Sweden got an absolutely unique law in the world. (click here for examples of fines)
The Swedish politicians says (sailing)-boats (even moored)
are just as dangerous as moving cars when being "drunk" at 0,2BAC. ! Not a joke !
Late century 1700 Gustav the III had coffee-spies. He believed coffee was a dangerous drug.
Approx 230 years later, Swedish government created lager-spies. On exactly the same basis. Nothing.
Confirmed in writing from the general-director of the Swedish Transportation-departement.
Summer 2010 Swedish politicians launched a new sealaw regarding alcohol intoxication, 0,2BAC (zero-tolerance)
for boats over 10meter and/or capable of 15knots and up. Even if moored. You can have alcohol on board
but not touch it if performing any kind of sea-security-duties.
This incl. creating waypoints for tomorrows route and such, checking mooring etc.
Politicians mantra: boats and alcohol do not mix.
The law then was written extremely hard without any impact-thinking on life at sea, or experience.
Zero-tolerance should be supplement, a rule, to an existing law where police and coastguard could without a suspicion stop and control
the boatdriver and passengers,helping for example with mooring, navigation etc.
For to uphold this law, seapolice was doubled and the Swedish Coastguard (SC) became a police-hybrid, according to the police.
One person was controlled 3 times on a week. Gave up, sold the boat. Ads in papers "sell boat because the new sealaw".
The actors who strongly wanted this law was:
IOGT (free the world from alcohol) and MADD (Mothers of Drunk Driving) and Swedish Coastguard. (SC)
IOGT and MADD is understandable, SC´s purpose was justifaction of existance.
SC costs taxpayers hughe amounts. In return nothing. Occasionally some oilspills, one or two unlegal lobstertraps.
SC was recently on TV "Mission Review/ Uppdrag Granskning" where SC admitted that they do not always know what they are doing.
A hughe oilspill they ignored thus several warnings from danish coastguard.. Ended up on our coast.
Before this law was approved it was out for referalls, IOGT, MADD, Police, Courts.
Police and Courts condemned the law totally. Police: " To many shortcomings/deficiencies".
Courts: "This is only a non-alcohol-political restriction, has no ground in scientific studies"
Many more critized the law very strong. The politicans waved this away. It did not suit their purposes:
1. By new-criminalize a minority, the majority, little aware of life at sea, and applying the same strict law as for cars,
they would become popular at the majority.
2. IOGT has strong influence on the politicians.
3. SC did get something to do for all taxpayersmoney, new-criminalizing people.
4. By fining totally innocent common people the rotten crime-statistics would be polished up. This is called "pick sticks",
meaning every day a policeman (most likely also the Coastguard) must at the end of his shift report an amount of
"sticks" pre-determent by his/her officers.
Wherever the common man has earned the fined has nothing to do with the fines, this is about fine-qoutes only, so polis and SC here "invent" minor crimes so they can "pick sticks" .
The Policemagazine has written an article that the more "sticks" and alcoholchecks, the more salory to expect.
This leaves the field pretty much open for the real criminals.
A professor in crime, Leif GW Persson predicted 2008. 
"For once everything is so simple that everything will be worse and worse all the time and in a few years we will be in a situation when the police will not
whatsoever solve any crime reported of the average citziens they are expected to protect.
This with exception for their efforts against simple traffic-crimes and such to pretense that they are doing something.
Check thousand drivers who had one brew to much for lunch. And the struggle against crime will go on.
-May God save the country"
Boat-owners in Sweden is very upset over this law.
2 professors, whereof one in maritime law wrote a devostating article against the law, called
"A law without legitimacy".
They have studied 400 sentences from 1994 to 2011.
Not surprising there where none below 1BAC where the previous law was effective.
Since the accidents are so rare, they are not measureable, and can therefore not be evaluated,
but a good estimation over all those years how many went injured or died is 20-30.
Our politicans. In a government document (CU13) they said that "alcohol at sea is a hughe problem" .
This was and is still is not the truth. Statisticts and facts shows that the size of the problem is 0,000x%.
In a mail from the General Director of the Swedish Transportationdepartment (ST),
he writes that the politicans has no documents whatsoever saying that alcohol at sea is a big problem.
It is actually the opposite. Boatlife in Sweden is very very safe says ST .
When confronting the politicans with this, they refuse to comment.
The politicans invented that alcohol at sea is a hughe problem, so do not think that we Swedes are alcoholics just because
we have a boat 10meter or capable of +15knots.
Statistics shows that the accidents occurs in small lakes, with boats below 10meter/15knots.
Finland has identical statistics, but choosed not to change the law. 1BAC remains. Finland says:"unecessary to create new criminals".
Politicans are fully aware of all this, still claiming that the law is for higher maritime safetyness. Another lie. Swedish Life-rescue-society says:
-The politicans started in the wrong end. Lifejackets saves much more lifes. If you are drunk, falls over board, you will still float!".
The storm against the law is enormous. First sea-police said the law is a perfect instrument for them when the
law was a fact summer 2010.
They said the opposite earlier, * "The law has to many shortcomings/deficiencies",
when they where asked to leave their judgement on the law before the law was a fact.
SC who now is armoured as they where dealing with Somalian pirates are now called :
Archipelago-ticket-writers / for us who did not make it to become real cops / KGB / STASI.
There is a sajt selling T-shirts with these motifs on.
SC is now desperate to defend the law. Since noone defending the law can finger out any source or anything
that can legitimate the law, they defend it with pure nonsens:
1. Cars and boats is the same thing. 2. Alcohol and boats does not mix.
For saying the boats and cars are equal the media idiot-declared the politicians.
Alcohol and boats do not mix. Well, here is where the most weird part comes in.
The boats that occurs in accidents the politicians did not include in the law. Next, the law only adresses boats over 10meter/15knots.
If boats and cars are the same, how come there is no need for a boat-driver-license, or road-vehicles going slow or below a certain length should then be OK
to drive without a license, or..how come a canoe kan paddle in a channel / waterway with up to 1BAC, but you can not ride a bike even sober on a highway?
Alcohol and boats do not mix, when it suits the politicians,
and how come no other country in the world has this surrealistic comparison except Sweden?
Could it be because they travel in 2 total different elements, water and earth?
It is like saying a submarine and airplane is the same..
SC in media tries heavily to defend themselves and this taliban-law. Not an easy task since they have nothing to lean on, statisticly.
All statistics, media etc says in unision: "this law only new-criminalize common people for a non-existing problem.". So true.
SC generaldirector Judith Melin in an article trying to desperate defend the law.She defends the law with
"I live in the country-side", and then compares her personal living situation on land with the sea.
She mentiones not any legitimate reasons. That leaves room for free interpretation.
A large evening newspaper (Expressen) and a politician Anti Avsan has wrote that this
unique sealaw purpose is for fostering people.
She says : "We do not want to snag anyone". (snag= haffa in swedish)
This is odd..SC really wanted the law and trumpetes out it is a very good law, "we snag so many now"
SC and police 2010 performed 2.700 alcoholtests.. They cought very few. The reason? Boatowners fled the sea.
Sea-restaurants almost forecloses or on the edge of it.
So SC and Police must show that the law as they have trumpeted out that "is very good" so they then escaled the tests 2011 to 3.200 in hope
to show high number of people snaged..
Again they went disapointed which even our Minister of Justice said "unfortunatly there is very few accidents at sea" on TV.
Judith also says that since she lives on the countryside, she when going to any restaurant has a designated driver. Now this is interesting.
Sweden with many island with people living there permanent can not always have a designated driver or call a cab for several reasons.
Defending the law from her own personal situation on land over several hundredthousands of boatowners is ruthlessly, but shows clearly the lack of legitimate causes.
Does this look like a social visit? This is the "welcome" you can expect.
Arvid Tedvik from SC harasses an danish sailing-guest in a harbor. Foto Johan Presson
The SC ask the Danish sailor "have you consumed any alcohol today"? More petronizing than that is hard to find and that is what the two professors in the article " a law without legitimacy" among other things writes.
This is a typical scene. They snag people whos is no danger to anyone, only because what they had to their lunch
who has thier skipper-license and floatjackets on. Long sailing guest cab sail over the world, but when enterenting the Swedish waters their responsibilty and own judgement are taken away from them, treated as childs but capable to sail everywhere.
If you had read this so far, you must think this a a joke. Sadly not, and it is now it gets worse.
Here is another scene going hand in hand with the law. Behind you can se the patrolboat. Alcohol-test when having supper onboard? 
This law is written so that anyone onboard "who is conducting sea-security duties" will be snaged.
This includes: Making waypoints for tomorrows route on the plotter, re-arrange moorings for windchange, docking, helping on/off the boat, even helping people on/off boat. Remark, this do include sailboats !
The engine does not even had to be engaged. The mooorings can be safely in the dock, but a glass of wine to the fresh shrimps, checking your sails you are then a criminal! ! Source: Prof i maritime laws, Hugo Tiberg .
Crime rates are extremely high here in Sweden, almost a murder every day. Burglery/house-break-in is only investigated with 1%.
In UK 16%. More than 50% of the murderers are never caught. Police says they have no resources.
Will shall before we with pictures visualize this "no resources" tell you about the case "Anders":
- Anders had been with his RIB to repair the engine but could not fix it.
As the boat was exposed to the sea and wind, he moved the 100 m with an engine malfunction which meant that the boat could only go a few knots.
A police patrol stopped him and found, not that anyone noticed odor or behavior,
but he had to blow and was above the threshold 0.2.
That the boat did not go over 3 knots was totally ignored.
Evidence on the police boat did not work;
so they called in a police car with 2 men from Strömstad 3 mil away.(30km)
Then with boatpolice F, Anders and the two policemen from Strömstad 3 mil for blowing, 3 mil back,
and then 3 mil again for the two who had been all along.
Twelve carmiles (120km), three policemen + Anders to establish 0:28 per thousand.!
The district court did Prof i maritime sealaw Hugo Tiberg got Anders acquitted because his boat could not go faster than a fewknots.
Emergency-situation was not accepted - "He could have asked any one else!"
After the acquittal the police came suddenly on a lot more about how "what happened" and said in a new report
- Anders had before and after test driving the RIB a 6 km back and forth to his home with 3 passengers
he had no problem driving to the location, etc. The appeal to the Court of Appeal. Before the Court of Appeals:
Police F heard no errors in the RIB.
The boat must have been able to run up to normal speed well over 15 knots on Anders wanted!
The Court of Appeal: Is no reason distrust the police data. Convicted in court of appeals.
Next case is in Smögen where a person got fined/nailed without even has his engine started. Slightly over 0,2.
Fines? Highest yet is 90.000SEK approx € 9.100. Fines are extremely high since "boat and cars " is the same, meaning just as dangerous.
A moored sailingboat just as dangerous as a car meeting another car with just a few meter between them doing 100km/hour? Insane. Sweden today.
Lets round up with some fantastic inviting pictures of Sweden,
how we treat boat-owners.
And showing "the lack of resources to handle heavy crimes" !
This is "popular" picture on the internet. Called "Water-Rambo" in action.
Counting todays "harvest".
"Searching for someone who had a beer to lunch"
here is a great "proof" how short police are of resources.
This is Lasse, a firefighter who was caught in a fire.
Coastguard, "who does not want to snag anyone", caught Lasse in Fjällbacka harbor summer 2010.
0,23 BAC! There will be 40 days fine-penalty .
A firefighter without responsibility and not own judgement? Hardly. This shows the insanity of the law.
We do not want to snag anyone"..says Judith.
we do not want to snag anyone, right Judith...
Below is Malmo´s "strong political man" Illmar Reepalu.
"Youthgangs have made the street to their own territory"
Drugs is sold in front of his eyes in daylight. He says in the article. " It is a shame that the unmarkt police can not stop this"
This is Sweden today, but we can "foster" sailors, domestic as foreigns, to stick to non-alcoholic beverages to their meals with massive controls, on their vacation...Swedens way off dealing with heavy crimes. The Prof. in criminal, Leif GW Persson saw what was about to happend and did happend.
For a few years ago a famous reporter at our largest evening-newspapers wrote a book.
"Sweden, a closed detention country".
A book written of a famous reporter at our largest evenening newspaper Expressen.
Sweden is trying to create the perfect citizen. That makes Sweden to one of the most intolerant country.
A couple of hundred new laws is born each year and people are obeying them we already have lesser.
Sweden has 1,4 million reported crimes per year and approx 9million citizens.
Of these 1,4 reported crimes only 216.500 led to prosecutions.
The police (constantly trumpeting over lack of resouces) cleares up only 3 crimes per employeed per year.
Housebreakins has expanded with 17%. Only 1% goes to further investigation. In UK 16%
Drugs are sold open on the streets in daylight. Kids in school at their breaks smokes hasch. That has escalated with 58%.
And what do our politicans do about it? This:
That swedish law-enforcements can treat harmless regular innocent people like this is a shame against better judgement.
They dance after politicans pipes without questioning for some pocketchange every 25th every month and for a uniform.
Like a bear at the circus.
A very frightening thing is that police and SC-"uniforms" are fully aware how critized this law is. They know it is made upon false words from the very beginning from our politicans, (a brain-ghost), they know the law shoots way over the target and only lead to new-criminilazation of the common man on their vacation. The law is condemned by courts etc, but still they chase boatowners all they can.
2010. 2.700 controls. 2011. 3.200 controls. There is only one answer. They get bonuses for nailing familys on the sea for nothing. The proof is here (in swedish) "The more alcotests, the higher pay". Policemagazine.
Swedish people have abandoned the sea. After 20.00 the sea is empty. A curfew (utegångsförbud in swedish) would have the same effect.
So who am I writing all this.
I am closer to 60. My first grandchild was born 2011. An average citizen, no criminal record, live in a better suburban.
I am not a DonQioute fighting the system. I write this because I see where Sweden is going and I do not want my
coming generations to grow up in a totally sterilized country,, with laws in every detail forces you to total obeyness everywhere.
Do I favor alcohol? Not at all! Not in any aspect! My both parents where severe alcoholics.
I have seen what alcohol can do. But that does not give anyone the rights to create laws not based on scientific grounds such as in this case.
This law is based upon a lie has only one purpose. New-criminlaze the common citizen. That is what I do not accept.
It undermines democracy.
if you still plan to visit Sweden, avoid the sea after 20.00, avoid all fantastic sea-restaurants, that is where our law-enforcements mostly patrols. Remember they will fine everyone onboard that has a glas of wine or beer inside the lifejacket performing "sea-security-tasks"
Which is basicly everything, incl helping people on/off boat. Fines are very very high for this "dangerous crime" and this law will steal your vacation-money, guaranteed.
When I first read that she does not want to nail/fine people, I tought "that is not true".
I still do. Why? Police, Coastguard, politicans has recieved thousands of protest. Not in one case they have disputed the facts.
Judith refuses to publish their statistics. There is something rotten in the State of Sweden.
Please help us get rid of this insane-law, email the politcians your opinion. Here are all e-mail-adresses.
Feel free to write any kind of comment.
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