Close call!

[rjvana37]

I agree that they should have never stopped where they did (But) what if they had broken down in the same situation. Somethings happen that are uncontrollable like Motor quitting spinning a prop. Are the person involved at fault for stopping or shutting down. You can't say that it won't happen to me but if you are blasting off in a tournament it could and did happen to me once on clear lake years ago, I lost all power after taking off, Fortunately the guys behind me weren't that close and we were up waving a towel.

[yatesville88fan]

Don’t know the reason to shut down like that. But the guys behind them should have left enough room to b safe.

[Aj14]

+1

-1

[CastingCall]

unless you are broke down , I would never stop in the direct path of the group blasting off , you should have motored over to the side and then came back after the boat traffic stopped , Blast of are the most dangerous time of a tournament , especially now that folks are running 16 inch graphs on the dash , sometimes 2 , it certianly obstructs your vision ,

Most trolling motors have a high profile except the Power Pole that can obscure your vision.

1. Nothing should obscure your vision to see potential collisions.
2. If there are are obstructions to sight lines, then you damn well better be going slower, sitting up higher, and paying a LOT more attention than normal to avoid hitting others!

... and motoring over to the side is not an option if something breaks.

[250bassFL]

The two idiots could have killed somebody.
No different than stopping on a major 70 mph highway.
Same exact thing.

It has been years, but one of my careless driving tickets was for just that. I was told it's my responsibility to maintain control and distance behind someone so I don't hit them, when I was presented the ticket.

[Lightningboy]

Anyone notice that the driver of the boat that almost got hit was straining to see over the large graph? Nothing to do with almost being hit, but a lot to do with chances to hit someone else.

[okhawg]

Both at fault.

Boat driver in front shares some responsibility. He should’ve looked back to see if he would be impeding anyone following.

boat that almost hit them is even more at fault for not moving over sooner, who knows what he was occupied with, sure wasn’t looking where he was going.

there was about 10 seconds from when the lead boat started slowing down to when the boat passed. 60mph is about 88ft/s. Meaning the boat tailing would be about 880ft behind the boat that stopped… and almost another 150ft more at 70mph, nearly 1/6 mile behind the lead boat. Human reaction time is about 1.5 seconds (assuming same as driving reaction time). That means the tailing boat had approx. 8.5 seconds and about 700ft (more than two football fields) to change course… Plenty of time to move over and slow down.

Your logic is very logical, the last boat had a plenty of time to adjust his path. No excuse whatsoever to get that close in this scenario.

[schmidte]

Wouldn't a simple wireless rear-facing camera that shows up on the screen while you're running be a good idea.....surprised it's not an option, or maybe it is

[ECobb91]

Wouldn't a simple wireless rear-facing camera that shows up on the screen while you're running be a good idea.....surprised it's not an option, or maybe it is

I knew a guy who bought one of the large rear view mirrors and put it on his boat. Seems like a cheap thing to have.. I mean jet skis have side mirrors

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Mir...35177818&psc=1

[borderbasser]

The tailing boater was not paying attention and was lucky he was able to avoid a crash. In the trail position, he can't assume that the other boater is going to continue at the current rate of speed and direction. YOU CANT ASSUME out there on the water.

[pavi69]

Don’t know the reason to shut down like that. But the guys behind them should have left enough room to b safe.

He said they were stopping to fish a community hole with lots of other boats

[Fishing Flyer]

The passing boat was the give-way vessel. The boater ahead would not even know he was going to be overtaken if there was no signaling, which was also the passing boater’s responsibility to initiate. If the passing boater had signaled, then the leading boater would be the stand-on vessel. At that point if the leading boater doesn’t acknowledge the signal or doesn’t understand passing safety, then it’s still the other vessel’s responsibility to take action to avoid collision. I don’t see any way in which the leading boater is at fault for anything unless he runs his boat into another that is passing. I also don’t think that “blast off” means “safe boating procedures and state watercraft regulations no longer apply”.

[kmanbear]

Snow skiing rules apply… you are responsible to not hit the person in front of you! Guys that went by on the left, we’re not in control, and are JACK ASSES! WTF?

[JTN]

unless you are broke down , I would never stop in the direct path of the group blasting off , you should have motored over to the side and then came back after the boat traffic stopped , Blast of are the most dangerous time of a tournament , especially now that folks are running 16 inch graphs on the dash , sometimes 2 , it certianly obstructs your vision ,

Is every boater on the lake suppose to stay clear of the beloved tournament bass boat anglers because they blast off and go fast to catch a fish?

[jbassman87]

Snow skiing rules apply… you are responsible to not hit the person in front of you! Guys that went by on the left, we’re not in control, and are JACK ASSES! WTF?

Left??

[Aj14]

He said they were stopping to fish a community hole with lots of other boats

Well the idiot who stopped in the middle of boat traffic almost put him and his innocent partner in a community hole.

[marshman]

Well the idiot who stopped in the middle of boat traffic almost put him and his innocent partner in a community hole.

but….. if you run in to the back of someone, it’s your fault… no matter what.. no ifs ands or buts…. YOU, ran in to them.. following too close or not paying attention, either way, it’s your fault.. that’s on the water or on the highway…

[paulrodbender]

Passing a vessel from the rear is called "Overtaking". The vessel that is overtaking another vessel is the give-way vessel (The vessel that must take early and substantial action to avoid collision by stopping, slowing down or changine course. The vessel being overtaken is the stand-on vessel (the vessel that should maintain it's course and speed).

[Houndsman]

The very idea that you can’t slow down and stop and fish without getting run over is ridiculous!!

[ProVle]

The very idea that you can’t slow down and stop and fish without getting run over is ridiculous!!

Not according to some evidently!