Water Patrol… that's a first

Pulled over by Dakota County Water Patrol on Sunday. Issued a warning for violating “Rules of the Road”, specifically the “Port to Port or Head to Head” whereas each watercraft must pass on the port or left side of the other when meeting port to port or head to head.

I was running upstream, hugging green buoys. See two boats close to each other a mile ahead of me, one of which a sheriff boat running on plane. Noticing they are favoring the Red buoys as they come downstream I stay my course on the opposite side of river. As we pass each other no less than 75 yards apart I wave, sheriff did not. I was surprised. Moments later I’ve got flashing lights in my mirror.

“We pulled you over for your violation”

“HUH?”

“You passed us on the wrong side of the river”

“HUH?”

He explains the “Port to Port” thing. I couldn’t help but ask another 30 questions to which their responses was all the same…Port to port. All of my questions challenged the intelligence of the “Rule”. All their responses were gray at best.

So, I get a written warning and go on my way. Get home and look over the ticket…

Location (Lake/River): “St. Croix” …I was on the Mississippi, over 10 miles from the St. Croix!

Nearest Town: “Prescott”…. We were literally within a half mile of Nauti Hawg (Diamond Bluff)

County: “St. Croix” ….That county is 20+ Miles from where I was. Oh and BTW the Dakota County boat is 6 miles out of their county issuing tickets!!! Do you know where you are!?!

My zip code has 6 digits LOL. Really?

Violation: “Other” ….I guess they didn’t want to get more specific on their records.

So this morning I look up the regs in the Mississippi river guide. No surprise what I find. Immediately below the explanation of “Port to Port or Head to Head” is “Starboard to Starboard”

“When courses of two boards are so far on the starboard or right of each other as not to be considered a head to head meeting, they may pass on the starboard side of each other”.

I explained to the deputy the moment he clarified what violation I had committed…That I saw his boat and the other from over a mile away and made sure that there was absolutely no question what side we were going to pass each other as we intersect. He agreed there was no confusion as to which side I was going to take. What I wish I knew at the time was the “Starboard to Starboard” explanation. Because after reflecting, that should’ve been his answer to over half the questions I asked. Instead he stuck to the “Port to Port” bologna. We were over 75 yds separated as we passed. Given there was no confusion as to which side he and I were taking, I would not describe this as a “Head to Head” and therefore should be considered a “Starboard to Starboard” and i should no have been pulled over let alone issued a warning ticket.

They made it clear they were out “Only issuing warnings today” so this is your heads up.

I’ll be calling Sherriff Leslie from Dakota County today to inform him of the incident.

In other news, a sailboat broke their mast on the Prescott bridge yesterday afternoon. ????

A call would be good, but I’d follow it up with a written statement. Sounds to me like the fella needs a refresher course before issuing anything.
Glad you helped make his quota for the day.

Interesting. How do they define who broke the law? If you are passing on the wrong side, isn’t he as well? Does the ticket go to the fast moving watercraft?

I wonder how he would have felt if you pushed him off-line, and tried to run between him and the red buoys?

HRG

Obvious miscommunication and a bit disappointed you didn’t pick up on it fishblood. You of anyone they probably see on the regular over there with your big burly chest hauling in all these manly creatures of the deep. Seems to me this was a well punned pick-up line. Some enforcement officers right now wishing for a little port to Port and head to head action with ya

What time on Sunday? I was on that stretch around 11am and didn’t see them at all.

just be thankful they were so gracious to let you off with a warning.

The sentence in that section of the River Guide that should appear in bold: Common sense tells us we should know what to do when passing, meeting and/or crossing the path of another craft.

You applied common sense. The deputy applied no sense.

First, I’ve (EDIT) EVER heard of a County even talking about the Rules of the Road to a recreational boater. FBRM they stopped you because they wanted to stop you. If they’re going to start writing warnings for the Rules of the Road, they will run out of warning tickets.

Walk into the Dakota County Sheriff’s office and speak to the sheriff. Newbie water patrol. Hell a phone call to the sheriff should take care of that. PS that’s why you just got a warning.

I already put in a call, if I don’t hear back before end of work day I’ll stop into their office.

215 pm diamond bluff. Coming back from p4.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

In other news, a sailboat broke their mast on the Prescott bridge yesterday afternoon. ????

Did they get a warning for that?

DaveB wrote:

Interesting. How do they define who broke the law? If you are passing on the wrong side, isn’t he as well? Does the ticket go to the fast moving watercraft?

I was wondering the same thing.

Did you happen to ask him that question FB&RM?

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Walk into the Dakota County Sheriff’s office and speak to the sheriff. Newbie water patrol. Hell a phone call to the sheriff should take care of that. PS that’s why you just got a warning.

a couple of years ago, I get a call from the FW, she’s crying because she just got a ticket for passing a stopped School Bus. I ask her where she was, and what direction (relative to the bus) was she going?

She was on a 4-lane road, 2 in each direction, and was going in the opposite direction. I told her to calm down, she did nothing wrong. In IL, it is legal to pass a stopped School Bus, provided there are 4 or more lanes, and going in the opposite direction.

I get online, screen-shot the IL Rules of the Road for that situation, and email it to the Chief of Police in that town, asking why his Officers were writing tickets for this offense. Within a 1/2 hour, he replied with an apology, and that the ticket was dismissed.

This just happens to be one of my pet peeves, I carry a Rules of the Road booklet with me, just in case I need to inform an Officer what the rule really is,,,,,,,

HRG

Attachments:

1. 

   bus-rules.jpg
   

You should be going to a Goodhue County court btw.

“We sail ’round the world and go port to port…”

Attachments:

1. 

   stepbrothersboatshoes.jpg
   

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

“We sail ’round the world and go port to port…”

We think alike

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

“We sail ’round the world and go port to port…”

Every time I…

Talked to the sheriff’s department.
They agreed I was acting legally and they will inform the deputies about the law.

Warning ripped up.

DaveB wrote:

Interesting. How do they define who broke the law? If you are passing on the wrong side, isn’t he as well? Does the ticket go to the fast moving watercraft?

I did point out they were favoring the other side of the channel which is why I stayed on my side. I did consider pointing out the obvious… But didn’t think accusing him of being the offender would accomplish anything. They were clear set on me being in the wrong the moment they didn’t wave back.

That’s the thing about ignorance… It usually comes with confidence that you are correct.

Those red buoys aren’t gonna go easy.

nhamm wrote:

Those red buoys aren’t gonna go easy.

HaHa!
I really thought about bringing that up!

I just walked my check to the insurance office, as I went through the crosswalk to get there, I couldn’t help but think I could get a ticket if I meet someone… There I was hugging the left side again!

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

they will inform the deputies about the law.

Mistakes happen and there are so many laws and different laws from each state and toss in the Federal Waterway to top it off. I would love their job if I could just be the guy that promotes safety on the water. I know, someone has to pay for the boat, gas and man hours.

Either way, I would like to be a fly on the wall in that conversation.

In a sane world here’s how that should have went down.

Water Patrol – “You passed us on the wrong side of the river”
You – “So did you!”

End of conversation.

But of course you can’t deal with these thugs like they are normal rational human beings. They carry weapons and believe they can murder you if you choose to ignore them.

Snap wrote:

In a sane world here’s how that should have went down.

Water Patrol – “You passed us on the wrong side of the river”
You – “So did you!”

End of conversation.

But of course you can’t deal with these thugs like they are normal rational human beings. They carry weapons and believe they can murder you if you choose to ignore them.

WOW!!! all I can do is shake my head when I read garbage like this

Snap wrote:

In a sane world here’s how that should have went down.

Water Patrol – “You passed us on the wrong side of the river”
You – “So did you!”

End of conversation.

But of course you can’t deal with these thugs like they are normal rational human beings. They carry weapons and believe they can murder you if you choose to ignore them.

You my friend are an idiot.

Snap wrote:

In a sane world here’s how that should have went down.

Water Patrol – “You passed us on the wrong side of the river”
You – “So did you!”

End of conversation.

But of course you can’t deal with these thugs like they are normal rational human beings. They carry weapons and believe they can murder you if you choose to ignore them.

Oh Boy!

ClownColor wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Snap wrote:</div>
In a sane world here’s how that should have went down.

Water Patrol – “You passed us on the wrong side of the river”
You – “So did you!”

End of conversation.

But of course you can’t deal with these thugs like they are normal rational human beings. They carry weapons and believe they can murder you if you choose to ignore them.

You my friend are an idiot.

X2

ClownColor wrote:

You my friend are an idiot.

Hello, bob clowncolor

Your reaction raises a good point.

We live in a world where one guy puts on a costume, arms himself, gets in a boat, motors up and down the river while every once in a while threatening otherwise peaceful people, who just are out out for a day of fishing, for “driving on the wrong side of the river”. This guy gets paid to do this. If you were to simply try ignore this costumed fellow’s threats he would follow you around all day. He would call in a bunch of his thug buddies and if you didn’t eventually relent they would escalate their threats to the point where they either assault, disable or kill you. These are simply undeniable facts.

Another guy comes along and points out that this is the type of behavior one might expect from a psychopath.

The good point you raise is that yours seems to be the common reaction these days. A reaction which is not to argue facts or counterpoints or to present any sort of a logical argument whatsoever. But instead to simply resort to a kind of kindergarten-like name calling.

Snap,
According to your profile, you haven’t posted for 2 years, until this water patrol thread came up. Were you enjoying housing & meals courtesy of the State or Feds, hence your basis for your opinion regarding LEO?

HRG

No, I steer well clear of armed psychopaths out harassing people fishing. Mostly I have been working trying to try to pay their salary that they take from me under similar threats. But I do a lot of lurking here trying to figure out where/how to catch mid-summer river walleye. No easy feat!

Brian Klawitter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:</div>
they will inform the deputies about the law.

Mistakes happen and there are so many laws and different laws from each state and toss in the Federal Waterway to top it off. I would love their job if I could just be the guy that promotes safety on the water. I know, someone has to pay for the boat, gas and man hours.

Either way, I would like to be a fly on the wall in that conversation.

For sure. I like to arm myself with knowledge of the law to protect myself from… The wrongful ticket. This is just another case where I didn’t know the rules, but I do now.

I also understand the vast majority of these water Patrol boats are not officers.

I learned just now that the guy who ticketed me, and was first to respond to the sailboat… Had to call in an actual officer. I suppose that is why they’re handing out “warnings today”; they likely don’t have authority to issue a ticket.

Snap wrote:

No, I steer well clear of armed psychopaths out harassing people fishing. Mostly I have been working trying to try to pay their salary that they take from me under similar threats. But I do a lot of lurking here trying to figure out where/how to catch mid-summer river walleye. No easy feat!

Just be glad your first post want a video