Auckland Council + Life Jackets

[rambaldi]

http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/A ... aveyoursay

The council are looking at the regulations surrounding life jackets on recreational boats in the Auckland region. As a group of people that often make use of boats to get out diving, it might be worth having a read and leaving some comments via the survey.

[ChuckyBob]

In my opinion everyone is a small boat (<6m) should wear life jackets ( or wetsuit/drysuit).

Its not good enough having one in the boat because when the ship hits the fan everything happens fast and life jackets get forgotten.
Not to mention the amount of people out there that cant even put a life jacket on when calm let alone in a sinking boat.

[binklebonk]

In my opinion everyone is a small boat....

And some have round bottoms, and some are flat...

[Phantom Menace]

Done.

Don't forget to put in comments about the exceptions to life jacket requirements - e.g. when in a wetsuit going diving.

I also added a comment about when we stop, as a family, on a day out and take life jackets off to go for a swim, dry off etc.

[divepirate]

Who's going to police it.

There are boaties that drive fast past diver below flags, and jet-skiers speeding around the beach where kids are swimming..

The police are short on manpower as it is..
The mere thought of this makes me worry about how they intend to police new marine by laws.

Is it going to be another waste of taxpayers money putting In enforceable rules..

[ChuckyBob]

While I agree enforcement will be an issue. Thats not really the point.

If its a law there will be more people who take notice and act.

People like Honorary Fisheries Officers and Coast Guard will be asking them to explain why they have not got PFD's on when they see them out on the water. Sure they cant fine them nor would they want to. But they would say something and that would have an affect.

I personally have been involved in 4 body retrievals plus a few more search's where the body was not recovered. None had a PFD on. Most had a PFD on the boat.

I would liken the current laws to not having to wear a seat belt unless you are going to be in an accident.

[divepirate]

Good point,
I would liken it to firearms users though.

Those that follow the rules, lock up their guns and do everything to maintain them safely are not the issue.
The issue is those that don't follow the rules, will never follow the rules and don't care either way.

Those are the people that are most likely to be statistics.
Is any level of regulation going to make a difference?
At a local beach this sort of behaviour goes on, even though there are signs everywhere, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10735542
(the behaviour that is not the deaths).

so, whilst I agree Chuckybob, unless there is some level of enforcement, how can you stop those involved from doing stupid things. And how do you convince the police it is in the public interest to monitor and enforce the 'sea' laws, when they don't seem to have enough staff giving out 'tickets' on the roads.

[ChuckyBob]

You are right you can never stop people doing stupid things. But you can educate them (or at least try) and this is what its about.

[binklebonk]

so, whilst I agree Chuckybob, unless there is some level of enforcement, how can you stop those involved from doing stupid things. And how do you convince the police it is in the public interest to monitor and enforce the 'sea' laws, when they don't seem to have enough staff giving out 'tickets' on the roads.

Punishment is only one of the options available when looking to change behavior. Changing the culture that is provoking the aversion to wearing PFDs is probably more effective than trying to police it.