Question....would you?

[dpmulvey]

.... If he does allow it, it's really none of my business as it has no impact on my life. ...

Actually it does. How do you think insurance companies come up with liability costs. You can't fix stupid but we all share the cost of it.

 

[trflgrl]

My decision on such things often is influenced by whether laws/formal guidelines exist--I'll speak up regarding no wake zones (marked and unmarked), no swimming zones, age-related life vest requirements, and the like, because those are supposed to apply to everyone.

I'm a little more reserved when it comes to things that may be considered subjective, for the same reasons others have stated--I'm not responsible for people who are not in my boat/on my PWC/in my vehicle/in my house/on my property or members of my household, even though I bear the insurance burden David notes. The captain in question felt it was no big deal for the kids to be doing that in the vicinity of the marina--perhaps because vessels really are moving at slower speeds so the risk of a passenger falling out or having any other adverse effect truly might be lower over all. (I know--accidents can happen anywhere, but work with me here!)

Sometimes I sleep better at night if I do speak up, though, so I'm glad you did, and I'm glad he took it decently. It's all in the delivery!

(A local councilwoman went OFF on me once. She had parked her car across the ramp, completely blocking one of the two launch lanes, and was directing a photographer. I politely said, "Will you move your car to one of the spaces marked for cars so the ramp stays clear for boat traffic?" After her tirade about knowing exactly what's what at a boat ramp, and how it wasn't a problem for her car to be there because nobody was trying to use that particular lane right that very minute, and did I know who I was addressing--which I did--we got to the crux of the problem with my request: I forgot to say "please"!! :smt101 )

 

[thegotoguyr]

Sometimes I sleep better at night if I do speak up, though, so I'm glad you did, and I'm glad he took it decently. It's all in the delivery.

100%
Hey knob for brains, youre an idiot for letting your kids do that
Or
Excuse me sir, did you know that ( made up number ) of kids die each year falling of the front of boats?

 

[bajturner]

Excuse me sir, did you know that ( made up number ) of kids die each year falling of the front of boats?

Or even softer: "Beautiful day...you guys have a great day on the water? No better place to be than out on a boat! Please watch those little ones up front; I saw a little guy fall off a bow last season and it scared the crap out of me!! Thankfully he didn't get run over or hit by the propeller but it was certainly a scary moment for everyone. Can I give you a hand with anything?" You could also use the "Hey, just want to give you a heads-up that some guys got fined last week for bow-riding because they had arms or legs outside the boat...would hate to see you waste money that could have gone to fuel!" I am assuming that is the law in Virginia, of course.

This is a tough one for sure. No one likes to be lectured, and if it's not a case of someone being ignorant, rather operating within what they consider acceptable risk (everything fun in life has a certain amount of risk to it!), then I can imagine they would want to tell you where to go. If the delivery can be one where the potential safety issue is not the main topic, but you can work it in, then the point can be registered without being authoritarian and the recipient doesn't have to have a confrontation thrust upon them.

As for whether or not it affects a bystander, aside from insurance considerations, watching a child die certainly would affect you and your family. You would also be compelled to try and help. It also sets a bad example for your own kids. That being said, it's not my business to tell someone else how to live. If I watched that same family leave in their car with no one wearing seat belts as they accelerate to some crazy speed down the road, I wouldn't scold or school them if I ran into them later at the gas station, for example. Why is boating any different?

Although boaters are some of the friendliest and helpful people I have met, it is truly an awesome community, the helpful part can sometimes take on opinionated or forceful nature, which can be pretty off-putting (we have never seen that on CSR though, right?). The important part is to be respectful even if the individual is making a mistake, or simply making a choice you don't agree with. For some reason, boaters tend to often feel compelled to tell another boater what they are doing wrong. I guess it's because there are so many variables, so much freedom, and so many different ways to do something.

Now, would I have said something? Honestly, maybe, depending on the day and depending on how dangerous it really looked in my opinion; and maybe not. It's not a no-brainer for me.

Interesting topic...

 

[AMFM3]

I don't pull my punches with this crap.

Beside thenobvious, which the OP stated, there's more to this. If I didn't speak up.and then something subsequently happened, I'd feel like an ass. Water is dangerous. Motorized boats in water even more so.

The "relative safety" of the marina makes no sense. In the water in close quarters is super dangerous! What if there's an electrical issue in the basin? Man, in this case,,I'm in the Captain's face. No excuse for stupidity.

I dont want want the lives of anybody on my conscience....good for you for speaking up!

Mark

 

[Sous]

Everyone raise good points on both side of the equation, and I think that it all comes down to the "it depends" side of things... maybe its generational, maybe its geographical, who knows? I just see things a bit differently I suppose. For one thing I do not have kids, so maybe that factors into things for me as well. If I see a kid doing something stupid and his parents aren't around, I'll say something. If his parents are around I usually don't unless their actions could impact me (like say throwing rocks at each other near my car).

For me I think that raising your child is your responsibility, and if you chose to do it poorly (IMHO) that's on you not me. Not sure how many have heard of "free range parenting" but if you haven't, google it. It is a very interesting topic... not so much directly related to this incident, but the general concept of parenting in general.

 

[IanBat]

You did the right thing, and sounds like the person accepted it...

Would I, I don't know anymore, unfortunately road rage, boat rage, whatever, people just don't take it right too often anymore, and it flares into something it shouldn't.

As I age, and realise the limitations I have now with my back and neck (another fall two weeks ago that nearly fully incapacitated me) I don't think I'm as capable as my my mind thinks I am, should they not take it the right way.

But.... Would I.....probably, if it didn't get taken right.......

I hate where our society is going


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[BritLady]

You did the right thing, and sounds like the person accepted it...

Would I, I don't know anymore, unfortunately road rage, boat rage, whatever, people just don't take it right too often anymore, and it flares into something it shouldn't.

But.... Would I.....probably, if it didn't get taken right.......

I hate where our society is going


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That is the issue today, how are they going to take it....you never know. Few weeks ago had this guy letting his two boys swim in the marina around the boats! I casually tried to mention that it was dangerous but they kept on doing it. At least I tried to warm them but nevertheless had something happened would still have felt bad. All the time in FL you see this stuff and children allowed to ride on the boat bow with their arms and legs dangling in the water. Just plain crazy. Always telling folk to slow down too and observe No Wakes etc., it's a constant job. Many are just tourists who hire for the day and don't know the rules at all.

 

[Do Over]

When my family and I go boating we do it to relax and have a good time....I'm not out there to add stress to my life OR police what others do. Commendable that others feel the need to do that but no thanks.

 

[BritLady]

When my family and I go boating we do it to relax and have a good time....I'm not out there to add stress to my life OR police what others do. Commendable that others feel the need to do that but no thanks.

Know what you mean, we like to relax too but when you're at anchor and all these tourists fly by in rentals at speed it's past annoying