Originally Posted by Tigeman

So a few months ago OK passed our new BUI law. We had always been .1 on the water and .08 on the road. I have zero problem with boating regulations being on par with vehicle limits. While I may not like the .08 opposed to the .1, I see the merits and won't raise hell about it. That said it's what they snuck in with the law that's totally F'd up!

You can now receive a BUI even if anchored. So if your in a house boat, or a boat w/ a cabin and planning on staying the night you can receive a BUI. If your anchored up, and playing hanky panky w/ the misses down below, and your both liquored up.... yep BUI. In addition, your passengers can now receive one as well. The passenger stipulation was wrote to keep people from saying, well, I'm not driving, he is....then that guy saying no, he is. Etc. etc. But it's so open ended that if you get a prick lake patrol (and we all know that guy).... then even your passengers are screwed.

Well the anchored up provision got a friend of mine this weekend. We were anchored up in a cove at Grand this weekend on a houseboat. We had been there since Friday and had 2 other boats tied up for runabout purposes. Well sat afternoon water patrol came up and tells us he's coming aboard for a safety check. Everything is good there but he asks the capt of the houseboat to submit to a sobriety test. Of course he says what for? We're not driving and we're anchored up and inside not outside. He says that doesn't matter now. Doc refuses and patrolman tells him he's under arrest for suspicion of BUI. So I began to question the patrolman about the validity since we're anchored and obviously staying the night there. His backup who recently arrived tells me to sit "my ass down" and shut up before I get a BUI too. Of course I'm kind of offended as my boats tied up outside and I'm going nowhere. I mention that, he tells us it no longer matters. So I sit down and shut up while we try and keep the kids calm as they're crying as dad gets hauled off for drinking a few beers on his "residence" for the weekend. I had seen the details of this law a while back and tried to fight it, but none of our legislators would fight it for fear of the backlash. I never thought the lake patrol here would push the passenger and anchored up issues, as most the guys I've met are pretty cool. Well apparently I was wrong.

The same person who wrote this legislation is now pushing through a 55mph speed limit on all state lakes. So batten down the hatches boys, as there's a **** storm coming our way!

Originally Posted by 88Fount33

So you are sitting on the patio of your house on a Saturday you did NOT take the boat out of the slip, having a few afternoon adult beverages. You remember that your good sunglasses are in the cabin of the boat, which is locked. The key to the cabin is on the same ring as the ignition key so you grab your keys and step on your boat to get your glasses. BUSTED

Or, your nice sunglasses were left in your car in the driveway, you go to get them (you always keep the car locked), the cop cruising by your house stops and demands a breath test, you fail. Double Busted.

You can't prove you WEREN'T going to take the boat out or drive the car. It probably won't hold up in COURT but would you risk facing the judge WITHOUT a Lawyer Present? It's OK, Lawyers work for free don't they?

Originally Posted by anewway

I had a good friend in SC get arrested for DUI while sitting in his house. He was home watching TV, and a cop knocked on his door, asked him name, asked if that was his vehicle in the driveway, and asked him to step outside. Being a trusting guy, he did so, and once outside, the cop arrested him for suspicion of drunk driving. Someone had reported his vehicle operating in a suspicious manner and called the cops.

So he's sitting in his living room watching football and ends up in jail.

He eventually got the case tossed, but obviously there was a huge hassle and expense involved in doing so.

Originally Posted by anewway

I had a good friend in SC get arrested for DUI while sitting in his house. He was home watching TV, and a cop knocked on his door, asked him name, asked if that was his vehicle in the driveway, and asked him to step outside. Being a trusting guy, he did so, and once outside, the cop arrested him for suspicion of drunk driving. Someone had reported his vehicle operating in a suspicious manner and called the cops.

So he's sitting in his living room watching football and ends up in jail.

He eventually got the case tossed, but obviously there was a huge hassle and expense involved in doing so.

Originally Posted by scarab63

Sounds like a whole different game. He may have been on a beer run or something earlier? The cop definitely had a reason to investigate. I've never heard of random couch sobriety check points!!! That situation sounds a bit fishy, and not in your buddy's favor.
The houseboat bui, the cop saw and heard. Then approaches, still random. But he knew he'd bag someone.

Originally Posted by Fountain4402

Im sure he was drunk driving before that. And if multiple people call in with that plate and they come to your house, that doesnt get you off the hook because your on the house.