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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 11:53 
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Speed traps await sailors.

Speed cameras are to be used on England's largest lake to catch boat owners flouting its controversial new 10mph limit.

Video equipment, digital cameras and laser guns will be in action on Windermere, in Cumbria, to catch speeding sailors from the end of this month.

But there have been threats of widespread defiance of the speed limit, which will effectively ban water sports on the 10-mile-long lake.

Opponents claim it will cost hundreds of jobs and lead to the Cumbrian economy losing tens of millions of pounds from visitors attracted by the lake's wide range of activities.

The Lake District National Park Authority, which is behind the ban, says it will make Windermere a more peaceful place to visit and help conservation efforts.

Ranger manager Sara Clarke said: "We have various ways of gathering evidence. This includes digital video equipment, 35mm still cameras, a laser gun and written observations.

"We will gather evidence by following craft at a set distance, or from key locations. We will not put lives at risk to get evidence, but equally we will not allow offenders to break a by-law which has the support of so many residents, businesses and other lake users."

Rangers welcomed the news that a judge had slapped a £500 fine on the driver of a motor boat who broke the speed limit on Coniston in a protest against the Windermere limit.

Sara said: "We have always believed that bringing offenders to court to face financial penalties was a legitimate part of our overall strategy to help keep the lake as safe as possible and enjoyable for as many people as possible.

"Speeding on Windermere should become as socially unacceptable among lake users as speeding on roads is with sensible motorists."

There are more than 6000 boat owners registered on Windermere.

The campaign against the speed limit has attracted high-profile support from people such as former Labour sports and culture minister Kate Hoey, former Tory environment minister John Gummer and one-time England rugby captain Bill Beaumont.

And Gina Campbell, 54, the daughter of water speed record legend Donald Campbell, has said the limit is "draconian".

But the ban doesn't spell the end for water sports in the North.

Tony Kemp, of the protest group Windermere Action Force, said water skiers were looking to operate in "packs" on Coniston, Ullswater, Derwent Water and Windermere.

Chief Inspector Kevin McGilloway, of Cumbria Police, said he was confident that officers would be able to deal with speeders, although the issue was low on the force's list of priorities.

:!:

Silverstone, Brands hatch, Donnington/Mallory Park's to be 'targetted' next ?? :shock:

Grand National, Derby ?? :wink:

Not to mention 'Speed Skating' at Nottingham Ice Stadium !

Stock Car Racing !

The list goes on.

:lol:

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 17:00 
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How the hell do they expect rigid obedience on the water? Been boating/sailing a few times and I can't remember ever seeing a speedo in a boat, and I'd have though a boat speedo would tend to misread most of the time (which I assume is the reason they don't all have 'em).

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 18:27 
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Gatsobait wrote:
How the hell do they expect rigid obedience on the water? Been boating/sailing a few times and I can't remember ever seeing a speedo in a boat, and I'd have though a boat speedo would tend to misread most of the time (which I assume is the reason they don't all have 'em).


My buddy who races dingies and sailing craft says that the good ones will go well over 8 knots in a decent wind when racing, or even when sailing normally. Is this to be policed as well?
Crazy


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 18:54 
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I heard a rumour CSCP are going to take over speed "policing" on Windermere. :lol: :lol:

After all, there were 48 KSI's in 1635 when the ferry sank - what more justification do you need....


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 18:59 
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Cooperman wrote:
My buddy who races dingies and sailing craft says that the good ones will go well over 8 knots in a decent wind when racing, or even when sailing normally. Is this to be policed as well?

It might be a bit big for Windermere, but I believe tea clippers like the Cutty Sark could do up to 15 knots with a favourable wind. Mind you, there's probably a clause in the law like the law on speeding on the roads that says it only applies to powered boats.

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Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 19:07 
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Cooperman wrote:
Gatsobait wrote:
How the hell do they expect rigid obedience on the water? Been boating/sailing a few times and I can't remember ever seeing a speedo in a boat, and I'd have though a boat speedo would tend to misread most of the time (which I assume is the reason they don't all have 'em).


My buddy who races dingies and sailing craft says that the good ones will go well over 8 knots in a decent wind when racing, or even when sailing normally. Is this to be policed as well?
Crazy

The current speed record for sailing craft is over 40mph, and an average racing dinghy will do about 20kts in a good breeze.

BUT...

The speed limit on Windermere only applies to powered craft, not to sailing boats.

It's not about safety, it's not about environmental impact, it's not about noise. It's about political correctness; about a tiny intolerant selfish minority being allowed to have their own way at the expense of the interests of the community at large.

All the time this has been going on I have only met one person who actually supported the ban!

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 20:16 
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Did you read in the Gazette about the anti fireworks brigade?
I dont deny that fireworks at all times of the night are a tad annoying, but to spout a load of bull5hit about foals being aborted, without the evidence to back it up, just makes the fanatical minority look silly!
Existing noise nuisance laws should be adequate to put a stop - not an outright ban.

If I were the protestors, I would hold my own firework displays while the hotel guests in question were wishing for a little piece and quiet! I am sure the management would become much more understanding, rather than defensively antagonistic!!! 8-)

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 23:29 
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Haaaargh!

...curdles the milk, see!

(and other such old wives' tales). It's interesting how widespread ignorance and selfishness can prevail on water or land. I kept a sailing boat on Windermere for a year. I found the lake pretty over-crowded and horrendously expensive. I would have been one of the ones that would have benefited from the ban beacause there would have been less congestion on the public jetties, less noise, less wash and fewer people. I signed the petition AGAINST the 10MPH limit, however, because I like to think I'm not that selfish. It's perfectly true that when I used to trail & sail dayboats on there, I'd often get annoyed by "Muppet" powerboaters who took up disproportionate amounts of time on the slipway carrying out checks and repairs they could easily have done on their trailers in the car park. I also used to get annoyed at the way you'd often get several powerboats (drawing maybe 6" with their outboard up) clustered round the end of a jetty while the bits closer to the shore were empty. I couldn't use them as I drew 4'6"!

That said, it was one of the very few places left where people could have their first taste of power boating in relative safety. I think this ban will force the inexperienced and ill-equipped on to tidal waters where some of them might well come to harm. - still, as long as any KSIs don't happen in SLDC's "back yard" what's it to them? Of course, if yachties like myself were THAT bothered about noise and wash, they could go to Ullswater.... or Coniston....or Derwentwater....or ....
but Oh no, it's just obvious that all water is to be enjoyed by the select few - after all, you know what they say, "the pleasures of the few can never be the pleasures of the many"! In my view, this whole bill was a sad product of a relatively few selfish, ill-informed and highly vocal people with too much time on their hands and chips on their shoulders.

Now, about the "speed kills" brigade...


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