Speeding Fine

[Wight Skipper]

Precis of a short article in today's Lymington Times:

A RIB owner has been fined £600 for going at more than five times the speed limit of 4 knots in Christchurch Harbour. He was stopped by the council's marine patrol boat on August 30th. When asked if he knew how fast he was going he said his GPS was turned off.

The prosecution in the Magistrates Court said that there were several other vessels using the channel at the time. "It goes without saying that driving a boat at this speed could have caused a terrible accident"

After the case a council representative said that "It goes without saying that our marine patrol scheme is working"

[Brian]

Now let's see;
4 knots times 5 times the speed limit = 20 knots.

The Prosecutor said "It goes without saying that driving a boat at this speed could have caused a terrible accident"

Hmm. A terrible accident? As I remember it Chichester Harbour is a massive wide open space. Is the Prosecutor exagerating?

[vince]

Has this world gone mad?! You can kill a child with a car and get the same sort of fine! Up north we dont have fines for speeding in harbours, all they do is radio you and tell you to cut your speed. And everybody knows you`ve just been told off! A bit of embarrasment works wonders. But 600 quid? Slightly out of balance imho.

[Andy Moore]

Originally Posted by Wight Skipper

When asked if he knew how fast he was going he said his GPS was turned off.

What a d**khead! I am glad they are dishing out fines. I cannot stand it when boats break the speed limit. There is no need.

[Powerboats]

Anybody who uses Christchurch Harbour regularly (which I have for the past 25 years) will know that the Christchurch Borough Council "Marine Patrol" boat has got nothing to do with maintaining safety, but is another tool in their armoury to extract as much revenue as possible from the harbour and its surrounding environment.

[wavecrosschris]

Same scenario as road traffic speeding tickets - just another way of making money. Although I'd never consider doing 20knots through a harbour like christchurch (its hard enough not running aground!), getting caught and then saying, Ooops my gps wasn't on?!

At the Southampton boatshow this year they had speed guns and were fining the exhibitors when on demo for exeeding the 25knot speed limit on the course they had set out in the middle of southampton water. I was having a demo on a ribeye and the bloke driving was too scared just incase they caught him - shame, couldn't really showoff what the rib was capable of at half its maximum speed.

[Foxgloveboy]

Originally Posted by Brian

Now let's see;
4 knots times 5 times the speed limit = 20 knots.

The Prosecutor said "It goes without saying that driving a boat at this speed could have caused a terrible accident"

Hmm. A terrible accident? As I remember it Chichester Harbour is a massive wide open space. Is the Prosecutor exagerating?

Christchurch, not Chichester.

It is a small place. I see no need for excessive speed in such a place ( save in the event of trying to come to someones asssitance, and there is no mention of extenuating circs ). I therefore fully support the outcome.

With regard to the comparison to road speeding, this was the equivalent of doing 150mph in a 30 mph limit!

All IMHO.

[wavecrosschris]

Originally Posted by Foxgloveboy

With regard to the comparison to road speeding, this was the equivalent of doing 150mph in a 30 mph limit!

All IMHO.

execpt it wasn't 150 mph it was 20knots and things happen a whole lot more differently, as I'm sure Richard Hammond would agree when you go seriously quick, so you can't compare road speeds to 20 odd mph in a boat. besides a rib would bounce a fair bit before it came to a complete stop, lessening the imapct a bit, i'm sure. My comparrison with the roads is that they're nicking everyone just to make money - not that i'd ever support going through somewhere as beautiful as christchurch that quick - its far to pretty and you'd miss it!

[codprawn]

A lot depends on the conditions - time of year etc. A load of rowing boats around and plenty of yachts fair enough - a deserted stretch of water with no other traffic is a totally different matter!!!

[Jimbob]

It seems he broke the rules and paid the price

Rule 1, in effect that the rules apply to all vessels, so if the speed is...then thats what we do.

Also, safe speed (rule 6 i thing), as cowpauwn points out it will depend, even 4 knots maybe too fast if there are lots of kid swimming/dinghy sailing for example.

i have to admit i have been tempted in Chichester once or twice to go over the limit, until i realise that it is my hobby and not mu job so why rush