The House voted 108-5 this morning to send Gov. Mike Easley a bill he has threatened to veto because it would allow wider boats and trailers to travel on narrow state roads at night. (The Senate voted likewise Wednesday by 43-0).
The legislation would relax state limits on the width of boats that fishermen and other recreational boaters can haul on state roads. It would allow boats up to 9.5 feet wide, day or night — and up to 10 feet wide during daylight hours only, Bruce Siceloff reports.
Current law OKs boats up to 8.5 feet wide, day or night, without permits. Motorists now can get permits to haul boats up to 10 feet wide — but not on holidays or Sundays or at night.
The Highway Patrol warned that wider boats would cause more crashes and injuries at night because oncoming drivers would not see the danger of boats that might hang over the center line. A legislative aide and other boater backers disputed the warnings and countered that nighttime boat-towing would be safer.
An Easley aide said earlier this week that the governor would consider vetoing the measure if it allowed boats wider than 8.5 feet at night. There was no immediate comment from the governor’s office after the House gave final legislative approval to the bill this morning.
Crossposted from Crosstown Traffic blog.
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