NYCkayaker 2007 Poker Run Saturday June 16th

[Kate Cahill]

> Hi David (and everyone else concerned)-- K‹ I hadn¹t realized the extent of
> the impact on people who were just staying home minding their own business. I
> have avoided being on the river in that vicinity during the race and so I have
> not felt its impact.
> My objection was just to the tendency that we who chose to use
> low-impact/people powered methods of enjoying the river sometimes get on a
> moral ³high horse² and spend a lot of time finger pointing at those who use
> power boats etc.
> Personally, I find this self-serving and pointless. It sets up an ³us and
> them² situation and exacerbates the Blue State/Red State² dichotomy.
> I myself don¹t get the love of loud engines, Harleys, cigarette boats, etc. I
> also don¹t get Nascar, but I know a lot of people who are basically very nice
> and kind (in other words; not ³evil²!) who love the stuff.
> Perhaps if people are genuinely concerned about the environment and our abuse
> of fossil fuels etc. they could try to think of  ways to actually make changes
> to  the power boaters (and fans) attitudes rather than preaching to the choir
> and pointing fingers. I know it¹s not an easy task, but the ³us² and ³them²
> approach just makes ³them² dig their heels in deeper.
> You would think that as people who all seem to love being on the water‹ we
> could find some commonality!
> 
> -Kate
> 
> 
> Kate,
> 
> I usually agree with you and I hope that this departure doesn¹t affect our
> friendship.....  (and given that you don¹t really like the cigarette boats
> yourself, I believe our friendship is in tact....
> 
> But the Poker race is very disturbing for a number of reasons....
> 
> * On a personal level, some of these boats shake my house miles before they
> even reach Dobbs Ferry, where they race up the east side of the river,
> opposite my house, and where I am trying to enjoy my father¹s day with my twin
> girls.... Last year, the race even resulted in a crack on one of my kitchen
> windows due to the vibrations.... It is unbelievable....
> * More importantly, they are obnoxious, disturbing to everyone¹s peace, use an
> incredible amount of fossil fuels, and pollute the river.. Some of these
> monsters might be responsible for melting one glacier in one day of racing
> (maybe I exaggerate...)
> * Given our nation¹s dependence on foreign fossil fuel imports and our lack of
> conservations and lack of development of real alternative energy as a national
> strategy, they are a throwback to the days of cheap oil and of rampant air,
> water and noise pollution and they serve only to undermine the efforts of
> those who are trying to promote a more responsible lifestyle....
> 
> I will definitely stay out of the water on that day, whether it be in a kayak,
> sail boat or my friend¹s inboard/outboard.... Even he can¹t stand these
> cigarettes. I agree that it is ridiculous to schedule a swim event on the same
> day as a cigarette boat race. The officials who approve these diametrically
> opposite events are to blame and should be held accountable....
> 
> David
> 
> 
> On 6/13/07 10:37 PM, "Kate Cahill" <katecahill at optonline.net> wrote:
> 
>>> O.K., O.K.-- it  talkes a lot to get me to  put my 2¢ in, but--- I think
>>> Boyd has a point. I don¹t like the cigarette boats myself, but I do believe
>>> the river should be an inclusive place. It seems juvenile to criticize the
>>> Poker run. What the problem is ­is that the scheduling of the swim did not
>>> take into consideration that the Poker run happens in this section of the
>>> river EVERY YEAR on the Sat. before Father¹s Day. I don¹t know  how long
>>> it¹s been going on for, but seems to me at least 6 or 7 years.
>>> Just to get a sense of who enjoys this event‹ go to  BoaterEd.com and check
>>> the forum topics. You can read and discover that this is an event looked
>>> forward to by many ³normal² people who enjoy the river and each other¹s
>>> company at least as much as kayakers do.
>>> Having the swim/kayak event during this run is akin to having family bicycle
>>> day on the Bronx River Parkway during rush hour (instead of from 10-2 on
>>> Sundays or whenever they close it to automobile traffic!)
>>> 
>>> -Kate
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Obviously Boyd has never been on the water with these boats or had the
>>> responsibility of a swimmer in the water at the same time.  If I know that
>>> they are going to be on the water I stay off. Let them get their jollies on
>>> the ocean where they cannot kill anyone else.  I was at the meeting this
>>> evening, yes precautions for the swim are being put into place but that is
>>> not excuse for scheduling the two events at the same time.  Live and let
>>> live is rather different than live and let kill.
>>>  
>>> Lee
>>> 
>> 
>> 


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