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Originally Posted by ken0042
Then I put the same questions to you I posed earlier:
Have you never seen the Elbow river to be moving fast or having high flow? I have seen it:
- After severe thunderstorms
- During spring run off.
- At various points in the river. For example I wouldn't want to be in the water near Elbow Falls without a life jacket.
How would you suggest that at those different times or places we notify people that that section of the river or that particular flow level now requires a life jacket?
What happens when the Elbow river rafter enters the Bow? It could happen by planning, lack of planning, or somebody not being familliar with the water way.
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The Elbow is definitely not ideal at all times. But the majority of the rafting that happens on the river without life jackets is done during the calm times. Most people go on the river to relax, not to fight the rapids or constantly crash into the banks. But there is probably a small group that is risking the river when they shouldn't be. Elbow Falls isn't really in the scope of this topic because it is not within the city enforcement. The majority of the rafting that the city seems to be concerned about is between Sandy beach and around the 4th street bridge.
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They are making the law nice and simple; or KISS. (Keep It Simple, Stupid.) Wear a life jacket on any waterway. Same as the seatbelt law is enforceable on any street or alley.
Any of the arguements you are making could also be made regarding seatbelts. ie- that it hasn't happened to you, the route you are taking is safer, etc.
I do agree that it may seem a little silly to have a life jacket on while rafting down the Elbow. It is shallow, slow moving, and the danger level is low. But these laws are there to make it easy for people to follow- wear a life jacket on all waterways.
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I feel as though the city is over enforcing this bylaw, but not by choice. I think they are patrolling the Elbow for two reasons. One of them being becuase of the recent drownings on the Bow river. They have had to step up safety measures because that river needs it, and to save face they also have to do it on the Elbow river. The other reason is because the city bends over backwards for those communities in the area. The folk around the river are tired of the party atmosphere that is developing on the river. So the city has another reason to patrol the area.
I totally understand the mentality of enforcing the same rules to all waterways. But it doesn't mean I have to like it, or agree with it. It was a really bizarre sight floating past the bylaw officers at Stanley park on Saturday. There rafters being called into shore and given warnings or tickets because they didn't have life jackets. Yet people are swimming right beside the rafts and kids are playing without life jackets in the same water conditions. It was weird seeing the enforcement of people in an inflatable raft, yet everyone else was fine despite being in the same water. Anyways, we seem to be fully entrenched in our standpoints, so we can leave it here or keep discussing, doesn't matter to me.