On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 14:12:51 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"noah" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 06:47:00 GMT, "Doug Kanter"

wrote:

"noah" wrote in message
.. .

I paid the fine, and thanked the judge for making it a very small one.
I think the judge was a fisherman. )


Thank heaven for judges who understand the difference between the essence
of
the law and the letter of the law (unlike the sad troopers who are told
to
sit on the thruway all day and look only for speeders - never mind the
tailgaters, or 30 yr old dump trucks spewing opaque fumes).

Last year, I went to court to explain to a judge that I was doing 79 mph
at
a certain moment, not 80 as the trooper claimed. The dangerous psychopath
ahead of me was in a wheelchair with neck brace and oxygen tank, after
being
beaten mercilessly by 3 DEC officers for being a week gone on his fishing
license. The judge asked him if he was ware of the odd renewal date here
in
NY - end of Sept or something like that. He responded that he understood,
but generally forgot, like almost everyone else who's also preoccupied
with
raking leaves at that time of year. Then, the judge asked him how the
fishing was that day. He told the judge he'd been set upon by bluefills,
and
hadn't caught any steelhead. The judge explained that justice would not
be
served by fining a fisherman who hadn't caught anything worthwhile.


Problem, "Doug"?

I didn't have the "wearable". I got a ticket. It was bull****. I paid
it.
I guess if I had been fishing from a Camaro, it would have been OK.

****ed about something?
Regards,
noah

Well, when I read your message, I was ****ed that I'd run out of grapefruit.
But, my comment on balanced judges seems to fit what you mentioned. You said
the fine was a small one, right? I responded by describing a similar judge.
Did my typo (bluefills instead of bluegills) cause some confusion?
-Doug


Naw, we fish for bluefills all the time.
I think it was the tag-team beating that threw me off. )

Regards,
noah

To email me, remove the "OT-" from OT-wrecked.boats.noah.
....as you were. )

(snip)
You don't sound like the type, but just for future reference:

I went striper fishing one early morning, in the pouring rain, by
myself, in my 14' jon-boat, on the Hudson River. I launched in the
dark, and although I had two approved throwable PDF's onboard, I left
my "wearable" PDF on the launch ramp.

A few hours later, a DEC center cabin comes roaring up, and hooks my
gunwale. My little anchor is holding both of us, against a rising
tide and current, and he damned near swamps me. I disobey his
instruction to leave my anchor set, and pull it before my jon goes
under.

I'm wet, cold, with no fish, and he writes me up for no "wearable"
PDF. Yup, it was my mistake, but he was bustin' my ass, and he was an
idiot. In a 14' jon, the law does not require me to wear the
"wearable", just "have one on board", so what's the difference between
"wearable" and "throwable"? If he hadn't hooked my boat, I wouldn't
have needed the friggin' "wearable". I was the only boat on the river
that morning for miles, so I guess he had to find "something". After
writing me up, he ordered me off the river. Barney Fife.

I paid the fine, and thanked the judge for making it a very small one.
I think the judge was a fisherman. )

You sound like a reasonable guy. People will appreciate that, so do
what you gotta' do. Thanks for listening.
Regards,
noah

Either the guy was a rookie or hasn't figured out what being a cop is all
about yet (at least by MY standards). Sorry you had a bad experience, I'm
definitely not like that. My policy is "I'm nice until it's time to NOT be
nice." I've got no problem issuing verbal warnings, so long as I'm not
disrespected and it's not a heinous crime. I don't believe in quotas and I
won't write anyone for things that I personally do. I appreciate your input,
Noah. Thanks.
--
-= swatcop =-

"If it wasn't for stupid people I'd be unemployed."

Patrol the boat ramps and their usage. The rules here are that the tow
vehicles make the line and it never fails that someone in a boat will just pull
up to the ramp and think they can sit there while they go get their vehicle...
Nothing like a good fight at a busy ramp.

"CCred68046" wrote in message
...
Patrol the boat ramps and their usage. The rules here are that the tow
vehicles make the line and it never fails that someone in a boat will just
pull
up to the ramp and think they can sit there while they go get their
vehicle...
Nothing like a good fight at a busy ramp.

I've seen it at our ramp occasionally as well, I'll try to keep an eye on
that. Thanks.
--
-= swatcop =-

"If it wasn't for stupid people I'd be unemployed."

I second this notion. I see far more ignorance and inconsiderate behavior
(and, therefore, angry people) at the launch ramp than on the water. Worse
at the end of the day when many folks have had a few Coors and are already
****ed about their empty live wells.
Just my $0.02 worth.

"swatcop" wrote in message
...



"CCred68046" wrote in message
...
Patrol the boat ramps and their usage. The rules here are that the tow
vehicles make the line and it never fails that someone in a boat will just
pull
up to the ramp and think they can sit there while they go get their
vehicle...
Nothing like a good fight at a busy ramp.

I've seen it at our ramp occasionally as well, I'll try to keep an eye on
that. Thanks.
--
-= swatcop =-

"If it wasn't for stupid people I'd be unemployed."

"Eric H" wrote in message
om...
I second this notion. I see far more ignorance and inconsiderate behavior
(and, therefore, angry people) at the launch ramp than on the water. Worse
at the end of the day when many folks have had a few Coors and are already
****ed about their empty live wells.
Just my $0.02 worth.

A point well taken - it seems that the two biggest "bitches" so far are
jetskis and morons at the boat ramp. Thank you for your input.
--
-= swatcop =-

"If it wasn't for stupid people I'd be unemployed."

swatcop,
Just can't beat common sense. To Protect and to Serve is what's it's all
about. You sound like a good cop to me.
Paul

"swatcop" wrote in message
...
Looking for a little bit of direction here. I've been recently assigned to
my department's Marine Unit. I've been a cop for 15 years. I lived in NJ
at
the shore around boats most of my life, but never owned one. I rarely even
went out on boats except for fishing or waterskiing. I moved to Florida in
late 2000, and I'm still working as a cop (just in a nicer place). As a
result of some administrative changes in my department, I was assigned to
the Marine Unit. I've completed the necessary training and such, but one
thing is lacking: experience. I'll try to get to the point - I'm open for
comments and opinions. I know what the law says, and I know what my job
is,
but I try to use more common sense than what the law may actually say in
black & white. What do you (as boaters) feel the most important issues are
for the Police to deal with on the water? Would you like to see more
O.U.I.
enforcement? More vessel stops for no wake zone infractions? More safety
inspections? More after dark patrols of inlets, channels, and harbor
areas?
You tell me. I'm asking for your honest opinions here. As a rule I use
more
common sense than anything on the job. I treat people fairly, and as a
result I rarely ever have to appear in court. I would like to do the same
on
the water. Here's your chance to make a difference, because I will take
every opinion into consideration. Thanks for your help.

"Paul Schilter" paulschilter@comcast,dot,net wrote in message
...
swatcop,
Just can't beat common sense. To Protect and to Serve is what's it's
all
about. You sound like a good cop to me.
Paul

Thanks, Paul. I'm a firm believer in good ol' common sense.
--
-= swatcop =-

"If it wasn't for stupid people I'd be unemployed."

swatcop wrote:

Looking for a little bit of direction here. I've been recently assigned to
my department's Marine Unit. I've been a cop for 15 years. I lived in NJ at
the shore around boats most of my life, but never owned one. I rarely even
went out on boats except for fishing or waterskiing. I moved to Florida in
late 2000, and I'm still working as a cop (just in a nicer place). As a
result of some administrative changes in my department, I was assigned to
the Marine Unit. I've completed the necessary training and such, but one
thing is lacking: experience. I'll try to get to the point - I'm open for
comments and opinions. I know what the law says, and I know what my job is,
but I try to use more common sense than what the law may actually say in
black & white. What do you (as boaters) feel the most important issues are
for the Police to deal with on the water? Would you like to see more O.U.I.
enforcement? More vessel stops for no wake zone infractions? More safety
inspections? More after dark patrols of inlets, channels, and harbor areas?
You tell me. I'm asking for your honest opinions here. As a rule I use more
common sense than anything on the job. I treat people fairly, and as a
result I rarely ever have to appear in court. I would like to do the same on
the water. Here's your chance to make a difference, because I will take
every opinion into consideration. Thanks for your help.


My Advice; Know the law, and how it applies to the water. If someone is
clearly violating the law, then do what is necessary.

Do not become entangled in the politics of opinion which divides the
various boating groups.

Remember what's one man's annoyance is another's extreme pleasure.
Jetski's are a common example of what is considered annoying by many
people. But while people complain about jetskis remaining in the same
general area, it is generally not unlawful for them to do so, despite
how it makes some other people feel. Same thing goes for fishermen who
complain about the wakes of skiboats and other transients. There should
be no expectation of glass smooth water when there are boats in the
area, and everyone has to be cognizant of the risks, and deal with the
conditions accordingly. Don't expect other people to know exactly what
everyone else is doing. There is a fine line between negligent operation
and a normal day on the water, when there are a bunch of boats all
plying the same waterway, looking for different pleasures.

Dave