markiemark70

I vote for keeping the thread as is. Nothing wrong with healthy debate. Canadianguy, you are contradicting yourself. You on one hand say that individual rights trump all, and at the same time, say that 38% of those boaters who died were idiots for drinking. Well if individual rights are the only rights that matter, and its "criminal" to impede them, then who are you or anyone else to say that those people did not have every right to get behind the wheel drunk? Don't judge them. They were just excersizing thier individual rights.

"Until I impede on your personal freedoms it is unconstitutional to persecute me by way of money. It's my right to be on the water. It's your choice to have kids; it's your choice to take the kids out boating. Rights win over choices every time...or at least they should." Obviously you don't have children, or you could'nt possibly defend that position. You are big on rights, so here's aquestion for you: What about my right to enjoy a resource, be it road or water responsibly without some irresponsible jerk who cares about nothing but himself (if that) risking my life or others. Is there no such right? Using your logic, I should never leave my house, because if I walk down the street and someone mows me down on the sidewalk, I should have known that there was that risk, and take personal responsibility for that. To put a twist on your comments about the legal system, I would rather that 100 irresponsible idiots be prevented from using the water, than 1 innocent, responsible person be killed for no fault of his/her own.

Well it is good to see fish being caught on that waterway at all. I have been totally skunked this year on about 5 outings on the Grand/Nith/Conestoga waterways. I was kind taking it personally until I heard an oldtimer say that he has found this year to be slow as well. Last summer I went to a place in Guelph on the Speed river like 4 times a week and caught at least one or two nice bass each time, with the odd Pike for good measure. This year, doing the exact same things in the same spots I have had notta!! Have you found this year slow? If so, why do you think and when will it change?

Allow me to chime in on this, if I may. And please feel free to flame me as the new guy. I can take it. I am also against government ruling our lives, so I agree when Canadianguy says that Insurance companies and government already take alot from our lives. But i disagree on the point of a persons right to choose to be reckless when it becomes a danger to me and my family. My wife and I just had our first daughter in May, and since then my attitudes have changed alot. Whereas before idiot drivers (75% on the roads these days) were a mere annoyance, now I have an urge to run them off the road and beat the piss outta them. Not the answer I know, and I would never do it, but I get really angry when I think "who the hell are you to take that risk with my families life?" IN short, I beleive that insurance may be the answer. To use your own example of the Marlboro man. What if he was out on a boat, injured or maimed me so that I could no longer support my family. As you said, he is poor, so I will never get a dime out of him. SO your answer is that my family should just suffer in the name of liberty? No thanks. I would rather take comfort in the idea that, while mine and my families lives may be forever altered, at least I can sue his ass off and his insurance company will pay. If I owned a cottage on a really busy tourist lake, I would ask the other cottage owners on the lake if they would pitch in on a private security boat to go out and bust lame tourists for water infractions, at least on weekends. Cheers.

A buddy and I hit Belwood for about 7 hours a few weeks back. Got totally skunked except for some small catfish off one of the islands. It was my first time on the lake, so I am by no means the master of Belwood, but I kbow how to catch a Bass, and we asked some regulars who said that they had not marked a single fish on thier electronics. The only action seemed to be at the bottom of the dam where it was shoulder to shoulder. Apparently there are Walleye at Belwwod now, so I assume everyone was going for them. I am going on another local fishing day next weekend, and from what I have heard, Guelph lake is a better bet. TIFWIW