Jersey Shore After-Hours Swimming Ban – Is a Law Necessary to Prevent Drownings [POLL]
July 16, 2012 3:13 PM 
Here in New Jersey, we’ve made it a cottage industry to craft laws that protect people from themselves.
Witness the calls being made by some to put in place a law that would fine anyone seen swimming at the shore without lifeguards present.
All in an effort to stem the ‘tide’ (see how I went ‘tide’?) of drownings that have occurred at the Shore in recent weeks.
Is it possible that we could prevent more from occurring if there were a state law in place that would fine anyone caught at a beach swimming without a lifeguard?
No…because stupid people will always do stupid things, and there’s nothing anyone can do to legislate against “stupid”
There’ve been five drowning victims so far this year. They ranged from a 10-year-old swimming with his family in Atlantic City to a 24-year-old Kenyan who died as four others he was swimming with were rescued from a rip current in Bradley Beach.
Authorities say all five deaths had one thing in common: They occurred when no lifeguards were on duty.
After-hours drownings have long been a problem at the Jersey shore, but the situation is particularly bad so far this year. Lifeguards and shore mayors agree there are no easy or cheap solutions.
Joe Bongiovanni, Asbury Park’s beach safety supervisor, says people will keep dying at the shore without some serious deterrents.
He wants New Jersey to pass a law imposing stiff fines for anyone caught swimming after lifeguards have gone home. He made the suggestion the day authorities recovered the body of Chazmin Mills of Irvington, who vanished in the surf as his younger sister was saved by rescuers who had raced back to the beach shortly after it had closed for the day.
“We fine people for talking on their cellphones while driving or texting while driving for their own good,” Bongiovanni said. “This is something else we should be doing. Let them know it is breaking the law, with a hefty fine, and the word will get around.”
Right oh, there Joe…the word will get around, and risk takers will still be risk takers…unless of course, they die!
In which case, future risk takers are still not deterred…despite how many fines you issue and how many people die!
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