Your state could be next!!!
#72
Registered
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't know about anybody else but I come to the conclusion that Oklahoma sucks....at least boating wise.
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!
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!
#73
#74
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
you bring up some good points. And I dont think the at anchor thing is going to be the norm as much as discretion for officers to use. Im thinking its more of a way for people to not get away with oh im parked so you cant get me. Its the samething with a car thats parked if keys are in the ignition you have intent to drive. And 98% of people pulled up in a party cove arent staying the night.
Me personally if I was cop I would just sit from a far and watch with binoculars, and only intervene in a crisis. Or I would wait till people leave to go home then hammer them on their way out.
Me personally if I was cop I would just sit from a far and watch with binoculars, and only intervene in a crisis. Or I would wait till people leave to go home then hammer them on their way out.
#75
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma / GLOC
Posts: 3,376
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OKC has nothing on Tulsa and we have E-Dock.
I lived in NJ for a couple years and me and family couldn't get back to Oklahoma fast enough.
#76
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma / GLOC
Posts: 3,376
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On behalf of Oklahoma, stay in NY and your 3 month boating season and thanks for leaving.
#78
Registered
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Grand Lake (E-Dock Junior Varsity)
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
All I can say is that on Memorial Day Weekend I was in Dripping at about 12 noon and got 100% harassed by a new GRDA guy.
He clearly had it out for me. He caused a complete scene in the middle of the cove, followed me around, caused a scene again... then he really got the attitude and threatened to take me to jail for not following 'A DIRECT ORDER'. Had it not been for my girlfriend being on the boat and freaking out, I would have let his punk ass take me to jail. Trust me, based on this guy's behavior... he WILL try to bust YOU at the lake this summer. Dark skinned younger guy.. was driving a Baja on the day of my incident.
I also had another older GRDA guy come to the boat next to us the day before, and ask a middle aged woman what was in her cup. She had her head screwed on a lot better than me and said 'Lemonade'.. I would have spouted right off and said 'RBV... DUH!'
They are trying to encroach on our fun. Watch yourselves.
I have been looking into how and where to file direct complaints against stuff like this. I told a friend that in some ways I understand, because if I was the officer, I would hate someone like me too... but the problem was that I was acting completely in good faith of the law. He wanted to try to cause a scene and ruin my day.. but I wansn't going to let him win.
He was more concerned about me sticking my damn 2014 sticker IMMEDIATELY on my boat.. not about the 30 boats full of underage kids next to me bonging beers, smoking weed and whatever else. Lets screw with the guy with the big boat, totally behaving, and being totally polite and cordial...
He clearly had it out for me. He caused a complete scene in the middle of the cove, followed me around, caused a scene again... then he really got the attitude and threatened to take me to jail for not following 'A DIRECT ORDER'. Had it not been for my girlfriend being on the boat and freaking out, I would have let his punk ass take me to jail. Trust me, based on this guy's behavior... he WILL try to bust YOU at the lake this summer. Dark skinned younger guy.. was driving a Baja on the day of my incident.
I also had another older GRDA guy come to the boat next to us the day before, and ask a middle aged woman what was in her cup. She had her head screwed on a lot better than me and said 'Lemonade'.. I would have spouted right off and said 'RBV... DUH!'
They are trying to encroach on our fun. Watch yourselves.
I have been looking into how and where to file direct complaints against stuff like this. I told a friend that in some ways I understand, because if I was the officer, I would hate someone like me too... but the problem was that I was acting completely in good faith of the law. He wanted to try to cause a scene and ruin my day.. but I wansn't going to let him win.
He was more concerned about me sticking my damn 2014 sticker IMMEDIATELY on my boat.. not about the 30 boats full of underage kids next to me bonging beers, smoking weed and whatever else. Lets screw with the guy with the big boat, totally behaving, and being totally polite and cordial...
#79
Registered
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Grand Lake (E-Dock Junior Varsity)
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Ya, how about the pontoon boat half sunk with 25 KIDS on it, two kegs and weed smoke bellowing out of it.. Parked 5 boats down from you and they come and harass the guy with the pristine cruiser and 4 passengers..
#80
Registered
Here in Arkansas, we have LOTS of water patrol. I know several, and as long as you are not acting a fool, or falling down drunk, they will leave you alone. I'm sure there are some over zealous ones, but I haven't met him yet.....