Guys, I know this isnt really "general", but I knew people would see this here. I need some help guys, so anything would be appreciated. I love this sport too much to sell the board off now.
[ALSO POSTED ON WAKEWORLD]
We took our Tige Switch V out tonight, on a State lake in Missouri. My dad was learning to surf for the first time on a Broadcast 4'9. I am an intermediate level surfer, and can do a few tricks. After surfing for about 5 minutes, we were promptly stopped by a water patrol officer.
He actually turned his lights on. I informed the driver (a good buddy of mine, completely competent. He had already seen the officer, and cut the gas.). I signalled cut to my dad, who was confused at what was going on, and ended up surfing by the left side of our boat, grabbing the gunwale before he settled off in the water, after the driver cut the gas. It was his FIRST wakesurf run ever, so he had no idea.
This is how the conversation went:
Officer: "License and registration....(blah blah blah).
Officer: "Let me tell you why I pulled you over. I am issuing you a citation for being WAY too close to the back of the boat. I observed you boarding too close, and actually saw you touch the back of the boat."
(After a bit of settling down)
Officer: "When you wake surf, you need to be at least 12-14 ft back, at the end of the rope. "
Us: "Officer, we are confused, as all of the instructionals said that we had to ride closer to the boat. We were mainting a safe distance according to the video instruction we had."
[we knew who was right. at this point, we were trying to avoid a ticket.]
Officer: "Well, I can see how you think that, but you were way too close. We watched videos last week at a local shop, which informed us that the rider should be 14 feet back. I don't know how they get the wake that big, they must have some big water bladders, but that is how it should be done. You were way too close"
[dead serious about the water bladders thing.]
Us: "Sir, not to challenge you, but could you please cite the law that we broke, or the legislation that prevents us from being this close on a wakesurf board?"
Officer: "Uh...(stutters)...I am issuing your driver a citation for...not operating with the highest degree of care.[serious about that too] He should have not been dragging a rider so close! You can take this to court and challenge it if you want, or pay the fine."
So, after a bit more talking, we "learned" that every other wakesurfer on the lake was at least 14 feet back, and that he had "NEVER" seen anyone as close as we were. Of course, my dad was back about 5-6 feet from the teak, RIGHT in the curl of the wake, just like every other session I (or anyone I know) has ever taken. Its a damn 20 foot boat, it doesnt throw a freaking head high wake. He left us with a $123 ticket, and a couple words:
Officer: "I don't want you guys to run and hide now ,just because I stopped you."
Us: "Sir, that is exactly what we are going to do. We cannot surf any further back, its not possible."
Officer: "Well, that is how far back you have to be."
Guys, I need help. I don't care about the money, but I want to challenge this in court. I have no court experience, but I KNOW that wakesurfing is NOT illegal in Missouri, and KNOW that justice was totally bent to try to make an example of us. He even told us that we were the first people he gave a ticket to.
Anyone with a similar experience: I am gonna need some help getting a case together. Thanks for your help.
Feel free to email me at Gschmidt1@gmail.com
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[ALSO POSTED ON WAKEWORLD]
We took our Tige Switch V out tonight, on a State lake in Missouri. My dad was learning to surf for the first time on a Broadcast 4'9. I am an intermediate level surfer, and can do a few tricks. After surfing for about 5 minutes, we were promptly stopped by a water patrol officer.
He actually turned his lights on. I informed the driver (a good buddy of mine, completely competent. He had already seen the officer, and cut the gas.). I signalled cut to my dad, who was confused at what was going on, and ended up surfing by the left side of our boat, grabbing the gunwale before he settled off in the water, after the driver cut the gas. It was his FIRST wakesurf run ever, so he had no idea.
This is how the conversation went:
Officer: "License and registration....(blah blah blah).
Officer: "Let me tell you why I pulled you over. I am issuing you a citation for being WAY too close to the back of the boat. I observed you boarding too close, and actually saw you touch the back of the boat."
(After a bit of settling down)
Officer: "When you wake surf, you need to be at least 12-14 ft back, at the end of the rope. "
Us: "Officer, we are confused, as all of the instructionals said that we had to ride closer to the boat. We were mainting a safe distance according to the video instruction we had."
[we knew who was right. at this point, we were trying to avoid a ticket.]
Officer: "Well, I can see how you think that, but you were way too close. We watched videos last week at a local shop, which informed us that the rider should be 14 feet back. I don't know how they get the wake that big, they must have some big water bladders, but that is how it should be done. You were way too close"
[dead serious about the water bladders thing.]
Us: "Sir, not to challenge you, but could you please cite the law that we broke, or the legislation that prevents us from being this close on a wakesurf board?"
Officer: "Uh...(stutters)...I am issuing your driver a citation for...not operating with the highest degree of care.[serious about that too] He should have not been dragging a rider so close! You can take this to court and challenge it if you want, or pay the fine."
So, after a bit more talking, we "learned" that every other wakesurfer on the lake was at least 14 feet back, and that he had "NEVER" seen anyone as close as we were. Of course, my dad was back about 5-6 feet from the teak, RIGHT in the curl of the wake, just like every other session I (or anyone I know) has ever taken. Its a damn 20 foot boat, it doesnt throw a freaking head high wake. He left us with a $123 ticket, and a couple words:
Officer: "I don't want you guys to run and hide now ,just because I stopped you."
Us: "Sir, that is exactly what we are going to do. We cannot surf any further back, its not possible."
Officer: "Well, that is how far back you have to be."
Guys, I need help. I don't care about the money, but I want to challenge this in court. I have no court experience, but I KNOW that wakesurfing is NOT illegal in Missouri, and KNOW that justice was totally bent to try to make an example of us. He even told us that we were the first people he gave a ticket to.
Anyone with a similar experience: I am gonna need some help getting a case together. Thanks for your help.
Feel free to email me at Gschmidt1@gmail.com
Add Your Message Here
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