving at high rates of speed is illegal. Have a venue, or location, for said event and you are good.

This is the same concept. Try and figure out how we can operate our event WITH authorities and still have the public and others in mind and out of harms way.