Last August, nine-year-old Kaden JT Frederick was killed after falling from the bow of a pontoon boat near the Ocean City Inlet in the Isle of Wight Bay. As a result, Mathias spearheaded an attempt, with early backing from Delegate Mary Beth Carozza (R-38C), to revise rules to relating to bow riding.
In Annapolis last Friday, the Eastern Shore delegation met with DNR Secretary Mark Belton to receive progress updates on the effort.
Mathias said within days of Frederick’s death, he was contacted by the investigating officer who advocated for either legislation or regulations banning bow riding.
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18 comments:
We all know that riding a bow of a pontoon boat is the number one killer of 9 year olds in Maryland. We should all feel safe. I am happy our goobermint is hard at work.
what moron of a parent would let their child ride on the bow of a boat anyway ?
Where's the legislation on barrel gazing? Shark wrestling? Russian roulette?
Stop renting boats to idiots that have no boating experience and no business driving a boat. It is simple. The boat rental companies should be liable for negligence.
wait, I thought this was already illegal?
10:58 right on point. Never let my kids sit on the bow in a way that would allow them to fall off when under power.
It was already illegal!
The politicians have to do something to make themselves look useful.
You can't legislate common sense.
Oh, I get it, a law on top of a law...that'll fix it!...morons.
"Mathias said within days of Frederick’s death, he was contacted by the investigating officer who advocated for either legislation or regulations banning bow riding."
Uh oh! A law enforcement officer DIRECTLY CONTACTING A DELEGATE!!!! He can't do that without approval of upper command. Hope he had the approval.
Also, this idiot investigator needs to go back to the academy to get a refresher course that bow riding is already banned, as it is enforceable and a boat operator can be charged with negligent operations.
I thought bow riding was already illegal. Having known someone who worked for the company that rents the boats as well as jet skis the control they have over the pontoon boat riders ends at the dock after a training session. The company does not permit bow riding or boats over capacity. If someone who rents the boat allows bow riding beyond the view of the boat owner or the renter decides to pick up additional passengers further up the bay beyond view if the owner why is that the owners responsibility. He can only exert so much control aside from following every rental like they do for jet skis. How is any of this the owners responsibility except for renting to assholes. The owner and employees are very responsible. I would hate to see any of them be found guilty.
Rule of thought going forward in our current environment, don't be an owner of ANYTHING where the law or thought of law (Defense Attorneys) can hold you liable. Why? Even though you as the owner is not at fault, going through the court system could bankrupt you...not to mention the potential civil suits.
We have become the national of suing. Just watch TV every day.
Sad indeed!
This is about the level of the competence of Mathias; stating the obvious. Start packing Jim...where is Mike McDermot?
These are laws of stupidity - let the morons kill themselves...before they become Dumbocrat voters!
There should be a boating operator license just as with vehicles. No license - no rental. You can't rent a car without a license. People are given 5 minute speech by a teenager renting boats on how to operate a boat and send people with little or no boating experience out on the water. That's how people get injured or killed.
If we could successfully legislate against stupid...Liberal Jim wouldn't be driving back and forth to Annapolis!
To reiterate: You cannot mandate common sense.
Others have pointed out that regs are on the books already. It is a tragedy the youngster had the accident. May have been unforeseen oversight if no discussion about bow riding took place. Perhaps a barrier at front of some sort will provide better safety without blocking the view.
There should be common sense law on the books. Think of how many we could lock up because of stupidity.
Dude you made me LOL
Solution, let them ride in the bow and install rubber propellers.
I'm with 1:39. I thought it was already illegal.
If OC wants to make things safer, make better markers, illuminate and make sure they reflect. I've never been on an inland waterway with such bad markers. The nuns are sometimes visible, but the cans disappear, especially with the backlit skyline. And whenever you turn your spot on to line up a marker, the aquatic pricks pull you over, like the idiot drunk motorcycle rider. I see boats grounding all the time. It's almost like they want you to f up so they have reason to board you.
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