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DUKW Crash Fatalities

mkcoen

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Now there is a site with a group WACK JOBS trying to the Ride The Ducks banned from seattle. It's interesting how much BS stories they created

http://www.stoptheduck.com/
To be fair the group is trying to stop a commercial enterprise from using public boat ramps. They are using sensationalist news stories to do it but I can see their point on this. If the company is making $4,000,000-$6,000,000 per year they can afford to rent a boat ramp versus hogging a public boat launch. I didn't see anywhere on their page them complaining about the vehicles being either military or military style vehicles just that they were a money making venture using a tax payer funded public ramp.

Before anyone starts flaming me I believe in less government involvement in EVERYTHING but I'm also a very strong capitalist and if your business model can't survive without pushing private individuals aside to make your way than you've got a crappy business model.
 

marchplumber

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To be fair the group is trying to stop a commercial enterprise from using public boat ramps. They are using sensationalist news stories to do it but I can see their point on this. If the company is making $4,000,000-$6,000,000 per year they can afford to rent a boat ramp versus hogging a public boat launch. I didn't see anywhere on their page them complaining about the vehicles being either military or military style vehicles just that they were a money making venture using a tax payer funded public ramp.

Before anyone starts flaming me I believe in less government involvement in EVERYTHING but I'm also a very strong capitalist and if your business model can't survive without pushing private individuals aside to make your way than you've got a crappy business model.


Don't like the idea of safety second and $ first. Agreed, if they are making that amount, should be easily within their means to rent a private launch from local marina. As we all know, large vehicles, trailers, boats, and PEOPLE, don't mix very well, even if you just add water. I am all about LESS gooberment!! But as previous business owner, can't use and abuse "public" for your profit margin. :deadhorse:
 

rhurey

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180 In/Out a day for a single launch isn't a lot. Especially when there's no trailer monkeying needed. It's the trailer craziness that raises tensions.

The launches for the combat fisheries can handle 3X that through each lane, and those are effectively a shotgun start. (Sunnyside isn't one of the fishing launches)

This is some neighbor who doesn't want the traffic. The city says it doesn't get a lot of use.

And Ride The Ducks is a Seattle taxpayer also.
 

mkcoen

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And Ride The Ducks is a Seattle taxpayer also.
Didn't say they didn't pay taxes. I lived in Kent for 2 years so know about the taxes in the area. But it's one thing to build a public use item figuring the average "tax payer" is going to use it a couple of times a month (if that) versus multiple times a day. Traffic at a public boat launch, especially in the Seattle area, is hectic enough without worrying about dodging the equivalent of a floating comedy club whose MC is worried about traffic, a schedule, and entertaining the customers.
 

RDUKW

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Didn't say they didn't pay taxes. I lived in Kent for 2 years so know about the taxes in the area. But it's one thing to build a public use item figuring the average "tax payer" is going to use it a couple of times a month (if that) versus multiple times a day. Traffic at a public boat launch, especially in the Seattle area, is hectic enough without worrying about dodging the equivalent of a floating comedy club whose MC is worried about traffic, a schedule, and entertaining the customers.

the average tax payer is also not paying taxes on 4 million dollars.
 

Keith_J

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Corporations are not entitled to the same access to public domain facilities? Guess we should ban corporate vehicles from public roads too.
 

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

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Being a part of the tourism industry the DUWK operators probably also pay a hefty TOURIST ATTRACTION tax that the municipality has calculated to include a "FEE" for the use of the boat ramp(s).

Sounds to me like we have A LOT of guns going off half-cocked in this discussion both in the local media AND within this thread. Let's allow cooler heads to prevail and be spectators rather than agitators.

Carry on.
 
Last edited:

mkcoen

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the average tax payer is also not paying taxes on 4 million dollars.
Corporations are not entitled to the same access to public domain facilities? Guess we should ban corporate vehicles from public roads too.
I'm willing to bet they didn't pay taxes on $4,000,000. That's what "business deductions" are for.

And just like certain streets can be restricted so "corporations" driving 18 wheelers or other large trucks aren't allowed to use them I imagine boat ramps could be restricted for the same reasons.

Just because someone pays taxes doesn't mean they get Carte Blanche to do whatever. There are reasonable restrictions on many things in life and this appears to be one of those areas where public safety may outweigh corporate rights. Especially when there are reasonable (meaning the ability to lease a commercial ramp) access points for them.
 

saddamsnightmare

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September 26th, 2015.


God Bless the people involved in this accident. The DUKW is derived from the WWII machine, probably much rebuilt. I would not have expected a tire blow out to set the wheel and knuckle end of the axle off the truck. I suspect there may have been a bearing failure involved also, which if catastrophic enough, it could blow the tire and separate the hub from the rest of the axle. I know there are many on here who do not believe that accidents like this could affect our hobby, but I believe that sooner or later you will see one occur that will cause demil codes to change, and taxes and inspections increase enough to make the ownership of these vehicles unprofitable.

Again, I pray for the dead and the injured, and I suspect that there will be quite an investigation of this one, and the lawyers are probably already gearing up.
 
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