European Impressions of Cruising the US

[conachair]

Originally Posted by goat

Here's a free business idea;
Take one of those fold flat radar reflectors, paint it black, run a strip of leds around each circle, mount small solar panels and a battery to the flat parts (ripped out of a luci-light?). Haul it up with your pennant halyard..... Presto chango, you've got a black anchor ball and solar anchor light in one package. Add a dawn to dusk sensor and you're set to lounge in the anchorage.

If someone really does this and gets rich, I'd like a free one and a dozen frosty beers for the idea.

Your welcome.

goat

Or home made bright LED cluster in an oil lamp which never worked - takes a few moments to rig, power goes through foredeck dorade.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by cyan

Haaa, your information is old! There are now more than 5000 CRAFT breweries in the USA, all of which brew real beer. Note: REAL beer is brewed with barley. Fake beer, including the dreaded category "American Pilsner" is brewed with lots of rice. (Miller, Bud, Coors)

Every major city in the US is PACKED with awesome local CRAFT beer brewers and consumers are finally rejecting the fake beer for the real thing. The country has only recently (1978) woken from it's beer slumber (since prohibition days), thanks to Jimmy Carter's crazy brother Billy. It has taken 40 years for the beer revolution to reach this level.

So yes, Robert. The real stuff. FINALLY.

Good to hear..Yes you are correct of course, dated info from a dated guy

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "Gosh, then maybe we should put governors on cars that limit them to 5mph, because that that would be even safer."

No, no, no! The was, indeed, a time when horseless carriages had to be preceded by a man on foot, bearing a red flag! Can you imagine the USA awash in red flags :-0)?

TP

[TrentePieds]

@ #121

Oooh - I like that :-0)!! Mind if I do likewise?

TP

[john61ct]

Lots of bear, bobcat, coyote in the hills and woods around the Hudson Valley, you'd be surprised how far south.

I saw a big mountain lion* myself just over the CT border.

Apparently the wolves are hybrid now with coyote, and modern travel infrastructure has caused mixing of the red and grey populations, to the point we can't call them separate species anymore.

I look forward to humans no longer being top of the food chain, will be good for our health.

* puma, cougar, panther, whatever you want to call it

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

...

Of course, greater speed does lead to worse outcomes when accidents do occur. And there is no “right” speed. Everyone driving at the posted speed limit would be best. ...

... and maintaining a minimum of two-second interval.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by markpierce

... and maintaining a minimum of two-second interval.

Yup. And that’s for good conditions. When road and visibility conditions are worse, this “two-second rule” goes to four, six or more. This is the minimum time required for most people to take a meaningful action if something happens in front of them. Of course, all the tailgaters believe they have better reaction times, or are better drivers, than most people. It’s just like how most people say they are smarter or wiser than the average person …

Speed is not the main problem. Erratic speed, which usually involves weaving through traffic, passing, and tailgating … these are the things that cause most accidents. But these people also tend to be speeders, so speed becomes a enforcement proxy for the real problem.

[Tetepare]

What a waste of a good thread.

A gent takes the time to write about being welcomed in USA. Replies could have invited him and his European friends to visit again, or visit the Great Lakes (where people are even more helpful and more friendlier), or any manner of some such inter-personal discussions.

Instead, it gets screwed into an argument about mooring balls. Really.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

To those coming to the USA, expect not to see many day shapes flown outside commercial operations (tows, dredges and the like).

Not even with commercial operations. Last time I came up the St Johns River in FL there as a tug pulling a barge. He was constantly on the radio bitching at anyone within half a mile and warning one and all that he was restricted in his ability to maneuver. As he passed I looked closely with binoculars, not a ball or diamond to be seen anywhere.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

What a waste of a good thread.

A gent takes the time to write about being welcomed in USA. Replies could have invited him and his European friends to visit again, or visit the Great Lakes (where people are even more helpful and more friendlier), or any manner of some such inter-personal discussions.

Instead, it gets screwed into an argument about mooring balls. Really.

[earlgray]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

What a waste of a good thread.

A gent takes the time to write about being welcomed in USA. Replies could have invited him and his European friends to visit again, or visit the Great Lakes (where people are even more helpful and more friendlier), or any manner of some such inter-personal discussions.

Instead, it gets screwed into an argument about mooring balls. Really.

yes, and most interesting, there is no to many comments from Americans, but when they are in Europe, let say Croatia, Turkey, Greece etc., just read their comments.

[astokel]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Very sorry to hear you no longer feel welcome in the US. Any particular reason why you feel that way? I sincerely hope it isn't because of your religion, ethnic background or similar.

My experience has always been that visitors from the US north province of Canada were quite welcome.

But some continue to question Canada's sovereignty.

[Lodesman]

Thinking of Carsten's comments on CBP and the lack of consistency in the interpretation of the rules from region to region and indeed, from officer to officer. As a Canadian, tried to get a tourist visa - was denied; reason being is there is no requirement for Canucks to have a visa (visa waiver program). How long can I stay - 6 months, a year - all depends on who you ask. OK, if I stay 6 months, go back to Canada, does my time reset, or am I only allowed 6 months in a year-long period, or 6 months in a calendar year? Again, depends who you ask. Canada certainly isn't treated like a 51st state, but then again they treat Puerto Rico like a foreign entity.
It's so much easier for Europeans

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

What a waste of a good thread.

A gent takes the time to write about being welcomed in USA. Replies could have invited him and his European friends to visit again, or visit the Great Lakes (where people are even more helpful and more friendlier), or any manner of some such inter-personal discussions.

Instead, it gets screwed into an argument about mooring balls. Really.

You started it.. and its about anchor balls.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by astokel

But some continue to question Canada's sovereignty.

I assume you know Skip was making a joke… Best to add an emoji when attempting humour online. Otherwise it gets confusing

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Thinking of Carsten's comments on CBP and the lack of consistency in the interpretation of the rules from region to region and indeed, from officer to officer. As a Canadian, tried to get a tourist visa - was denied; reason being is there is no requirement for Canucks to have a visa (visa waiver program). How long can I stay - 6 months, a year - all depends on who you ask. OK, if I stay 6 months, go back to Canada, does my time reset, or am I only allowed 6 months in a year-long period, or 6 months in a calendar year? Again, depends who you ask. Canada certainly isn't treated like a 51st state, but then again they treat Puerto Rico like a foreign entity.
It's so much easier for Europeans

These visa questions are all pretty easily answered. Canadians get six months in any 12 — not tied to the calendar. No, you can’t just duck back over the border and reset the clock, but there are ways to get extended visas. But watch out for the American tax man — you stay too long and they will nail you.

The cruising permit one is more frustrating and confusing. Time and time again I’ve heard these stories about US border folks not knowing their own regs, or applying them differently state-to-state or even guard-to-guard. All us visitors can do is go by the letter of the law.