Seriously tho- every boater on this site oughtta weigh in on this survey. It touches on issues such as...
RESTRICTED ACCESS during high water or flooded coditions (fu*k dat- Ima 'Merican! When boating is outlawed only outlaws will boat)
PFDs and the law requiring they be worn (fu*k dat, 2. I wear one 98.6% of the time because I'm smart. Not because someone is RESTRICTING MY FREEDOM by forcing me to wear one).
Before any lame ass devil's advocate boaters try to couter me on this let me make a few points:
- pfds are counter effective when you are squirt boating or snorkeling. Ok maybe not everyone interacts with the river that way. I like to swim in mild class III rapids buck ass naked too. Well, sometimes I'll wear a helmet. So what? Its my god given right (assuming there is a god but I guess we got a thread for that elsewhere round here now).
The main point is this though:
After We endure all this modern living bullsh*t and the continual encroachment and colonialization of our entire earthly existence, after we pay our bills and taxes and make due with this sh*tty economy we allowed the Bank(robber)s to tank and pillage, after we follow all sorts or regulations, restrictions and laws in the sincere interest of living in a society---
NOW you wanna come and find me on my time off from this lame ass indentured servitude yall call living free, and tell me I gotta wear a pfd or you'll fine me for that too?
Or tell me the river is too high and I can't put on?!??!?!
No man. When I get on the river I am entering The River's Jurisdiction. I opperate in The River's Laws.
Let me bring it on home to ya now:
Most fatalities are completely avoidable. And while unfortunate, such accidents typically involve ignorance of The River and a lack of respect for it coupled with more than one poor decision. While this is usually contained to the non whitewater boating sector, we see whitewater boaters do stupid sh*t too.
IGNORANCE IS NOT AN ENTITLEMENT.
In my high school goverment class I was taught that my right to punch you ends when my fist hits your face, because at that point it violates your right to not be punched.
Your freedom to engage in such a low impact and affordable (affordable for you, affirdable for the ecosystem, affordable for the state) activity should not be infringed upon by others who are too ignorant to mind their own safety. Such people perhaps should remain indoors. IGNORANCE IS NOT AN ENTITLEMENT. Drunk dumbasses in inner tubes or waders will still find ways to kill themselves with PFDs on, believe me. Tangle their half worn, un buckled "life jackets" on wood n sh*t...
So much for anonymity