Safety certificates to buy gas?

[RLW]

Originally Posted by Airwaves

Actually that has more to do with the protection of the liquor store's very expensive license to sell alcohol since law enforcement conducts fairly routine sting operations against them, and you can't forget litigation. They aren't doing law enforcement, they are protecting their investment.

That is very true as that IS THE LAW. If you make it a law to check boating certificates wouldn't that come under the same thing "protecting other boaters and knowing the rules of safe boating." The MP could come and put a sting on the gas attendants couldn't they? One could go around and around on this. You can say one thing and someone else will come right back and rebuttal you

[Airwaves]

You're right we can play this all night. However in the case of a liquor store owner, law enforcement is targetting the store, not the patrons and the store owner has his/her investment and income at stake. What will the NHMP do to a marina? Shut them down like a liquor store?

In the case of a liquior store owner, in the vast majority of cases they just turn folks away when they are underage....they don't do the enforcement part of law enforcement and hold them for the police to incarcerate.

So are you really suggesting that you want the NHMP to conduct sting operations on gas docks?...this goes back to my comments about the differing attitudes between one state that relies on summer tourism and the attitudes of another.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Kamper

"...I wonder if it might be useful to the boating community, if fuel docks required a "Safe Boating Certificate" to be shown when fueling a boat that requires one for operation..."

In my humble opinion, the boating certificate projects nothing about the competency of the skipper—only that he has a piece of plastic that indicates he may have passed a test by himself. (Or, tested on-line, may not have).

It would make more sense to attach a Breathalyzer™ to the pump, but that's not going to happen either.

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...So are you really suggesting that you want the NHMP to conduct sting operations on gas docks...?"

...and...

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...Civilians shouldn't be in the law enforcement business, period..."

If you were the citizen pump attendant, would you not report a skipper who staggers, has slurred speech, and alcohol on his breath?

Originally Posted by DC Pointer

Do we really need more laws, more rules and more regulations?

We need more citizens who will observe boating regulations and report to authorities those not in compliance.

What we have instead are "civilians", if you get my drift.

[RLW]

Originally Posted by RLW

That is very true as that IS THE LAW. If you make it a law to check boating certificates wouldn't that come under the same thing "protecting other boaters and knowing the rules of safe boating." The MP could come and put a sting on the gas attendants couldn't they? One could go around and around on this. You can say one thing and someone else will come right back and rebuttal you

It appears that this part of the thread is doing just that, going down that crazy path.