Georgia is Backwards!

[JR IN JAX]

We launched at Scott's Landing on the Florida side of the St Mary's River. While I was waiting for some friends I talked for 20 minutes to a really nice Florida Wildlife Marine Patrolman. I told him we were going on the 80+ mile round trip to Downtown St Marys Georgia by water, and he wished us well.

He, I and our two PWC took off together and we ran side by side for a ways and he eventually slowed down and we kept going the 40+ miles to St Marys Ga. and spent a couple of hours there.
We went/came back cruising at 35 MPH so the PWCs would not have to be refueled. When we got back to the boat ramp there was a Georgia Wildlife Office waiting on me in his boat. He explained that someone had complained that I had passed a Private Beach just down from there that morning and I was not going idle speed. This was where I was running beside the Florida Marine Patrol Boat that morning. He said it made no difference that I was with a Florida Marine Patrol and that even though I had broken no Florida Law, I had broken a Georgia law by not being at idle speed. He also said anywhere a boat was tied up and you passed within 100' of it you had to be at idle speed or while passing a water skiier. I told him that Florida had none of those laws and I was on the Florida side of the river and I launched in Florida. I also asked him, "What happens when two water skiiers approach each other". He said, "They must both drop and then pass each other at Idle Speed". I was amazed at just how backwards Georgia is in their boating laws.

He then writes me a ticket for passing a landing above idle speed and gives both of our PWCs a written warning. During the time he was writing me a ticket, two other Georgia Marine Patrol joined him and a dozen boats passed us and they made them slow down to idle speed, but did not even write them a warning.

I would guess that Barney Fife is still alive and well in Georgia. I guess we won't be going back to Lake Lanier, Alatoona, Sinclair and buying all that fuel and paying for Hotel rooms until Georgia leaves the "Stone Age".

[RNM018]

No Way ! Here in Seminole Co. the police tell me they can't enforce a trespassing or a burglary unless they witness the crime or find the stolen property in the possesion of the criminal .Your telling me in Georgia they can ticket you on the word of someone else ,without them seeing you commit a violation ! Damn , no wonder all the criminals live in Florida . Rich Martin 018:confused:

[Raceman]

Actually the 100' rule in Georgia is a good thing, and I wish it was MORE actively enforced. My lakehouse is a pennensula with 1327' of shoreline. The fools come around right off the point, and are gonna kill somebody sooner or later. Not only that, but the rollers within 20 or 30 feet are absolute hell on the docks and seawalls, especially with the new crop of wakeboard specific boats that throw swells at the shoreline. The law says within a hundred feet of any dock, seawall, or inhabited area, OR of a moored boat or one not operating under power. I've never heard of the water skier part of it, or seen it enforced here. It's just another prime case of when people don't use any judgement on their own bureacrats are wettin' themselves to make more laws.

[yellowallison]

JR........YU wasn't wearing FLORIDA GATORS shirt was ya....:D cuase yu know them GA DOGS aint real happy with us GATORS since the've only one like 2 games in the last 20 yrs:D:D

[JR IN JAX]

Actually the 100' rule in Georgia is a good thing, and I wish it was MORE actively enforced. My lakehouse is a pennensula with 1327' of shoreline. The fools come around right off the point, and are gonna kill somebody sooner or later. Not only that, but the rollers within 20 or 30 feet are absolute hell on the docks and seawalls, especially with the new crop of wakeboard specific boats that throw swells at the shoreline. The law says within a hundred feet of any dock, seawall, or inhabited area, OR of a moored boat or one not operating under power. I've never heard of the water skier part of it, or seen it enforced here. It's just another prime case of when people don't use any judgement on their own bureacrats are wettin' themselves to make more laws.

It is fine with me is Georgia wants to pass backwards laws or placate waterfront property owners instead of regular taxpayers [my family also owns two waterfront homes here], but they have no rights to ticket law abiding Florida boaters, launching in Florida, in Florida waters.
The Georgia "Barney Fife" was also half bragging about how many Florida Boaters he tickets there for having children less than ten without wearing life preservers [Florida law is six years old].

I am sure that the "Old/Geriatrics" must make all the rules in Georgia, enjoy them and despise seeing Florida boaters having fun right across the border.

[RNM018]

RaceMan , A 100' law may be fine on a lake , but it could shut down many rivers . My problem with JR deal ,is how can an officer issue a ticket for something he hasn't witnessed on the word of a property owner .It's not like he's some punk kid driving an eyesore of a boat acting like a jackass . So how can you justify something like this . Certainly not when the boat was singled out and writen a citation ,with the jetskis only receiving warnings . For god sake ,if they where all riding togaither , then didn't they all commit the same violation ? Rich Martin 018:confused:

[JR IN JAX]

I really got the opinion from this deal that "Boss Hawg" on the Georgia side of the River saw an Allison boat on the River and called "Barney" to wait and ticket me. They had a fatal accident there about a month ago but the Florida Marine Patrol I was talking to, said that the involved Driver blew a .13 "After just one beer". He was from the Georgia side.
I just can't see how a Florida Boater, launching from Florida in Florida waters can be ticketed for breaking a backwards Georgia law that was being selectively enforced.

[mr fun]

cause thay ain't schitt there. let um keep it, and the banjo. i like to boat where i can see other people doin the same thing safely. growing up, on trips home to grandmas my dad would never even stop in ga for gas, :nonod: fun out

[jenksam]

If You Were In Fl Waters I Dont SEE How It Could Even Hold Up In Court. But Of Course Its Is Not Worth The Time To Fight It. This Kinda ***** Has Got To Stop. If People As A Whole Dont Start Standing Up For What Is Right Then This Is The Kinds Crap That We Will Have To Deal With.

[mickeyjr]

contest it! that's a bunch of crap!

[RNM018]

contest it! that's a bunch of crap!

Mickey , How do you contest a $50.oo ticket ? It cost more to fight then to just pay it . That's why they do this . I got caught in a speed trap in St. Augustine last mounth . They said I was doing 65 in a 45 . They gave me a break and dropped it to 52 so it only cost me $88.oo . If they would have writen it at 65 , then it would have been over $200.oo and I may have fought it . At $88.oo I can't take the time from work without loosing more money then the ticket cost . Rich Martin 018:(

[mickeyjr]

you're right Rich. I got a ticket a several years ago at canaveral national seashore for crossing the double line in the road because a car stopped and waved me around..ridiculous ticket like 75.00, but would have at the time cost me at least a couple of hundred bucks between taking off work and fuel to go to orlando and contest it, and still could have gotten stuck with it.

It just sucks that people get IMO harrassed by law enforcement when there is plenty of knuckleheads on the water that "need" ticketing.

[gselite2000]

It is worth the time to go to court. He did not witness it!!! And is he going to show up? It is worth it for the principle of the thing. You can't just let this kind of stuff slide, or it will continue.

Also, we from Georgia say "ass backwards", not "backwards".

Scott

[K-Dawg]

Yep, I boat there all the time. I know the DNR guy. Went to highschool with him. In september of 2004 I stop to talk to him and after he asked me how my mom and dad were he took me to jail for a boating ubder the influence. Officer Chris Hodge. Real class act. I have heard he's done that sort of thing to lots of locals he knows. He told me his partner wouldn't drop it. Thats a bunch of bull. In fact I was right in front of Scotts landing.

[RNM018]

Damn , After hearing all the stories from up north this weekend . I'm just going to stick with my own little peice of paradise down here . God knows the've had more then there share of chances to take some of my money ,and haven't done it . I keep hearing how performance boats are getting singled out ,and I'd have to disagree with that from all my experiance here in Florida .Now if your on a pontoon around here , you had better have your ducks in a row ,cause your getting stop .Now that being said , I was escorted from SouthMoon all the way out to Lake George yesterday , they didn't think I saw them pull in behind me in the ideal zone ,and he sat right off the right corner of my boat so I couldn't see him . When I got to the next ideal zone and dropped off plane early he about went over the back of me . Just gave me a dirty look ,but never said Boo . Rich Martin 018

[JR IN JAX]

Most of the Florida Marine patrols I meet are pretty nice, especially the ones around the Suwanee. The main thing they seem to be interested in is DUI enforcement due to working some pretty gruesome accidents.

Usually if they say anything, it is to ask me questions about my boat.

I am going to call after I get back from vacation and see how much the ticket is and whether I get any points for it. I know it would not be worth the time wasted on a court appearence.

Then I will decide whether to hire a local Georgia [Charlton County] lawyer to try and get this thing thrown out.

[2 De River]

It is worth the time to go to court. He did not witness it!!! And is he going to show up? It is worth it for the principle of the thing. You can't just let this kind of stuff slide, or it will continue.

Also, we from Georgia say "ass backwards", not "backwards".

Scott

Right on Scott! Sounds lke some of the stuff that happens at Eufaula, & Smith Bend. I suggest going to court, also contact your local Fla. state Senator and ask him /her to look into this stuff, I have asked the Alabama Senator to look into a similar incident before, it helps to let them know you aren't going to roll over without a fight. Good luck! Jimmy

[WATERWINGS]

[QUOTE=Also, we from Georgia say "ass backwards", not "backwards".Scott[/QUOTE]


BASSackwards?