I saw on CHEX TV (Peterborough) last night a news report from the Kingston area (report was originally on CKWS). They showed some guys running the open water under the Division St. bridge.

Last winter a guy on a wakeboard being towed by a sled hit 1 of the bridge piers (they had some amateur video) & suffered major head injuries. Looked like a candidate for he Darwin Awards.

They talked to a OPP constable who was a member of that area's SAVE Team & he said there was nothing they could do to stop guys from running the open water.

Why do we hear some detachments are charging waterskippers then?

Because it is illegal :sly:

As for the Kingston attachement maybe they are lazy and do not want to be bothered :sarcasm:

I know in Sudbury a few got charged

aka Careless operation of a snow vehicle

Maybe they should have a big net to catch those waterskippers under that bridge :lmao:

Don't understand why he said nothing could be done, according to the OPP and MCTV (Sudbury) it is illegal to waterskip in Ontario. Was the officer not up on the regulations???

I got hasseld last weekend in Dorset for skipping. The OPP didn't ticket us but was going to give us careless. I think the only thing that saved us was we were only skipping a small spot and not the narrows. As he was lecturing us a guy came down through the narrows and the OPP were off chasing him. We took off at that point.

Whether it is careless or not...thats one I could argue. I was in complete control of the sled. I also think everyone who owns a sled should at least cross some sort of water so when they come accross it unexpectedly, they know what to do. People die on open water cause they panic and don't know what to do.

Originally posted by revrnd@Mar 30 2005, 11:40 AM
They talked to a OPP constable who was a member of that area's SAVE Team & he said there was nothing they could do to stop guys from running the open water.

Why do we hear some detachments are charging waterskippers then?
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it's surprising what a cop doesn't know about the law :huh: a cop once told me that if a person were walking through a city carrying a loaded firearm during the night hours it is up to the ministry of lands and forests {old name} to look after the law being broke. so i'm not surprised.

I was there when that guy hit the wall, it was sick, he had done many other passes on the knee board, I was only there for about an hour and he had made 3 passes towed behind 2 different sleds. Alcohol was definatly a factor in this situation. If you have seen the video even it shows that the guy was clearly heading for the wall and did nothing to try to avoid it. The police are there everyday (Sundays) that they are skipping and only patrol up and down the road mainly looking for booze and sleds or ATV's crossing the roads.

If a sledder does get charged, its usually for not having a helmet on.

Originally posted by 500Indy@Mar 30 2005, 09:41 PM
If you have seen the video even it shows that the guy was clearly heading for the wall and did nothing to try to avoid* it. 414979


He's right, the guy never leaned or tried to steer towards the middle of the river.

Where is that exactly?

And sledders wonder why the cops don't want us waterskipping.

The OPP Snowmobile, ATV, Vessel Enforcement Teams (SAVE) are the ones enforcing the pertinent regulations so you would think they should what the law is.

Paul that statement may have been true before 1979, but I don't think I'd try that these days even up north where long guns are more prevalent than handguns.

as for the Wake /Knee boarder

WTF does that have to do with sledding

Yes he was behind a sled but then again I doubt there is much diference in control behind a boat/Seadoo either if he was heading twoards the same pier

He was just another drunk that fortunalety killed himself and not some innocent bystandard

I would like to see a quote of this actual legislation that "outlaws" snowmobiles on water. Does it directly state that they are not allowed on open water? Or is this just some twisted view on an exisisting law and applying it towards waterskipping. I know of NO sperate"running open water charge" A careless charge can be applied towards anything they see fit. IT seems some detachments have more of a gestapo attitude, like the Kawartha detachment.

My 3cents

Permafrost

Originally posted by permafrost@Mar 31 2005, 07:39 AM
I would like to see a quote of this actual legislation that "outlaws" snowmobiles on water. 415050


Right on!!

I too saw the news item on CHEX, and the OPP officer who said it was not illegal to run the open water. He was more concerned about the spectators on the bridge blocking traffic.
Has anyone who has been charged tried to fight the charges in court?
I'd be interested to hear. My understanding is that you can only be charged (with polluting) if your sled sinks.
Has anyone seen this "law".

Originally posted by kragar@Mar 30 2005, 03:10 PM
I got hasseld last weekend in Dorset for skipping.* The OPP didn't ticket us but was going to give us careless.* I think the only thing that saved us was we were only skipping a small spot and not the narrows.* As he was lecturing us a guy came down through the narrows and the OPP were off chasing him.* We took off at that point.

Whether it is careless or not...thats one I could argue.* I was in complete control of the sled.* I also think everyone who owns a sled should at least cross some sort of water so when they come accross it unexpectedly, they know what to do.* People die on open water cause they panic and don't know what to do.
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I was up at Dorset last weekend too. I took two quick runs across the mouth of the channel on the Lake of Bays side. Afterwards I did see an OPP car in the parking lot. We didn't hang around long.

Originally posted by Johnny Canuck@Mar 31 2005, 10:37 AM
I was up at Dorset last weekend too.* I took two quick runs across the mouth of the channel on the Lake of Bays side.* Afterwards I did see an OPP car in the parking lot.* We didn't hang around long.
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GO JOHNNY GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SWRules