Warning to river rafters this weekend

[J pold]

Originally Posted by Burninator

If you don't like it that's fine, but there is little need to insult people who enjoy it. Next time keep it to yourself.

I simply stated my opinion on river floating if that offended you or anyone else I apologize, but if someone is going to start a thread topic pertaining to river floating I am going to give my opinion weather you find it offensive or not

[lifer]

Originally Posted by Burninator

. 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.

Like a few others in this thread, I was wondering about this as I floated down the Bow on Saturday. I had my life jacket in my boat, but wasn't wearing it. I get out of the raft and swim every 20 minutes or so. As we were floating I was looking at all the people on the river bank wading and swimming without any kind of floatation device. Could they be ticketed for that? Each time I heard the police boat I jumped out of my raft and swam beside it. I was quite eager to have them come over so I could ask them about that little technicality in the law. Anybody know what the outcome would have been?

[lifer]

Originally Posted by J pold

I simply stated my opinion on river floating if that offended you or anyone else I apologize, but if someone is going to start a thread topic pertaining to river floating I am going to give my opinion weather you find it offensive or not

It's just relaxing.

[J pold]

Originally Posted by lifer

It's just relaxing.

I think this wear I don’t see the appeal I am one of those people that constantly need to be doing something, I can’t just sit and do nothing at least not for extended periods of time, like I said when I raft I am either fishing or white water rafting and even that becomes so what boring to me after awhile

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by J pold

I can’t just sit and do nothing at least not for extended periods of time

And with rafting you aren't. You are adjusting your course a bit, slowing down or speeing up depending on where the cute chicks are in other rafts, adjusting for bridge piers coming up. Because different parts of the river flow at different rates people pass each other- you say hello.

Me, I can't just lie on the beach (as an example.) But with rafting you are actually doing something.

[BradMan23]

Originally Posted by J pold

I can’t just sit and do nothing at least not for extended periods of time, ....like I said when I raft I am either fishing...

As for the topic in discussion: I agree with those that believe the city is once again just bending over backwards for those that live in the community next to the Elbow. I hope even more people come down and raft now. Dont drink or litter or do anything evenly remotely illegal, but just come down and raft in huge numbers... it would be interesting to see what regulation the city would come up with after that....

IMO this city is HUGELY over-regulated and basically loves to just kick the fun out of every public event. How many deaths HAVE there been on the Elbow river in the past 10...20 years? (and remember, I said ELBOW)....

-Brad

[flambers]

Originally Posted by BradMan23

As for the topic in discussion: I agree with those that believe the city is once again just bending over backwards for those that live in the community next to the Elbow. I hope even more people come down and raft now. Dont drink or litter or do anything evenly remotely illegal, but just come down and raft in huge numbers... it would be interesting to see what regulation the city would come up with after that....

IMO this city is HUGELY over-regulated and basically loves to just kick the fun out of every public event. How many deaths HAVE there been on the Elbow river in the past 10...20 years? (and remember, I said ELBOW)....

-Brad

How does it matter how many deaths? The fact is its a law every where if you are in a boat a life jackets is required.

Personally I like the law, as others mentioned the river at times is shallow but on other times its not. Therefore the law is generic wear your life jackets.

[Harbourmouth]

I actually don't think these life jackets tickets would have a leg to stand on in court. So long as you have a life jacket on board any vessel for as many people that are on the vessel, you do not have to be wearing them. I'd like to see the outcome of that if someone fought it.

[BlackArcher101]

I'm all for policing on the Bow, not really on the Elbow though. The way I see it though, is the police have no choice. They can't choose one river over the other and do selective policing. They are probably afraid of people on the Bow complaining that it's not fair they are policed, but not others on the Elbow.

[Harbourmouth]

Originally Posted by flambers

How does it matter how many deaths? The fact is its a law every where if you are in a boat a life jackets is required.

Personally I like the law, as others mentioned the river at times is shallow but on other times its not. Therefore the law is generic wear your life jackets.

The law is that a life jacket must be IN the boat. Not on.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by J pold

I simply stated my opinion on river floating if that offended you or anyone else I apologize, but if someone is going to start a thread topic pertaining to river floating I am going to give my opinion weather you find it offensive or not

This thread isn't really about whether or not you enjoy rafting. And you can give your opinion, but you can be respectful at the same time. If you really feel people who raft on the river are weak minded I am not one to say your opinion is wrong, after all it is your opinion. But you can show a little tact and still state your opinion without commenting on the intellect of the posters in this thread.

Originally Posted by J pold

I think this wear I don’t see the appeal I am one of those people that constantly need to be doing something, I can’t just sit and do nothing at least not for extended periods of time, like I said when I raft I am either fishing or white water rafting and even that becomes so what boring to me after awhile

I find a couple things appealing in rafting. It's a relatively inexpensive activity, it only requires a little money to be spent on rafts and life jackets, which should last at least the season. It's easy to arrange and is easy to drive to. Being outdoors is always a bonus. It's fun to hang out with friends and talk in the sun. Jumping in is a great way to beat the heat. It's something different. Chances are if I didn't go rafting my afternoon would have been spent indoors doing something forgettable.

Honestly I probably would rather be fishing or white water rafting (I've never been). But but of those activities cost more to start and maintain, and are harder to organize. Rafting is just an alternate from hanging out with your friends in someones backyard or on some patio. Plus there is certain sense of community on the river that is lost in this City. Everyone is out to have a good time and relax. Also there is lots of river hunnies to keep the scenery nice too look at.

[Rhettzky]

http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/9084.pdf

Unless he is wearing and continues while he is on or in the water an
approved Personal Floatation Device or Life Jacket no person shall:
(a) Enter or remain in;
(b) Get on or remain on;
(c) Hold on to;
a vessel in or on any portion of the waters of any natural or man-made rivers, streams, brooks, canals, lakes, reservoirs or other waterways or

watercourses which are contained within the boundaries of the City.

I don't get it. Does this mean that they should have by-law officers at Sikome lake as well? What about all of the community lakes? What about the log ride at the Stampede? Backyard pools?

This seems to me like it is one of those by-laws passed years ago (1974) that doesn't apply to the elbow at all. For everyone that has said in this thread that the lifejacket law must apply to all water courses and be an all-encompassing safety blanket I call BS. City council passes this by-law pertaining only to water ways and courses within the city limits. What is stopping them from making the section of water from Sandy Beach to Stanley park a "lifejacket free zone"?? If you can drown in that section of water than my guess is that the plastic bag the lifejacket comes in would provide you with just as much hazard.

[habernac]

let the dummies who don't want to wear life jackets drown. Good old Darwin Awards. Everyone thinks they're an Olympic swimmer out there.

[J pold]

Originally Posted by fotze

Isn't jpold the guy who is allergic to cold? Weak minded or weak BODIED? I can see why he wouldn't like rafting.

Haha this much is true fozte I am allergic to cold...

The last time I went for a causal float down the river…I ended up in the ER so yeah that kind of plays a part too

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/9084.pdf



I don't get it. Does this mean that they should have by-law officers at Sikome lake as well? What about all of the community lakes? What about the log ride at the Stampede? Backyard pools?

This seems to me like it is one of those by-laws passed years ago (1974) that doesn't apply to the elbow at all. For everyone that has said in this thread that the lifejacket law must apply to all water courses and be an all-encompassing safety blanket I call BS. City council passes this by-law pertaining only to water ways and courses within the city limits. What is stopping them from making the section of water from Sandy Beach to Stanley park a "lifejacket free zone"?? If you can drown in that section of water than my guess is that the plastic bag the lifejacket comes in would provide you with just as much hazard.

Ha, no doubt. That plastic bag could easily end up on your head.

And yeah, I don't buy this whole "they have to police the Elbow, because they do the same on the Bow" bit either.

Apply that reasoning to the land -- it's like saying "they should have cops at every Macs in town, because they have them at Crack Macs". Some locales are more dangerous than others. The Elbow, where most of the rafting takes place, is not dangerous.

Law enforcement can and does "look the other way" all the time. Forcing someone to wear a lifejacket in water that goes to their knees is ridiculous. Talk about the ultimate "Nanny State". Again, applying it to the land, it's like insisting that pedestrians wear helmets in case they fall over. Fining people on that stretch of the Elbow is just a cash cow.

[Alana Flames]

Originally Posted by J pold

I don’t understand what the appeal is in just rafting, when I raft the purpose is to fish or to go over white water, but sit in a dingy and float the river just seem weak minded to me

Gosh, yes, who in their right mind would want to spend a warm afternoon relaxing with their friends, maybe enjoying a couple beers, cooling off in the river and looking at beautiful scenery and nice house.

just ridiculous what people do these days.

Judging by how busy the elbow gets, I'd say half of Calgary is "weak-minded"!

[Flamescupbound!]

Lifejackets on the Elbow? Wow! I used to practically live on that river when I resided in Calgary. Lifejackets would make it far less appealing.
I guess that's the way society has to work these days, cater to the lowest-common denominator.

[RatherDashing]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I'm all for policing on the Bow, not really on the Elbow though. The way I see it though, is the police have no choice. They can't choose one river over the other and do selective policing. They are probably afraid of people on the Bow complaining that it's not fair they are policed, but not others on the Elbow.

That's not true. As far as I know, the police have been enforcing life jacket regulations on the Bow River for years, but this is the first time they have gone after rafters on the Elbow.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by RatherDashing

As far as I know, the police have been enforcing life jacket regulations on the Bow River for years,

From what I've seen on the Bow, the enforcement has been to just warn people. I know they had been trying to keep a fun type of atmosphere. I've always said they should hand out tickets rather than just warnings; it would then make more sense for people to buy a $25 PFD than to risk a $100 ticket.