Tip of the Week: If you feel uncomfortable signing something, DON’T SIGN IT!

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June 21, 2014- By Steven E. Greer

I went to the boat anchor spot by Pier 25 to meet a small business calling themselves “Smartboat”. They give people tours of the harbor.

The Pier 25 boat situation is less than ideal. The geniuses at the Hudson River Park never built proper docks, so most boats have to anchor out in the middle of the water, then a very inconvenient, diesel fumes belching, small boat run by Liberty Landing in New Jersey takes the people out to their boats.

The Smartboat people showed up an hour late. I met them on Pier 25, then we headed out to their Smartboat.

Once we got to their boat, I was ambushed and asked to sign an outrageous legal waiver stating that I had been fully educated on the risks of boating and that I could never ever sue them if a problem occurred (and yes, a contract made under such conditions would be tossed out in court).

Of course, not a word of “education” on boating risks and safety was ever uttered by them. There were no life jackets anywhere to be seen, nor offered.

I was also never shown any form of “Captain” license. The “Captain”stated that he used to work for North Cove Marina last year and left. He seemed to be about 20-years old.

I thought to myself how they should have done this on land, and that this was not a coincidence that they present the waivers once their captive hostages are in the middle of the water and the peer pressure is on.

I almost capitulated and signed, but decided to politely decline. We waited a long time, and the crappy Liberty Landing boat took us back to shore.

The Smartboat people had the nerve to ask when they could see my story on them. Well, here it is buddies.

The sad fact is that 99% of the population will stupidly sign important legal waivers without reading them, and without comprehending them. Never do this.

A good rule to live by is this: If you feel uncomfortable and pressured signing anything, then back away immediately. No reputable business transaction should ever make you feel pressured.

By the way, this so called Smartboat is just a homemade piece of junk they call “Smart” to get suckers on board. They think it is a “green” boat because it uses a gasoline engine, not a diesel engine.