Weekend Craziness

[Joeprunc]

I decided to get away from everyone this weekend and go wheeling up in the mountains...Wait there is NO way to get away from everyone here!

Driving out to the trail head we drove by Donner Lake...holy crap were there a ton of people, boats, cars, people, people, and more boats. There is no way I would have ever desired to be on any lake with even a tenth of the number of boats I saw.

We ended up wheeling up the hills there, hiked to a lake saw five other groups of people after we left the pavement. Found a great spot to watch the Donner Fireworks from our trucks, then headed down to the GFs house. Batteries craped out on the camera sorry no picts . But I assure you there was lots of skin at Donner Lake .

[turbonine]

We got a ticket last night for riding after sunset. The sheriff said it was for our own personal safety. To be honest it is safer to ride at midnight than noon on the lakes here in AZ. He said we should check what time sunset is before we head out to the lake so we know when to stop riding.

Sunset was at 7:42PM(doesn't actually get dark till 8:15). After the 15 minute lecture, the unecessary breathalizer and safety check, he wrote the ticket out for 7:52PM. Little bit of a subjective area here.

This sheriff was the most arrogant pr!ck I had ever run into. I can't believe he was such a stickler on this rule, especially since he was talking about the jet skier he jsut pulled over that blew a .22. Funny thing was taht he was braggin about how well he knew this lake and he can cruise it at any speed in the dark. On the way back to the ramp he cruised passed us and came within 10 feet of hitting a hazard bouy. What a tool.

I think there are much bigger concerns to worry about than a boat full of experienced boaters

[dogbert]

In Texas, we can ride for 30 minutes after sunset.

[Joeprunc]

We got a ticket last night for riding after sunset. The sheriff said it was for our own personal safety. To be honest it is safer to ride at midnight than noon on the lakes here in AZ. He said we should check what time sunset is before we head out to the lake so we know when to stop riding.

Sunset was at 7:42PM(doesn't actually get dark till 8:15). After the 15 minute lecture, the unecessary breathalizer and safety check, he wrote the ticket out for 7:52PM. Little bit of a subjective area here.

This sheriff was the most arrogant pr!ck I had ever run into. I can't believe he was such a stickler on this rule, especially since he was talking about the jet skier he jsut pulled over that blew a .22. Funny thing was taht he was braggin about how well he knew this lake and he can cruise it at any speed in the dark. On the way back to the ramp he cruised passed us and came within 10 feet of hitting a hazard bouy. What a tool.

I think there are much bigger concerns to worry about than a boat full of experienced boaters

Wow that is surprising...all the sheriff's I've met on the lake are super nice and always helpful. I've gotten two warnings for riding after sunset in the previous years. Maybe AZ is hurting for $$ just like here in CA. More tickets = more revenue.

[Carter13]

Turbonine,

What was the sheriffs justification for giving you a breathalizer test?

[ragboy]

Our sheriffs are pretty cool at Lake Oroville, and our slip is right behind the 2 sheriffs, so we have gotten to know them. One time we were going to take the waverunners out, and you have to launch them from their floating docks. So RJ was on one, and was rocking back and forth about to launch and the sheriff comes over to him. I am thinking, "Great, he isn't 16, and he is going to give us a ticket". Nope, he grabbed the front and helped RJ launch. We always throw them drinks and stuff, and they never bother us. Since we are out so much, we are pretty well known, and they will even pass us up if someone is on the back or the gunwale. One time, sheriff pulled us over for someone sitting on gunwale, and just said get down due to busy weekend, he had to do it, but normally would leave us alone. They know we don't drink, and are out there as a family, so far been very cool.

We have been known to do a bit of night riding ourselves.

[turbonine]

Wow that is surprising...all the sheriff's I've met on the lake are super nice and always helpful. I've gotten two warnings for riding after sunset in the previous years. Maybe AZ is hurting for $$ just like here in CA. More tickets = more revenue.

Maricopa County Sheriff Office is in a huge budget crisis.

It seemed like he was just being a jerk about the situation because his partner didn't harldy say a word and just held our boat with the look of "this is ridiculous" on his face. I've been pulled over by this other guy twice for small things and he jsut said this is what I pulle you over for, try not to do it again, have a nice day.

Turbonine,

What was the sheriffs justification for giving you a breathalizer test?

He said he could smell alcohol, but there wasn't one open container on the boat and none of us had been drinking. He kept going on aobut how he has been doing this a long time. The jerk couldn't have been over 25. Regardless none of us where near the .08 limit.

The other funny thing was that he was trying to convince us that the space between the drivers seat and the seat directly behind it was intentionally made by all boat manufactuers as a place to store your throwable floatation device.

[evil0ne]

Went out Sunday around noon. Saw about 5 other boats on the completely glass water just south of Echo. Tough day...

[evil0ne]

Turbonine,

What was the sheriffs justification for giving you a breathalizer test?

Short answer, they don't need one.

[fleetpaint]

We got a ticket last night for riding after sunset. The sheriff said it was for our own personal safety. To be honest it is safer to ride at midnight than noon on the lakes here in AZ. He said we should check what time sunset is before we head out to the lake so we know when to stop riding.

Sunset was at 7:42PM(doesn't actually get dark till 8:15). After the 15 minute lecture, the unecessary breathalizer and safety check, he wrote the ticket out for 7:52PM. Little bit of a subjective area here.

This sheriff was the most arrogant pr!ck I had ever run into. I can't believe he was such a stickler on this rule, especially since he was talking about the jet skier he jsut pulled over that blew a .22. Funny thing was taht he was braggin about how well he knew this lake and he can cruise it at any speed in the dark. On the way back to the ramp he cruised passed us and came within 10 feet of hitting a hazard bouy. What a tool.

I think there are much bigger concerns to worry about than a boat full of experienced boaters

what lake?

[Jason B]

Short answer, they don't need one.

They certainly do! This is the US of A baby, we have a constitution that protects us from illegal search and seizure as well as harassment.

Good luck getting them to admit they were f.o.s. with thier reasoning and good luck fighting the "I smelled alchohol on his breath" fight! Not likely you're gonna win that one unless you were to all blow a 0. Then, is it really worth fighting anything in court like that??????

[Memphis]

Our sheriffs are pretty cool at Lake Oroville, and our slip is right behind the 2 sheriffs, so we have gotten to know them. One time we were going to take the waverunners out, and you have to launch them from their floating docks. So RJ was on one, and was rocking back and forth about to launch and the sheriff comes over to him. I am thinking, "Great, he isn't 16, and he is going to give us a ticket". Nope, he grabbed the front and helped RJ launch. We always throw them drinks and stuff, and they never bother us. Since we are out so much, we are pretty well known, and they will even pass us up if someone is on the back or the gunwale. One time, sheriff pulled us over for someone sitting on gunwale, and just said get down due to busy weekend, he had to do it, but normally would leave us alone. They know we don't drink, and are out there as a family, so far been very cool.

We have been known to do a bit of night riding ourselves.

same where we go, the TWRA keep their boat 3 slips down, it's a small town on the TN river, so our boat somewhat sticks out haha, and over the past couple months have gotten to know them...they stopped us a few weeks ago just to let us know the dangers of wakesurfing and let us go on our way...we make sure to always chat them up at the marina and wave (exessively?) when we see them out. no hassles here

[zad0030]

After reading all of this, all I have to say is...

























Man, private lakes are great!!!

[turbonine]

what lake?

Bartlett, but the deputy kept saying how he came from Pleasant. I hope he goes back there.

Man, private lakes are great!!!

Please don't rub it in.

[dogbert]

I got stopped (actually I was anchored). They were very nice. They basically give us a safety check. Since we had been drinking, they did lecture us on drinking and driving. But, we did have designated drivers, so they were pretty cool about it. I feel bad for them because they must have to deal with real idiots. I'm always very nice, even when they come in with an enormous wake (these guys didn't).

Last year, I had one practically swamp my boat just to ask me if I was ok. I ended up falling off my swim platform as I was helping adjust a binding on my son's wakeboard as he was putting it on. I almost said "I was ok until you came along" But I didn't. The water all drained out of the boat, but it is annoying when they don't know how to drive.