Pfd's save lives.

[madcityskier]

19 year old Broc Fejes died Saturday after being thrown from his Nautique in Brooklyn, MI.
Had he been wearing a pfd he would have likely survived. Vests are available that are very comfortable. Can someone explain to me why people refuse to wear them? If not for you, maybe your family and friends are worth doing it for.

[gride]

Bc they aren't needed in a boat like that. Especially with a seasoned driver. Mayhem doesn't care about that though. Everyone is welcome to CHOOSE to wear one.

[Nautiquehunter]

The same reason most motorcycle drivers dont want to wear a helmet . They are hot and cumbersome and mostly not needed.

[DealsGapCobra]

That is a very sad story. In my ski boat, I am more than willing to accept the small increase in risk for the added comfort. If I am screwing around jumping off cliffs or similar I wear my vest. In this case of added risk, I figure owe it to my family.

[srock]

It's so easy to say vests save lives but what is the true level of risk? I'm sure there are a lot of things I do on a monthly basis that involve more statistical risk.

Should I wear a helmet while driving or maybe while using a ladder?
Should I not jump into my pool?
Should I use a cell phone?
Should I stop drinking Diet Coke especially with alcohol?
Should I not use a mower?
Should I wear earplugs around loud music?
Should I wear an air mask?
Should I downhill ski?
Should I wear a helmet while on my bike?
Should I not ski, wakeboard or barefoot?
Should I blow off fireworks, even the spark only type?
Most home accidents involve bathroom falls, should I get rid of my bathroom or install rubber tile?

How does life vests compare to my other daily risks?

[wake4life6]

Well put. I think it would be ridiculous to wear a vest in my boat no thanks. If I'm in the bay crabbing or fishing on a smaller boat yea ill wear one if the conditions are bad. But not on my boat in the lake never unless I'm boarding.

[srock]

Nobody rides anything behind my boat without a vest, never. Kids are in vests, no excuses or crying your way out. Even on my larger boat where they are not legally required. Once you are old enough to mentally process the risks and are able to think about how your actions while on the boat may not be safe (unlike a child's mind), its your decision.

If someone decides to wear a vest, which has happen twice in 30 year of boating during squalls, I will defend their decision, decisively and immediately against anyone on board who peeps a disparaging word. I do wear a vest all the time while on airboats regardless of what others think, do and say.

I hate what I am seeing about mandatory vests while on a boat or swimming in lakes. It has arrived in some areas especially on Army Corp controlled bodies of water based on the fact that water related deaths are a result of drowning (what a surprise) but the statistics also indicate its is something like a .001% chance and its an out of shape fisherman. Doesn't our government have something more meaningful to work and spend tax dollars on?