About 10 years ago we had the opportunity to use a friends Jet Skis so two of my sons jumped on one and I took off on the other for a spirited romp around the lake. We raced across the lake neck and neck, as we approached a sail boat I went left and the boys went right. Once past the boat we both came back together. Then, WHAM, we collided with each other. It all happened so quick. I was thrown clear and when I came to the surface I looked around for the boys. They had tipped and we scrambling back aboard. Their craft had a crack in the front cowl and mine was still upside down. I was still a little disoriented and hadn't yet decided if I was OK. As I righted my craft and re-boarded I could see the mark where the boys had hit my Jet Ski, it was barely an inch from where my leg had been!

Somehow we had collided at 40 mph and both been dumped into the water and everyone was still in one-piece. That was the last time I operated a Jet Ski. I realized how fortunate we were and chalked it up to a very cheap but extremely valuable lesson for us all. These machines are too powerful, go too fast and are deceptively easy to operate. They are not children's toys.

In the past 10 years almost every other near miss I have witnessed has involved someone with a Jet Ski. Please, require all Jet Ski opertors at your house to take the Nebraska Safe Boating course, at least they will understand the rules of operation and safety on the water.