Baja Poker Run

[Outlaw]

Originally Posted by Jan

I just have to jump in here and say that you pro-performance boat posters (not just you Outlaw) really hurt your case by being so rude, insulting and arrogant. I can only assume that your attitude on this forum is also present when you're on the water and that scares me.

Not rudeness - just the facts. Like our law enforcement folks say and a quote I've read hundreds of times on this forum "ignorance of the law is no excuse". Whether you are unaware of a law or whether you choose to ignore the law (and this I believe goes both ways - meaning the person breaking it and the person observing the one breaking it) this is no excuse.

Same as when you are in a motor vehicle and you see a dangerous driver or an accident, it is within your civil rights, duties, responsibilities etc. to report this.

It's simple - if just one person stopped complaining and took action others would follow. It does no good to complain, the problem will usually still exist. In order to address the problem and find solutions to it a person needs to take action. Every action means something and DOES count.

How about instead of pointing out on this forum ever time someone has an encounter with another boater that may be a violation rather than post a complaint about it we call marine patrol and give then whatever distinctive marks / characteristics etc. (possibly the bow numbers if you are able to get them which is a very difficult thing to do without jeopardizing yourself). I know there aren't enough of these guys on the lake, but if the boating community starts to put greater demand on them for more presence this may create the action we need.

In closing, I never did say I was a pro or con performance boater. I am however a PRO safe boater and encourage everyone to be the same.

[scott hughes]

I agree with outlaw people know the laws if they don,t choose to follow them then its up to the rest of the boating people to call the mp and let them handle it.and no i,m not a pro preformance boater i own a pontoon boat

[The Big Kahuna]

Let the Marine Patrol handle it? That is a joke! I own a Baja, NO I DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE POKER RUN.
I was recently stopped by the Marine Patrol for the 150" rule, but I was 200 ft. from the only boat around. They are enforcing rules that have not even been broken because of the stuid hesteria being caused. It is lawless and unconstitutional the way they are patroling the lake.
They are stopping boats without proable cause and the officers are babies, all around 20 years old with little to no practical boating or law-enforcement experience. They need to do some real policing and go after the boats causing the problems, not just the power boats that are an easy target.

[Outlaw]

Originally Posted by The Big Kahuna

Let the Marine Patrol handle it? That is a joke! I own a Baja, NO I DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE POKER RUN.
I was recently stopped by the Marine Patrol for the 150" rule, but I was 200 ft. from the only boat around. They are enforcing rules that have not even been broken because of the stuid hesteria being caused. It is lawless and unconstitutional the way they are patroling the lake.
They are stopping boats without proable cause and the officers are babies, all around 20 years old with little to no practical boating or law-enforcement experience. They need to do some real policing and go after the boats causing the problems, not just the power boats that are an easy target.

You do have the right to contest any ticket you receive on water or land if you feel you were not in the wrong and especailly if you feel you were stopped without cause. So if you feel MP did not have probable cause or were wrong in their assessment contest the written ticket (if they gave you one). If it were only a warning - visit the MP and talk to the officer on duty about your concerns.

Unfortunatley the state does not allocate a HUGE amount of funds to MP so the pay is low and this isn't a real attration for many people that need to support a family and such, so it's no suprise the younger generation fill many of the positions, but to their credit, this is a start (i.e. experience) in the law enforcement arena.

I couldn't agree with you more when you say "stuid hesteria being caused", and this forum is a place where some (repeat - some) of it is caused. And you know as well as I do that MP are logged on to this forum.

Again today I notice a common thread in peoples messages - people will without hesitation complain and accuse MP, boaters, the lake, ....... but when it comes to taking action to do something about it to ensure that it doesn't happen to them again or others - I'm not reading or hearing anything. Come on folks lets get on the stick and be proactive and get the things we want and need and if that's better policing of the lake - it can be done.