"New" Old River 5MPH zone at Clifton court...

[rickd]

Was running back down south to get the boat on the trailer this afternoon when I spot the sheriff boat right at Clifton court, then he flicked on his blue lights. I wasn't expecting much but a boat check, took out all my stuff and laid it on the deck, he tied up to my boat and said, "see that boat tied up on that dock"... At which point I said, Are you getting me for at chump a$$ shi7? He said yes and that I had a bad attitude. Gee I wander why I have a bad attitude...

You can bet your last dollar I'm fighting this, I'll go to jail before I give the state a nickel.

You can’t even see that dock heading south on Old River!

This little porky pig Sheriff was a real piece of work to.

I took pictures indicating that you can’t see that dock heading south.

I know Gator seems to know the code when it comes to this stuff, anyone else have any ammo for me? I want to see if that dock is even permitted, probably state owned

So be careful running down Old River boys and girls!!!

[fish_food]

Give 'em hell! And be sure to post your outcome...

[jimmy87]

I got chewed out once for waking under that bridge near Coney where that big house is. There was a small boat tyed on the other side of the dock.

I think that sherif just dose not like bass fishermen. Again, another boat you can even see. I had to go back and look for the boat he was talking about.

[Marty]

http://www.westernbass.com/forum/viewto ... et#p219007

http://www.westernbass.com/forum/viewto ... et#p255400

655.2. Speed limit for vessels in certain areas. (a) Every owner, operator, or
person in command of any vessel propelled by machinery is guilty of a misdemeanor
who uses it, or permits it to be used, at a speed in excess of five miles per hour in any
portion of the following areas not otherwise regulated by local rules and regulations:
(1) Within 100 feet of any person who is engaged in the act of bathing. A person
engaged in the sport of water skiing shall not be considered as engaged in the act of
bathing for the purposes of this section.
(2) Within 200 feet of any of the following:
(A) A beach frequented by bathers.
(B) A swimming float, diving platform, or lifeline.
(C) A way or landing float to which boats are made fast or which is being used for
the embarkation or discharge of passengers.
(b) This section does not apply to vessels engaged in direct law enforcement
activities which are displaying the lights prescribed by Section 652.5. Those vessels are
also exempt from any locally imposed speed regulation adopted pursuant to Section 660.

[Garrettt]

In a bullet or an allison you wouldve been gone.

[thukidad]

sorry, not my area of work, but here's a link for you: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html

if you need legal research.. let me know..

[JustinD]

Thanks for the heads up Rick................What a joke.

[meagain]

Wow,
Good luck Rick we'll even run your boat once in a while until you get released

[Levy]

Unbelievable!!! With all of the drunks and unlicenced fisherman that is what they are worried about. What a joke the Sheriff and DFG are on the delta.

Between us regulars we go past that doc 1000's of times a year. I have personally fished the south a couple of times a week for 6 years and only one other time saw a sheriff or DFG boat anywhere. I have called the DFG tip line at least 5 times and have now given up as they have never showed up to bust unlicenced anglers. How much easier could it be for them, as they were given descriptions and exact coordinates but decited they had better things to do.

Get em Rick!!!

[luvmystratos]

I have to agree with you on how the DFG and Sheriff actually respond to one of our calls to check out the bunch of Unlicensed Fishermen and those idiots with the big boats that create the life threatening Wakes. They could pick some serious fines if they would respond to at least half of my calls.

All I can say is fight it to the bitter end! Good Luck!

[StogieMan]

I was on the water Sunday and they were doing the same thing at what I think is Holland cut at Franks Tract. As you come out of Franks and around the point to head South, (Holland Cut?) they were there handing out tickets becasue a boat was tied to a dock nearby. You should know that if the blue lights are on, you must idle past or you too will be cited.

So as I idle past I see the boater hand the Sheriff his paperwork and the Sheriff drops them, it was windy. The next thing i see is the boater jumping out of the Sheriff's boat and swimiing to chase his paperwork. That was funny stuff

[DanIsaac]

bad deal. It will depend on the judge, but I had a friend get nailed over by Quimby for the same violation and it cost him big time. Something like $1500 if memory serves me right, and he said the Judge actually went easy on him? Photos, videos, photos, and more photos!

Good luck Rick!

Dan

[jamescaird]

Total BS ticket but you may not have gotten written up at all if you didn't start piping off and acting disrespectufl right away? Officers let people go all the time, but it's generally not the ones that give them an attitude. I wait until I get the ticket in my hand before I start back-talking... just saying!

[WackySenko]

I agree with jamescaird. I was taught to respect people. Based on the your post: You had a very bad attitude. They are not out there to get you. They are out there to protect us from ourselves and idiots.

I got pulled over once. I thought that I was far enough away when a Sherriff's boat had his blue light on and was ticketing a boat, near the bank, in Holland Cut. They waved me over and asked if I saw the lights. I said Yes Sir and nicely said that I thought that I had enough room so as to cause a wake for the patrol boat and the other boater. He asked to see all my paperwork, safety and required equipment. I had everything, it was all readily available and he did NOT have to wait for me to find anything. He even checked the fire extinguisher for date and pressure gauge. He informed me that I was too close and that the throwable could not be in the storage locker (even though I always kept it on top and was the 1st thing you saw when you opened the lid).
I treated him with respect and he treated me with respect. I was not given a ticket. I feel that he did not give me a ticket for two reasons: 1) I had a respectfull attitude and 2) I had all my required equipment and then some.

[Whoopbass]

[quote="WackySenko"] They are not out there to get you. They are out there to protect us from ourselves and idiots.

[birdi23nls]

I agree with jamescaird. I was taught to respect people. Based on the your post: You had a very bad attitude. They are not out there to get you. They are out there to protect us from ourselves and idiots.

I have to disagree on this as well. I would say it is the exact opposite...they are out there to give you a ticket. The State is broke and headed for bankruptcy, one of the ways fish and game, sheriffs, cops, etc. keep their job is to bring in revenue. One easy way to bring in $ is to give out tickets and wait to collect. It's a win win for them, the state gets more money, they get to keep their job.

[Zak Elrite]

Yes "bird" I do agree. Not only is it a revenue source but it is one that is well planned out. I know exactly where Rick got his ticket(and though I do agree that we ought to reserve our "lip" for times when not dealing with an officer) and had I not been going the other direction, I wouldn't have seen the Sheriff either(a good one sided vantage point). There are several areas on that river where the Sheriff can and does plan out the best way to catch you, even if you can't see/or didn't know there was a dock around the corner(I'm talking about the several SMALL docks that have no posted 5 zone).

Point is, yes, they are out to save us, and others from our own recklessness. They do get plenty of undeserved "attitude" as well. They DO also take full advantage of hiding around the corner to catch "us" and though I don't agree with the methods 'sometimes", I'd rather have them out there than NOT. The majority of the tickets given are recreational and pleasure boaters too, Im sure, who have very limited knowledge of boat operation and safety.

Good luck Rick! I say if you're gonna stand up for something, keep standing.

[rickd]

I do agree that I wasn’t the most respectful to the officer, no question. If I would have yes sir’d and no sir’d him the situation could have had a different outcome. I was just so taken back by his justification to stop me I kinda popped my cork.

That rogue dock has a boat on it all the time and has never in the last 10 years that I’ve been fishing that area been monitored. Not to mention you can’t even see it off Old River heading south.

If they truly want to enforce the law and wanted to protect people’s boats from getting slammed they would put up signage like they have done on Indian slew on the way to Orwood resort.

Do you really think they care about the boats on that dock or do you think they’re making money for a broke state???

I do plan on driving out to Stockton and pleading not guilty. So far I’ve come up with asking them to show me that I wasn’t going 5, I want to see the radar gun print out if any. The other is just pictures of the area showing that the dock is out of view from the main channel.

[ASD]

Rick
Somthing that might help you in court is if you were heading south and the dock was up the cut to the north "your wake" would not and did not hit the dock.

IE if you are heading up river to a "Y" an going up the left side you must slow down if their is a dock on the right side. When you are comming back down the left side you do not need to slow as your wake will not hit the docks in the right arm

[GW]

don't know if this will help or not but can't hurt:

Whats the condition of the dock and boat? Is this one that been there forever and has water and tules growing from inside it? Is it a dock to nowhere?

There is the spirt of the law and the letter of the law. Staking out a POS half sinking boat is total BS, like hiding behind a billboard......

A photo of that may help?

[Dom]

Yea I seen that new crap, 2 weeks ago it was crazy down south here I seen so many coast guard boats and sheriff boats more then I have ever seen down this way in years. I was fishing behind Quin's Island and even yelled at a Sheriff as he was blowing by me in that narrow canal, he slowed down and I thought he was gonna mess with me but he just idled by then took off. I was on the river last Wed and all this week-end ran from Rivers End up old river I cut over to Bull Frog and and back up victoria canal did this run on Saturday and Sunday and did not see one coast Guard or sherriff's boat

Guess they were on a mission a couple weeks ago to make the state some money and they want you to contribute Rick

Fight the good fight brother !!!! And keep us posted on how this turns out , Good Luck !

[RichThiel]

Rick

Take a measurement from the boat to the opposite bank..if its more than 200ft you may beable to win the case....Marty Martinez won his case by doing this. Situation was at the Holland Track Dock...he took the measurement with something? came out I think 217ft.

Call Marty, he's up on it....You may won't to present his case has an example....Just look it up thru google.

Rich Thiel

[sTony]

Good luck with the court in Stockton. They're in total revenue generation mode right now, as are all sheriffs, cops, highway patrol and all other government agencies in contact with civilians regularly.

You live in California, Brother, so you pay and pay. And if you gripe about it, you'll pay even more.

Have fun with that,

sTony