"CARELESS NAVIGATOR"

THE NAME SAYS IT ALL?

An Opinion By Jan Bergemann 
President, Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc. 

September 27, 2006

The "Save The Manatee Club" is trying to fight a planned boat facility site in Broward County. One of the main reasons for the opposition to more boats is the fact that many boaters are not really willing to obey the rules. Some are even more obvious about it than others, like naming their boat "Careless Navigator" and then proving that the name was chosen for a reason. 

 

And even if it endangers human beings -- and manatees -- it seems that BUI (Boating Under The Influence) is just considered a gentleman's offense.

 

For example, Robert R. Huizenga was arrested for DUI in 1995 and 1997, making the 2003 arrest his third DUI in 10 years -- an automatic felony.

But In a recent DUI court hearing against Huizenga his attorney, David Bogenschutz, argued that the 1995 DUI charge had involved a boating incident; therefore, it should not be considered Huizenga’s first DUI offense.  The judge did not agree!

 

See below the links to legal documents for a case that allegedly involves BUI, in a case where the boat was named "Careless Navigator." Owners of this boat -- and co-defendants in the lawsuit -- are Richard and Lisa Magill.

 

Lisa Magill, well-known attorney of the law firm of Becker & Poliakoff in Fort Lauderdale, was quoted in an article of The Miami Herald regarding condo rules: ‘‘If you don't follow the rules to the letter, you lose your ability to enforce the rules!''

 

Maybe the judge in this case will make Magill aware that there are rules that even boaters have to obey, and that carelessly navigating a boat is a clear violation of these rules.

 

I was raised in a generation that considered lawyers a reputable profession -- officers of the court -- determined to uphold laws and the justice system. Today I often wonder where this reputation went, considering the many complaints citizens have launched against attorneys. 

 

Maybe it was just a poor choice of words to name a boat "Careless Navigator," but I think the name says it all! Just read the documents -- and make up your own mind!


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