boat access etiquette

Mostly just mosquitos bother me at the ramp-had a bunch of tournament dudes blocking the ramp at Big Marine, when I spoke up they were very apologetic and nice. Lots of people at that ramp stood there and said nothing-Minnesota thing I guess. Hate when I make people wait, but I just tell myself I might not be the fastest but I’m also not the slowest. I’ve had the invasive species people help me-at Calhoun I have them watch for bikers, boarders bladers, etc. 40′ feet of shiney heavy metal backing up and they don’t see it, squirrels move out of the way better.

Reading this post about how everyone helps others at the landing made me think about something. I live right next to an access. In the winter the county does not plow the access at all. Last winter I am in my living room drinking coffee and some guy knocks on my door. He is stuck at the landing and wants me to drive around and pull him out. He had a truck with city tires. I did pull him out. However, at what point am I not liable to help everyone who has an issue at the landing just because I live near by? I understand if it is an emergency, but…. I am interested in the thoughts of others.

Thanks!

MN Z, I don’t think winter access is the issue at hand here. The title of the threat is “boat access etiquette.”

Going out on frozen water is a completely different and separate issue.

mn-z wrote:

Reading this post about how everyone helps others at the landing made me think about something. I live right next to an access. In the winter the county does not plow the access at all. Last winter I am in my living room drinking coffee and some guy knocks on my door. He is stuck at the landing and wants me to drive around and pull him out. He had a truck with city tires. I did pull him out. However, at what point am I not liable to help everyone who has an issue at the landing just because I live near by? I understand if it is an emergency, but…. I am interested in the thoughts of others.

Thanks!

You are never liable. Liability is a legal term. How much are you obligated to help? You are obligated to the extend that everyone is obligated to help out a fellow person stuck in the snow, which is to say not at all, however, living in the conditions that we do in Minnesota, I think most people agree that offering a hand is the right thing to do

I would help them out, but do the Minnesota thing of “well no wonder, you have highway tires. Those don’t grip the best for this kind of thing”

Passive aggressive connoisseur

Crappie said it perfectly

crappie55369 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>MN Z wrote:</div>
Reading this post about how everyone helps others at the landing made me think about something. I live right next to an access. In the winter the county does not plow the access at all. Last winter I am in my living room drinking coffee and some guy knocks on my door. He is stuck at the landing and wants me to drive around and pull him out. He had a truck with city tires. I did pull him out. However, at what point am I not liable to help everyone who has an issue at the landing just because I live near by? I understand if it is an emergency, but…. I am interested in the thoughts of others.

Thanks!

You are never liable. Liability is a legal term. How much are you obligated to help? You are obligated to the extend that everyone is obligated to help out a fellow person stuck in the snow, which is to say not at all, however, living in the conditions that we do in Minnesota, I think most people agree that offering a hand is the right thing to do

I always offer to help. Honestly I enjoy pulling stuck people out, especially when it’s a Ford lol! If I’m driving down the road and there’s a guy off the shoulder and he wants me to pull him out I will. But you have to be able to read people. There’s the men, (you know what I’m talking about) that know the risks and know that something could happen to their truck /car and still want you to help. Then there are the “boys” (that’s what we’ll call them) that wouldn’t hesitate to jump on you and point fingers at you for breaking their bumper if something happened while pulling them out.

I make that part pretty simple on myself, I only pull pickups out if they have front tow hooks or a hitch. If they don’t, then sorry. But I don’t want to ruin anything and get blamed.

I was driving back from devils lake and there was a kid in the ditch, had a tow strap hooked up and was standing on the side of the road waiting for a good Samaritan to stop and help. So I stopped, backed up, he hooked it up, I gave him a gentle tug and he was out of the ditch. His bumper was already laying 100 feet behind him so I wasn’t worried about breaking anything. I always make an effort to help those in need. Especially when it’s simple!

I’m going to go launch on the river if any one wants to meet up and fight quick. Lol.

Bearcat89 wrote:

I’m going to go launch on the river if any one wants to meet up and fight quick. Lol.

Don’t make me pull my wife beater out of retirement.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
I’m going to go launch on the river if any one wants to meet up and fight quick. Lol.

Don’t make me pull my wife beater out of retirement.

Damn if the trans am could only pull the boat. Then we’d really have a show.

I don’t have a boat, so, everything people do with their boat at a landing pisses me off!!!

At the ramp, at the lake, snow, ice, whatever if someone needs help I’ll help. Seem like the farther I get from the cities the friendlier and more helpful people are. LOTS of very nice people right here in the city I’m Just sayin’
On an ice fishing trip once in Mora I put my car in the ditch, guy with a big truck said he would come back with his other truck to help. He came back with a great big shiny diesel (thing was nice!) He could have pulled out 5 of my Subarus at once with that thing-Anyway while we were waiting for him to come back 3 other people offered to help.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Damn if the trans am could only pull the boat. Then we’d really have a show

Back in the late 80’s I pulled my boat with a Firebird. Hey, it had a V8. All I needed to do was drill a few holes in the frame for a hitch!

-J.

Jon Jordan wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Damn if the trans am could only pull the boat. Then we’d really have a show

Back in the late 80’s I pulled my boat with a Firebird. Hey, it had a V8. All I needed to do was drill a few holes in the frame for a hitch!

-J.

My dad pulled a ‘70s Mark Twain Tri-hull with a ‘78 T-bird. Those were the days!