DVL Speeding Ticket @ NBW tourney

Kbeever · Post by **Kbeever** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:47 am

I am reallyed annoyed with the Sheriff who randomly chose me to give a ticket to at Sunday's tournament. I was coming in next to 3 other boats about 7 minutes til 3:00pm. I was going about 38 MPH (at least that is what the radar showed) at the point near the dam and slowed it to idle speed at 100 yards before the bouy. Next thing I know, here comes the Sheriff from deep inside the marina with his lights flashing. Meanwhile, the 3 other boats that were on my right going the same speed, go in, unticketed.

My point is that it isn't fair that everyone in that tournament broke the speed limit, but because I was the unlucky one to get caught, I get DQ'd. 38 MPH is barely enought to keep my 21' boat on plane. Shoot, if anyone looked at the take off, they would have seen boats going full power to the far dam...and I got ticket for 38 MPH!!!

Needless to say I got DQ'd by my own admission. I am not blaming anyone except the Sheriff and DVL water municpal district. However, I am torqued inside for having to shell out the entry fee and gas costs only to zero out. I didn't have anything close to a winning bag (16.70) but worked darn hard to get the 5 we did and was looking forward to getting some points for the fishoff. My concern is what if I hard 26 lbs?

I understand it is going to be hard for those of you who didn't get caught to have a lot of compassion, but I really would like some feedback on what the tournament director could do to make it fair....and please don't say, don't go over 25 mph because I only saw one boat going under that speed....and that was a pantoon boat.

Keith Beever

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:03 am

Ok Keith, I'm going to give you my honest opinion and you might not like the answer. Here goes...whether or not everyone else was going over 25 mph or not, you got caught. The only way to not get caught is by not going over 25 mph. The sheriff is a moron, but what can we do? The only thing you can control is your own speed. Really sucks, but that's the way it is. Sorry to hear about that bro!

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:13 am

I got pulled over on the way in to the weigh in yesterday.. He asked me if i knew how fast i was going.. I responded yes sir i do.. i was going 35mph. He looks at me and says the lake speed limit is 25mph and I have you down here going 36mph.. I told him his gun is pretty accurate and told him i cut it too close weigh in and was trying to make up some time and apologized and told him i was sorry for him even having to pull me over and it wouldnt happen again.. He let me go...thankfully..if you are polite and talk to him like hes not a 5 year old he can be understanding.. he doesnt make the rules, he just enforces them.

TEAMDEADMONEY · Post by **TEAMDEADMONEY** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:19 am

I personally plan an extra 10 mintes to get in just because I dont want to get a ticket. Id rather get in 5-10 minutes early then have to get a ticket and DQ'd. I thinks its a joke coming in at 25 MPH but you HAVE TO know hes lurking in the afternoon. Heck...I came in at 25 mph and it felt rediculous because I was probably going less then that because as we all know the speedos in boats are not exact. I just didnt want to take any chances. And thats how I am there regardless of if I have a big bag there or a small weight in the well. I simply dont want a ticket.
He was hiding behind the rental boats when the flights were coming in...LITERALLY HIDING! I saw him radar you and then go to you.. You were probably the first one he radared of the 3 boats you came in with.
Yes it does su.ck BADLY to fork out the dough then get a ticket. But you have to know he is out there somewhere and hes watching. If you were 7 minutes early you should have just slowed down to 25-30 and you would have still made it in.. I know it su.cks but its worth it in the long run. Its a big pain in the *** in my opinion having to worry about some idiot holding the radar gun on you when the speedos in boats arent even very accurate, but, since we all know hes out there somewhere "watching", we have to take precautions.

I found a group of fish wanting to bite at the very end of the day and even got bit on my last cast but I had to leave to get in without a problem 10 extra minutes early just to be safe.

Pete

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:51 am

yup i dodged a bullet yesterday...what percentage do they take to havasu? anyone know with out having to bug lynne?

DeltaBound · Post by **DeltaBound** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:05 am

All of you that broke the speed limit on DVL should be DQ'd. Back when I was fishing tournaments I would always obey the laws on whatever lake I fished because that's the law and that's why we have rules in Tournaments. Sheesh.... Where are the tournament directors on this? It could be that the guy who obeyed the speed limit and came in 15th place actually placed much higher.

Robert F · Post by **Robert F** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:28 am

some guy wrote:I got pulled over on the way in to the weigh in yesterday.. He asked me if i knew how fast i was going.. I responded yes sir i do.. i was going 35mph. He looks at me and says the lake speed limit is 25mph and I have you down here going 36mph.. I told him his gun is pretty accurate and told him i cut it too close weigh in and was trying to make up some time and apologized and told him i was sorry for him even having to pull me over and it wouldnt happen again.. He let me go...thankfully..if you are polite and talk to him like hes not a 5 year old he can be understanding.. he doesnt make the rules, he just enforces them.

I believe you should have been DQed. Doesnt matter if you didnt get a ticket. You broke a lake rule. Sportsmanship requires you follow all of the rules of the lake whether ticketed or not. 25 MPH speed limits suck. Especially on a big lake. But I feel if I follow the rules, then another guy does not it does give him an advantage.
Speeding gives you more fishing time and the ability to reach a spot before a guy that follows the speed limit. Now if the TD says we will not DQ for speeding, thats a different story. Doubt any TD is going to encourage breaking any lake rule.

B Becker · Post by **B Becker** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:34 am

Keith,

I'm not going to comment on the tournament thing, but I went on patrol with my uncle one time and we were gunning (radar) people on the freeway....well, to make a long story short, if you were in a crowd of boats and he picked you out, you have a defense, because a radar gun can't single out which vehicle (ie boat), unless you were clearly ahead of another boat. But if you were 2 or 3 side by side, then he really can't target you....just my .02 about radar guns...and maybe they have lazer scopes now, who knows

...but I would fight it, I don't know what the ticket costs.....Lake Mead sucks, but you Calif. guys have some serious rules and regs. I guess you have to take the good with the bad....

Kyle · Post by **Kyle** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:36 am

ya john. what the hell were u thinking. 35 mph. u shoulda been dq'd. im protesting. he prolly shoulda added a swift kick in the nuts too.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:50 am

Robert F and Delta.. every boat would have been dq'd at blast off if that was the case.

If I sold cheese on this website I would be a rich man.

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:50 am

Hey, a TD's job sucks enough. The last thing they want to be is a cop. If you get a ticket, you lose. If you are fortunate enough to not get a ticket, you are safe for the day. A lot of things in life aren't fair. Deal with it and then kick Curry in the bean bag.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:52 am

haha only if you kiss it to make it all better brian.. bunch of whiners.. everyone speeds around DVL... its no secret. Alot of teams drag all day... its no secret... cry me river. Its a silly team tournament. You guys act like its the classic.

Robert F · Post by **Robert F** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:03 am

Some tournaments are run by the rules, some are not. Maybe we can skip a few more rules like fishing with one rod? Not going to get a ticket for that if you have a two pole stamp. Live bait? No ticket for that. Where do you want to draw the line? Sportsmanship is a self disipline. Some have it, the others call people whiners. Just a team tournament? When did team tournaments get a lower set of values than any other? Including the Bassmaster Classic? Still peoples money invested.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:25 am

This is a long over due topic. Im not justifying speeding.. just expressing my incident with the fellow angler that posted the topic. Robert you should be a TD at DVL. If you could enforce every rule all day id fish your events too. Plain and simple...every boat on DVL breaks the 25mph speed limit.. if you say otherwise your a liar.

There is a few guys that do use two rods at DVL... dont get me started on that topic.. ill go off. I have had guys admit to me after the fact during night tournaments.. there are alot bigger issues to deal with at DVL then the speed limit and all need to be adressed. I think they should start with the red boat that sounded like it belonged on havasu doing hot laps around the whole lake at 50mph.. yet us tournament guys get pulled over going 36mph..

Why didnt the pleasure boater get pulled over?

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:28 am

Hold me close Kyle...im scared.

Noluk · Post by **Noluk** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:29 am

I am going to be honest... and this is the point of view from a former tournament director. You should have been Dq'd. Frankly, the rules state that boats are supposed to comply with all regulations regarding the lake. Blowing through a no- wake zone, exceeding posted speeds, using live bait or caging fish and weighing them in are ALL rules violations. Fisherman will go ballistic when they think someone is weighing in a caged fish, but knowingly exceed the speed limits all the time themselves. The rules are posted, known and still ignored by anglers. The facts are no tournament director has a radar gun so we can only DQ if the sherrif issues a citation which becomes public knowledge.

In a perfect tournament world, no angler would break a rule. If he sped, he would DQ himself, ticket or not, day tournament or night tournament. The rules are designed to keep competition at an equal level that complies with local rules and regulations. If the tournament was on Mead or Clear Lake, their local rules would apply. (ie fishing the tires at Mead used to have a local regulation I believe) But you can run as far and as fast as your boat will carry you. I guess the key point here to me isn't that you were wrongly disqualified. It is that everyone else should have DQ'd themselves. I am guilty of this as well. Everyone is. But it doesn't make it right. I don't think this will be a popular position.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:32 am

Its sucks but that's the way it is on DVL.. try going 25mph and having 3 diff baots beat you to your spot.. hell i had one boat watch me head to a spot and passed me going 50 just to beat me to the spot i was headed for, i just shook my head and headed to another spot. There is nothing you can do to stop it and people on that lake are ALWAYS going to speed..thats just how that lake is.

you hit the nail on head NOLUK....this isnt fanstasy land. It's DVL. It may not be popular, but it seems REALITY never is a popular topic on this site.

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:52 am

If you are truly going 25 on your way to your first spot and someone who has a lower launch # passes you, you definitely have the right to tell that guy that you are going to DQ him if he doesn't get off your spot. That's the truth and I've actually used it.

Problem is that the guy will say that you were only going like 20 mph and he has a right to do 25 mph and pass you.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:57 am

exactly brian... this topic is soo lame..

sucks kbeever got a ticket.. i didnt get one.. infact the cop said i wasnt going to get one because i spoke to him maturely and didnt stomp my feet and cry. He mentioned the guy before me whined like a baby thats why he got a ticket. Hes trying to get a handle on the speeding situation at DVL because it is bad out there...

Robert F · Post by **Robert F** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:15 pm

The Sheriff is not doing his job if he admits that there is bias in his ticketing. When Keith goes to court he should have info like that that shows his enforcement actions are arbitrary. Topic lame? Once again if it makes us all more concientious of our actions as sportsmen there is nothing lame about that. I bet Keith's ticket will be on a lot of guys mind when they pull up on their last spot of the day and figure their remaining fishing time.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:28 pm

There was 6 boats that got warned... this guy is on a mission only at weigh in time.. all day long pleasure boaters race around with no one enforcing speed limits. He waits until about 2:50pm then hides and tries to pick off us bass guys? Why is he singling us out and not citing everyone? Thats my only beef.

fishinman · Post by **fishinman** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:36 pm

been there once, good fishing, won't go back because of the regs. total garbage (designed for the intended purpose of money) who the heck can stand driving a high performance boat at 25mph. I fish Castaic and 35 is bad enough but reasonable. you could drive 38mph without getting a citation. 25mph is just stupid like you said, my 461vs at 25 would be hard to keep on plane, probly use more fuel per distance traveled and create a larger wake than 35 mph. I acually despise the #$%@*&^% place.

ns nitro · Post by **ns nitro** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:45 pm

I dont think the ranger cares that we( bass fisherman) keep the revenu up for the whole area not just the lake!! They dont care. I got pulled over for going 28mph. I was very polite to him and he still gave me a ticket!! Whatever, his excuse was he has no controll over thr situation. He said they are on his butt about poeple speeding. We need Officer Williams back on the water and not a ranger with a power trip!!!

Sorry about your luck Keith! Nate

Guy Williams · Post by **Guy Williams** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:33 pm

My bro was sweet at the lake. I've had a few conversations with my brother about the patrol out only during weigh-in time. 25mph is way too slow, should be at least 35 like most lakes. It's not lake skinner!!!!! In the end not much can be done except to call the Hemet division of the Riverside Sheriff office and talk to his watch commander and complain. This is all that can be done and they may have a few words to him about it.
Guy Williams

rocky asbury · Post by **rocky asbury** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:57 pm

Sorry Bro, we saw u get ur ticket and u were cleraly ahead of the other boats and I also saw u throwing out ur arms. I understand ur pain but, as John said if u are cool and calm he is actually pretty cool about it and will usually let u go. I got pulled over for just getting on plane and then leveling out and u are right is is hard to keep a 20+ft boat on plane under 25mph but right bfore u got ur ticket I was bitching to my partner about driving like a lil girl and then BAM!!! U GET POPPED AND i SAID i'LL MIND MY OWN BUSINESS NOW!!! As for in the morning, yes everyone pretty much is wide open to their first spot and gets away with it and thats just it... he's not there so hence that old saying (Its not braking the speed limit it u don't get caught) however I agree sportsmanship is a must and if we are all going to go a lil fast in the morning at least don't be a d@#k and pass someone then pull up on their spot. Anyway again sorry man, just remember, he is always out there around 2:30 waiting so do urself a favor and plan ahead so we can all drive like grandmas and at least no one will get DQ'D and one more thing... the last thing a TD wants to do is DQ someone for speeding thats the lakes job and if u break that rule and get caught well its lights out for the day!

Al M · Post by **Al M** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:13 pm

Lesson learned.Dont speed on the way to weigh in.Pay the price if you get caught.I think we are all gamblers out there,you just gotta know when to fold.We were the boat just in front of you,and saw him turn on his Blue light.I looked at rex and asked him how fast we were going and he said 24mph.I then looked back and saw you coming off plane and figured the lights were for you.Sure enough they were,I then told rex hope that guy getting the ticket had more #s then us

.Lesson learned dont speed on the way in,and if you go over the 25mph line dont get caught.

Lil T · Post by **Lil T** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:24 pm

Holy Crap People... please say you would not complain about a deputy for doing his job! Think about what that means. Under California law, any citizen's complaint has to remain in his file for five years, even if he did nothing wrong. So you are willing to affect someone's career, their livelihood, because you are mad that you got caught speeding, even though you were well aware of the rules and knew you were violating them? Is this what you are teaching your kids about personal responsibility? Is this the example you are setting?
Secondly, to whoever said the deputy is showing bias..puhleeze! Under federal and California law officers may use discretion in choosing who gets a cite and who doesn't. Someone who takes responsibility for their actions is less likely to repeat the offense, and thus might avoid a citation. Someone who says things like: "Don't you have bank robbers to catch?" "It's not fair, everyone is doing it" "what's your name and badge number?" or my personal favorite: "you just stopped me because I am (fill in the blank here)", etc.... is likely to EARN a cite. That deputy, and all other officers are expected to be productive in their enforcement activities and that includes writing some cites each day. The deputy doe's not create the law, but it is his job to enforce it. If you choose to roll the dice and break the law, recognize that the choice is yours and yours alone, and be a grown up about facing the consequences of that choice.

Lil T · Post by **Lil T** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:28 pm

By the way...here's another tip for you....if you win the fight at the bar, the other guy goes to the hospital and you go to jail. If you win the race to the weigh in, you are the guy who gets the ticket. It's like natural selection.

hippie · Post by **hippie** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:56 pm

You got caught haten it!!!!!!!!!! Can't cry if you know you were breaking the law should of licked your lips and smiled a little more

Schneider Fishing · Post by **Schneider Fishing** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:04 pm

Last I heard;
It's not an actual ticket. The money goes to the marina and nothing goes on your record.

ns nitro · Post by **ns nitro** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:41 pm

The Ranger told me that its payable to the MWD. Dont know if its true but thats what I was told.

Rick G · Post by **Rick G** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:05 pm

If the Lake staff see's you speeding on the video camera's all around the lake, they will send out the Patrol to give you a ticket. Sure am glad they are not out in the morning because everyone would be DQ'd. At least it is a pretty wide open lake and that patrol boat stands out pretty good. Gotta pick your times to crank it up for sure. Rick G.

Robert F · Post by **Robert F** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:36 pm

Dear Officer Lil T, Puhleeze go to court and tell the judge that you are not consistent with your enforcement of the law. I do not disagree with your point that people should hold their tongue when in contact with a peace officer. Also you should not break the law. But an Officer should carry his enforcement duties evenly and fairly. An Offficer admitting bias is what every defense arguement would hope for.

Fishing Joe · Post by **Fishing Joe** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:49 pm

All I have to say is,"Don't do the crime if you can't pay the time."
The ranger isn't an idiot, You are for breaking the rules. He's doing the job you and I pay him to do.

ns nitro · Post by **ns nitro** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:53 pm

Im pretty sure none of the guys said the ranger was an idiot!! We all know he's just doing his job. Thanks for stating the obvious.
Nate

smpboy · Post by **smpboy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:45 pm

fight it... if everyone fought their tickets it would clog up the officers time and clog the court system and plus u usually will win best way to do it is a week before your court date is to call in and get it rescheduled that way it messes up the officers schedule and sets it back even farther and more of a pain in the butt for them and chances are he wont show up

Lil T · Post by **Lil T** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:48 pm

Robert F.
A man is driving his wife to the hospital. Really fast. She is in labor. A cop stops him. Does he give the guy a ticket or help him get the poor woman to the hospital? A peace officer in California has DISCRETION to write citations, make arrests, etc in order to keep the peace and/or solve problems. Someone who is contrite and takes responsibility for his mistake in judgement can be given a warning, in the hope that he will not reoffend. Someone who thinks he should not be held accountable when his is caught for whatever weird bit of entitlement he is claiming is almost certainly going to be given the opportunity to plead his case before a judge. That is not bias, that is discretion. It is one of the beautiful things about our system of justice. And I don't need to inform judges of this, they already are aware of the discretionary powers of peace officers in this state. Have a nice day.

Robert F · Post by **Robert F** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:16 pm

"T"
That one example makes perfect sense as reasonable discretion. If you have three guys going thirty-eight miles per hour and choose one to ticket, you open the discriminatory actions defense. Simple as that. Actually this point is getting old. Have a nice day.

Kbeever · Post by **Kbeever** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:38 pm

Pete- If I had 26 pounds in the boat, I would come in on my trolling motor.

John- There's two sides to every story. The officer pulled me over and within seconds, pulled out the ticket book and begin writing me a ticket. He didn't even hint at a warning. "Cried like a baby" I don't think so. After I seen him writing me a ticket, I told him how I felt. I am sure you'd do the same if he pulled out the ticket book instead of giving you a warning.

As for the rest of you who say who say too bad, take your medicine, you shouldn't have been speeding. I agree, but the rest of the field should have been DQ'd too. No where did I find that a ticket was necessary for disqualification. Rule number 4 is as follows:

4. SPORTSMANSHIP
All teams are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any team who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules, or any Department of Fish and Game, state or local laws, or brings unfavorable publicity to the sport of bass fishing will be disqualified.

After reading the the posts on this forum so far, everybody admittedly confessed to at least speeding at takeoff...shoot, John came right out and said he was doing 36 mph (I appreciate your honesty). With that being said, the whole field should have been DQ'd....but yet, I was the only one who came forward and confessed to my speeding and DQ'd myself. The fact I received a ticket makes no difference. As for the rest of you who didn't tell the tournament director you were speeding, you are the same as any other rule breaker that you despise.

It is amazing all of the hypocrytes offering advice, yet everyone of them broke the same tournament rule I did at some point of the day.

I ask this question, if you knew of a fellow competitor that got a speeding ticket would you turn him in to the tournament director? The next question, if you knew of a fellow competitor who was speeding but didn't get a ticket, would you turn him in? I bet you I would get two different answers from everyone. My point is we all agree 25 is lame, and if people are not going to get disqualified for speeding without getting a ticket, then why should people get disqualified for speeding and getting a ticket?????

I would love to hear the argument for this one.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:51 am

you have to know when to hold em and know when to fold em.

DeltaBound · Post by **DeltaBound** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:02 am

Aah, the honor system, why didn't you guys say so?

Tournament Rules:

1.You can speed just don't get caught

2.You can snag bed fish, just don't get caught

3.You can plant fish and win a tournament, Just don't get caught

4.you can teach a young fisherman that he can cheat as long as it's not the Classic and of course he doesn't get caught..................

Now I get it.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:08 am

I cant believe you guys sit on here crying all day. If you are going to speed you will be caught...(obviously). If you want to take that chance go ahead, it will bite you in the butt. If you dont want to be bit in the butt, dont speed. Its as simple as that. You can cry all day on this forum...but this is the reality of it. Have fun duking it out all day.

ns nitro · Post by **ns nitro** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:45 am

In the words of one Hippie" CLOSE IT!!!" Nate

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