"Safety Checks"??

[CP3]

I was in oxford at the time. I live in cleveland tho so Ill be looking to hit the river as soon as it come down esp with that jackA$$es I ran into in oxford yesterday

[zad0030]

I was on the lake yesterday. We just got done pulling a wakeboarder and were picking her up when out of no where the DNR officers pulled us over for a "Safety check". First off let me say that we were not doing anything wrong what so ever.

I had no clue that the police could pull you over for no reason and just for a saftey check. To me that is an invasion of my rights

They were not very nice like most officers around. Asked us to all grab our life jackets that we were going to wear, so we all grab them and even pull out my throwable because I know that is coming next. All is good right??? Wrong. Apparently I am not allowed to keep the lifevests in my rear lockers or any locker for that matter. I told the officer I had never heard such a thing. He said that this is a federal lake and it is federal law that you have to have the life jackets out and ready to grab. its not like they were burried in the locker, they were in the top of the locker on top of my ballast sacs

I have never been pulled over for any reason what so ever while on my boat. I have my boaters safety lisence. I never read anywhere that I had to have my life jackets out cluttering up my boat. There were only 5 of us on the boat and it was really annoying having the life jackets laying around in the boat for the rest of the day.
Another birdy also told me that the core here is MS is trying to pass a law that says if you are on a boat you have to wear a life jacket no matter what.

Other than my little run in I had a great day on the lake. rant off. thanks for allowing me to vent. just think somethings are getting a little rediculous

Are cops really allowed to pull me over for no reason and check my boat?
Do I really have to keep my jackets out all the time or is there another solution?

I dont see why they cant as long as they call it a "safety check"

Its the law here that they have to be readily accessible, not stored in lockers. Someone we know got stopped for holding the flag at the wrong times and they just did the safety check while they were there.

[da.bell]

Hey da, where were you? hopefully not Rollins (?)

No, Rollins is okay with animals. It was at Clementine.

[xpjim1]

wish i would have made it past the no wake bouys to have a safety check

[sparky216]

In Oregon the law usually goes up the launch line and safety checks everyone as they are preparing to launch. Then they give you a sticker to attach to the boat to tell future "law" that this boat has been checked. I've been checked one time each year, never been stopped on the water.

*knocking on wood*

[jwanck11]

I had USCG inspect the boat and have a current sticker. Not only do we get a nod of the cap from the law, we also get a break on the insurance.

[Timmy!]

They used to do stickers around here and then someone must've figured out that people might have everything one week but not the next. It sucks getting pulled over but at the same time it's kind of good in a way because hopefully they are weeding out the idiots!

[Guest]

They used to do stickers around here and then someone must've figured out that people might have everything one week but not the next. It sucks getting pulled over but at the same time it's kind of good in a way because hopefully they are weeding out the idiots!

Unfortunately you will never weed out the idiots driving boats any more than the ones who drive cars.

Someone will always be there to pull a boneheaded act.

[CP3]

They used to do stickers around here and then someone must've figured out that people might have everything one week but not the next. It sucks getting pulled over but at the same time it's kind of good in a way because hopefully they are weeding out the idiots!

If only they were weeding out the idiots.....I would have been happily checked in that case.

Unfortunately they didnt do a thing to stop the numerous power turns, the three TUBERSthat cut off my line in some way or fashion causing the water to be come even crappier, and the guy that came in and parked in the middle of my line started fishing and laying out little bouys that I had to go around

Disclaimer: I was on the water before everyone and in the cove before everyone else. Im all for sharing the water.....but....

[mtnsmith]

Safety checks happen here all the time, just something we have to be ready to deal with. Some of the cops are more discretionary than others though. Luckily, and maybe not so, we are one of less than a dozen inboard wakeboats out regularly so they all know and recognize me and know that I know the law and my rights...had a long talk with one of them once and proved him wrong. Thought for sure that would bight me in the arce, but all is good between us. Ultimately they view it as protecting us, but most the time it is a big power trip!

[Studman]

Here in FL the safety check sticker things don't work we get pulled over even with ours. Though we see the same couple of cops on the river so after a few "safety checks" they don't seem to bother us anymore. Though if we go to another river or lake we're getting pulled over for sure. Hmm maybe they don't like the weezy at notch 11

[CP3]

its just weird because after 2 and 1/2 years of boating this is the first time I have ever been pulled for any reason.....

[da.bell]

Then you are doing well. Just plan on every 2.5 years that you will be pulled over and you are golden.

[dogbert]

Well, here's my advice. Be friendly and helpful. I'd point out any boater's safety course you may have taken and ask questions. If they drive away thinking you're all about safe boating, then odds are you won't be pulled over again.

I've not been pulled over in many years because (1) most of the water patrol guys know me, (2) I've made the occasional call to them to report an unsafe boater that was an accident waiting to happen and (3) I'm always operating my vessel in a safe and responsible manner.

I have been stopped more recently because they were curious about my FAE and why we have it on the boat. I'm usually more than happy to explain it to them. Usually, when that happens, they patiently wait until we're stopped anyways.

Personally, I'd rather get to know my water patrol guys because then they'll give me the benefit of the doubt if a situation should arise that involves my boat.

[Original Wing Nut]

http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/show...1952#post71952


This was my experience last year.