Concerns grow over boating on the bay (Sarasota, Anna Maria: rentals, credit card)

[wondermint2]

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/co...2f45d6fb&ei=44

Following a boat collision off the shores of Anna Maria Island on July 30th, concerns about boating on the intercoastal waterways continue to grow.

That crash happened when a 43-foot racing boat with two people on board, collided with a 23-foot bow runner with nine people on board. The crash critically injured a 41-year-old woman.

Charter Captain Kathe Fannon said it’s unbelievable the amount of people out on the water now.

“The volume of boating out here has quadrupled in the, I would say, last seven years,” said Fannon.

Fannon said the intercoastal waterways already aren’t wide enough and now everyone has three to four motors speeding by.

“There’s not really a whole lot of speed limits out here. So, yea, they do go flying by you and it... there’s really no stopping a boat going 60... 70 miles per hour. You don’t just stop that boat,” said Fannon.

Fannon explained there are near misses and crashes on the water every day. She said there needs to be better boater education and regulation.

“We’re on the sandbars standing in the water, you know, just above your knees and we have jet skis flying by us wide open. We could have our dive flags up you know to let people know that people are snorkeling right here, and it makes no difference because they don’t know. They just think that flag literally maybe the country I’m from or something,” said Fannon.

Fannon said another issue involves boating rentals that need to be reevaluated.

“To my knowledge, you know, you go up to anywhere that rents a boat, they ask for identification, a credit card, then pick your boat out and have a great day. So, I think the whole system needs to be looked at over,” said Fannon.

[wondermint2]

1 hospitalized after 2 boats collide in Sarasota

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1-...8e8bb5d5&ei=18

One person is hospitalized after two boats collided in Little Sarasota Bay around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Two boats, carrying two occupants each, were involved in the collision, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Emergency crews said the boaters were operating on plane when the accident occurred, injuring one person.

The 27-year-old woman who was injured was airlifted to a nearby hospital where she is currently receiving treatment.

The investigation is ongoing.

[JPrzybylski07]

The older I get the more I’m for taking away people’s freedoms. I definitely vote conservative but the general population just can’t be trusted. I would maybe backtrack here slightly without deleting my first sentence and say we need to hold people more accountable and enforce much harsher punishments.

For example, get caught speeding 30 mph over the posted speed limit then you automatically get your license suspended for 1 year and serve a mandatory 30 days in jail.

No warning.

I guarantee that law alone would stop 90% of habitual entitled speeders on the road from speeding.

That’s just one example, I know this was about a boating post but my point is people need to face tougher consequences for their bad judgment.