Nanny state gone mad........

Colpy

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 5, 2005
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Saint John, N.B.
Swim without a life jacket while you still can!!!!!

And everyone was in agreement: No one would be forcing us to wear life jackets when going for a swim. Ever. What a ridiculous idea.
Bad news, ladies and gents. This week, the legislative council in King County, Wash. — which includes Seattle — voted five-to-four to require that life jackets be worn by anyone and everyone “on or in a major river.”
So there you have it. It can happen. It has happened. Failure to don an approved personal flotation device while “swimming or wading more than five feet from shore, or in water more than four feet in depth,” can get you an $86 fine.
“We are improving the health for everyone because of these laws that we pass,” said the most benevolent councilwoman Julia Patterson.

Chris Selley: Swim without a life jacket while you still can | Full Comment | National Post
 

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
6,770
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Can't see who you're hurting not wearing a life jacket. What if you simply want to go for a swim?
 

earth_as_one

Time Out
Jan 5, 2006
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That's crazy. Is this going to apply to pools one day? How about the Olympics?

I suppose the thinking is that if you are in trouble on a major river, your rescuers will be risking their lives to save you. So its not about risking your life, but theirs. I still think its crazy.
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
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That's crazy. Is this going to apply to pools one day? How about the Olympics?

Probably not, the rule is in effect until October 1 of this year. They passed the ordinance because of an abnormally large snowpack this year. If people want to get around using a life jacket, bring a fishing rod and an angling license, fishers are exempted from the rule :lol:
 

EagleSmack

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 16, 2005
44,168
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USA
Ridiculous laws. There are some beaches around here that have a no life jacket rule... but if you're on a boat you better have enough for each person on it.

In other words... it is ok to drown in the surf.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
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Nakusp, BC
Sharks will love this rule. All these bozos floundering around trying to swim with jackets on. A smorgasbord of human flesh.

Feeding frenzy on the west coast! Yippy! Chalk one up for the sharks!
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
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Vancouver Island
Nanaimo council is trying to pas a law banning smoking tobacco in all public places, complete with fines for having a cigarette in the park. Funny thing is there is already a law against smoking crack on the street or any where else and they can't even figure out how to enforce that one.
 

cranky

Time Out
Apr 17, 2011
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I suppose the road that leads away from freedom is paved with good intentions and a 'government knows best' attitude.
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
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Vancouver Island
I suppose the road that leads away from freedom is paved with good intentions and a 'government knows best' attitude.

I think it is more like worthless bureaucrats trying to justify the enormous pay and perks they get. Sometimes it would be cheaper to just give them a cheque to stay home and do nothing.
 

EagleSmack

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 16, 2005
44,168
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I think it is more like worthless bureaucrats trying to justify the enormous pay and perks they get. Sometimes it would be cheaper to just give them a cheque to stay home and do nothing.

Yes, and the sense of doing something for the public good. I tell you, here in this state all they do is pass laws of restriction, increase fees, and taxes.

Oh... and give themselves pay raises and hire each others relatives.
 

Praxius

Mass'Debater
Dec 18, 2007
10,609
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Halifax, NS & Melbourne, VIC

Oh really?!

I'd like to seem them try to enforce this on me..... I'll go out and swim as I damn well please and what the hell are they going to do about it?

Nothing.

Why?

Because if they see me out there swimming without a life jacket, they can come out and try and get me.... all I'll have to do is dive. They'd have to break their own law by taking off their life jackets to come and get me.

So long suckers! :lol:

Bunch of idiots.

I suppose soon we can expect to have seat belts on our fk'n computer chairs?

Maybe we'll soon have to eat our food through straws so we don't risk stabbing our tongues with our forks?

Soon, by law, we'll have to perform several stretching exercises before we fart too.

I'm not a violent person, but I'm starting to get this strange urge to punch someone.

NO WAIT!

Soon I'll have to pad my fist with a diaper so I don't injure myself.

Nanaimo council is trying to pas a law banning smoking tobacco in all public places, complete with fines for having a cigarette in the park. Funny thing is there is already a law against smoking crack on the street or any where else and they can't even figure out how to enforce that one.

They did this already in NS a couple of years back.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
14,591
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Toronto, ON
No life jacket laws out that way? I'm not getting in a boat without any. No ****ing way.

Lifejackets are a reasonable requirement for boats. Just not swimming.

Sharks will love this rule. All these bozos floundering around trying to swim with jackets on. A smorgasbord of human flesh.

Feeding frenzy on the west coast! Yippy! Chalk one up for the sharks!

Who do you think sponsored the bill?


No. Good luck catching me going down. Quite frankly most of the serious ski injuries are tree related and helmets don't help there.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
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Nakusp, BC
If you think that is stupid, in BC in the 80s the right wing socred party tried to pass a law making seat belts mandatory on motorcycles. Politicians are just trying to justify their undeserved pay cheques.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
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Toronto, ON
If you think that is stupid, in BC in the 80s the right wing socred party tried to pass a law making seat belts mandatory on motorcycles. Politicians are just trying to justify their undeserved pay cheques.

Do they actually make seatbelts for motorcycles? How about bicycles? It strikes me that in a crash being free of your bike is usually a good thing.