Reply With QuoteWhat impact would out of state people have on this?
I personally spoke with Jim Marsh, the Smith Mt. Lake Power Boaters Association President, and this bill is the tip of the iceberg. Once a bill like this is past, it is VERY simple to expand or modify the scope of the law to include other lakes such as LAKE ANNA. Your help is needed. Contact your local legislators. Contact the Allen Dudley and let him know you don't want this bill.
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There's a NEW BILL in the Virginia house setting a night time speed limit on SML. This action requires a 2/3's majority vote. However IF this gets passed through... it would only require a majority vote to set a day time limit. DAY TIME SPEED LIMIT is there objective. This is supported by the SMLA and other groups who have been trying for years to rid the lake of anyone who doesn't fit their profiling. I'm looking for supporters & people to help. Please copy and paste this post in as many forums as you can find. We need this word to get out. They want to push this through in the cold months while people aren't thinking about boating.
Here's the email to the rep who is supporting this: Del_Dudley@house.state.va.us
Here's his personal email: AllenDudley@Hotmail.com
Jim Marsh - PRESIDENT SMLPBA
SMLPBA@aol.com
The original
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...?071+sum+sb528
and a New one specifically about the speed limits.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...071+sum+HB2373
What impact would out of state people have on this?
This is something that is going to affect ALL Virginia lakes if it is approved. I know that some key people associated with Anna and BOTE have been working very hard on this and will need EVERYONES voice and support. Even if you dont live in Virgnia, if this passes...your state could soon follow. The speed limit is only one part from what I understand, noise enforcement is a big issue too.
What impact would out of state people have on this?
If you boat on these waters, your voice has impact. Basically, you travel out of your state, and bring revenue to VA and local communities. Any legislature would have evaluate the financial impact such a law would impose.
I may be wrong, but a night time speed limit sounds like a good idea... granted I'm thousands of miles away and could care less.
I may be wrong, but a night time speed limit sounds like a good idea... granted I'm thousands of miles away and could care less.
You're right, but then it becomes too easy for them to pass a daytime limit. Snowball effect.
I may be wrong, but a night time speed limit sounds like a good idea... granted I'm thousands of miles away and could care less.
The night time limit in theory is a good idea IF IT WAS GOING TO STOP THERE. The ones that have suppored this bill have voiced opinions pushing for a speed limit bill for all times. They realized the opposition was too strong so they are going for the night time speed limit bill. If approved, it would be a VERY easy process to amend the Night time speed bill into a FULL time speed limit without a large amount of support.
The Lake Anna Civic Association and Spotsyvania Advisary committee are joining forces with the Smith Mountain lake association to push legislation to amend the existing laws to enforce a safe boating mandatory course for all boaters. This in itself is a good thing. BUT under the guise of safe boating they are pushing to limit speeds from sunset to sunrise to a 25mph speed limit. A $250.00 fine will be imposed on violalators. A speed limit of 55mph is now being discussed as the upper limits for daylight hours.
Jack Weller and I have sent letters to the Central Virginian newspaper and Lake Anna Observer with the tax remifications of this bill to taxpayers. Additionally Dave Dumus, Jack, and I have joined Lake Anna Civic Association to voice our opinion. A half a dozen other boaters joined us at the last Lake Anna Civic Association to show a force.
Every boat that runs over the 25mph and when the 55mph limit is imposed will be forced to enstall a GPS in order to observe speed. Boaters that have not passed the safe boating course will be fined and taken off the water.
Jack and I are in the process of starting a non profit boating association to get new members that are willing to help fight this new bill. If you boat it will effect you. We need people that have the skills and are willing to help set up this club. The name of the association is Lake Anna Boating and Recreation Assoc.
You may call Jack Weller at 1-540-894-5816 if you are interested in helping. I know that many think that they are just targeting the jetboats and associated noise but all boats that go over 25mph are going to be effected. This association is for all boat owners and people that are interested in enjoying themselves. We are primarily interested in fighting this legistation to insure that our last freedoms are not squelched and help raising money for charities.
If these limits and fines are repugnent to you call now.
kojac
pa has had the dusk to dawn speed limit for years and years
Andre;
Thanks for passing this information along. I think there is a lot of good on both sides of this issue HOWEVER...you have to ask yourself "WHY...create a speed limit? When historically...speed has NOT been a issue in SML accidents and two, recent data shows the average speed, as logged by the DGIF is extreamly low...somewhere around 30MPH. I'll tell you why...they have a larger objective... they want to see powerboaters gone from their lake. They want to see our poker run gone and they want it to go back to the "GOLDEN POND" it was 20 years ago.
What gets me is that a large portion of these folks are ex-military...who risked their lives fighting for our freedom. Now these same folks want to make all the rules and say who can and who can not play on their lake. No to free if you ask me.
We boat safely and probably follow the rules 100x better than most, since we are responsible for 4000-12000lb vessels, we have to have the skills.
Be heard people...this is traveling the country as an epidemic. The more states that let this happen, the more chance you have it's going to affect you too.
Jim Marsh - SMLPBA
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