200 People Busted For Alcohol-Related Offenses On The Little Miami River

Close to 200 people fall victim to a sweep on the Little Miami River. Officials in Warren County were targeting alcohol-related offenses, from open containers to underage drinking. The operation left many people drying out and forced to pay a hefty fine. Many people were feeling the heat, and not because of the temperature. The main objective of this operation is not to ruin activities but to make sure the Little Miami River can be a fun place for the whole family. Out of sight and undercover, officers from several agencies were looking to put a stop to a common problem. There's a little too much drinking on the Little Miami River. Area residents living around the river complained of rude and obnoxious behavior, enough that something had to be done. The Sackriders, a local family, agree with Warren County officials who say alcohol and the river don't mix. Most were upset to get ticketed, in over a few hours authorities handed citations close to 200 people. The violations ranged from underage drinking to littering and life jacket violations. Some people on canoes got stopped more than once for the most popular offense, having an open container. The goal of the crackdown is to make sure the river is a friendly place for local families to make a splash. Dozens of empty beer cans were picked up in the seven-hour sweep Meanwhile, on the water Chris and Rebecca Sackrider will stick to drinking water. There will be another similar sweep in the near future, but officials in Warren County are not saying when. http://www.local12.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=2ccdfc37-1f69-4727-b25a-a6dad8d3d7a7

It goes without saying that if C.J. Parker arrested you...well...resistance would be futile. :>)

(Not only so, but the risk of catching a dose of Hepetitis C)

>(Not only so, but the risk of catching a dose of Hepetitis C)

Yeah - well, you know...

Ya' takes 'yer chances.

Besides, it would be fun watching her try and catch you as you run away.

Assuming that you can run faster backwards than forwards. :>)

Well, time to dump the "real" Dan back in the dumpster. B'uh-bye, turdbrain!

http://www.nlpc.org/olap/congress/020501.htm

No point in trying to fight the tax collectors.... that is really 98% of the intent of that sort of law.

However, they have better things to do than bust people for alcohol unless they are causing a problem.

While on a camping trip at a state park, we had a group site (secluded, away from the main sites). We went for a late night hike and talked with a state park ranger along the way. He casually asked if we had any alcohol, then said that if we did, we shouldn't carry it around (we wouldn't anyway) or be overly loud.

I volunteer with a local (Three Rivers Park District) park district. The "park patrol" is around for information and first aid. After appropriate training, we use the trails (skate, bike, hike, ski) and watch for people who need assistance. Usually it is just to help people figure out where they are or where something is. However, if we see a problem, we will call the dispatcher for the park police.

A car is nothing more than vehicle of conveyance, while a boat can be simultaneously a conveyance and a means of accommodation.

I don't suggest the skipper should be drinking underway, but busting the skipper seated up on the flybridge because a guest down in the salon is having a cold beer or a glass of Merlot on a summer afternoon is way over the top.

Good thing there's no actual crime in Ohio, thereby freeing 45 of the local cops to spend an afternoon preventing the consumption of beer on the Little Miami river.

I don't believe the case you cited involved drinking a glass of wine in the salon.

I offer again my example from earlier in this thread. Joe Doaks has a party of guests out for an afternoon cruise. Joe isn't drinking, and in fact he's piloting the boat from the flybridge. Down below in the salon, Mrs. Doaks is serving Margaritas to a couple guests of legal drinking age. Is Joe Doaks a criminal? Should he be hauled into court and made to answer for his behavior? In many states, certain boating offenses cross reference to your vehicular driving license, so should stone sober Joe's car insurance be cancelled or his premiums be doubled because somebody else on his boat (well out of reach of the skipper) had an alcoholic beverage?

Last year at our Seafair hydroplane races the Seattle cops did one of these mass arrest deals. They had to rent portable jails to lock up everybody they were processing. The difference was, the Seattle cops where targeting people exhibiting drunken behavior (not merely people who might be having a beer while watching the hydroplane races). The Seattle cops also focused on underage drinkers.

I've always like the European approach to alcohol. In many societies it's common to serve beer to school kids, and entire families often enjoy a drink together. The difference is that becoming publicly intoxicated is a very serious screw up, and getting caught DWI will typically result in very serious punishment even for "first offenders".

Silly sheeple.

Last night we had we had a "fireworks party" out at the T41 "Beer Can Island". It took me 13 minutes to get there on plane at 7pm.... it took me 1.5 hours to get home trolling at 1200 rpm at 12:30AM with a BAC of between .08 and .10.

I'm *very* hesitant to plane the boat out at night in the dark anyway, because I'm afraid some drunk fisherman will have his lights off. But I never **EVER** go above troll if drinking. For one thing, the marine patroll doesn't bother inobtrusive trolling people... and further it's just not safe... and yes I wore my PFD to pee off the swim platform - just in case. :)

I'm very aware and very sensitive to drunk boaters - my cousin was (famously) killed by one in NH on a Memorial Day weekend. But that *doesn't* mean my sence of right and wrong change with the wind of public opinion. A drinking boater or a canoe at NO speed can't really hurt a fly. The possible exception being *themselves* if they fall in the water and drown... and I don't want Big Brother Nanny interfering with good old fashioned Darwinism. :)

I have no problem with little boats (and pontoons) running at "headway speed" with a load of beer and good old boys with fishing poles aboard. HOWEVER... I'm all for throwing the book at BUI's up on plane. All the Marine Patroll has to do is look for "strange behavior" in order to get the real assholes off the water. Not some bullshit PR stunt, a "sweep" like that is waste or resources and money. (but it looks good in print)

Personally... after the last few days... I think the flaming idiots who run a tube side to side in the travel channels are the worst problem. I've had **way** too many chances to contribute to Darwinism by running thier sniveling offspring on a rope over. I'll take a **trolling** drunk any day over those child endangering assholes.

-W

W: Charlie.... kill the stereo and start the motor. please. C: WHY??? W: Because I see a boat comeing up way too fast for 3AM, and I'm afraid he's even drunker than we are (if that's even humanly possible). I just wanna be ready to get TF out of his way if he's too blind to see our anchor light. You can kill it again when he's gone by us....

Why do you insist on reposting every single bit of previous drivel instead of snipping to something half way relevant?

1. Motor vehicles

2. Vehicles on a public highway or the right-of-way (i.e. on the shoulder) of a public highway

I once asked a local legislator just how much time was spent on debating the necessity of any particular piece of public safety legislation vs considering the financial aspect of any particular piece of public safety legislation.

He said the revenue portion (that's exactly how he put it - not penalty/fine portion) is about 50% of any legislative debate when it comes to public safety.

I'd lose the argument before we even got started. :>)

Slow drunk boaters are better than fast drunk boaters.

Unbelievable.

Look, I'm not totally convinced that the situation that originated this discussion was reasonable - there is a point where enforcing the law requires descretion and balance - I totally agree.

However, if there is a history of abuse in a particular area and the users and bordering neighbors complain about same, then drastic enforcement may be required as a warning.

I'm sure the cops would much rather be out doing other things than bsting some poor stiff who had a Bud while paddling down the river.

http://www.legalsurvival.com/dwilink/nov02.html

However, the federal definition of motor vehicle seems to exclude boats.

"MOTOR VEHICLE - Includes an automobile, automobile truck, automobile wagon, motorcycle, or any other self-propelled vehicle designed for running on land but not on rails. 18 USC"

From: http://www.lectlaw.com/def2/m048.htm

I have been stopped for a safety check after having a beer, and have never had them ask me to blow into anything, I guess I either didn't have any smell of alcohol on my breath, or they can tell the difference between one beer and 6.

Today, I don't bring any beer on board, but would allow a passenger to bring some as long as they limited their consumption so they will be below the legal limit at the end of the day. I don't want anyone to be driving home drunk. I figure a beer an hour will keep someone below .08.

When I was running SWS semi-full time, the rule was no alcohol onboard - period. I even turned around and returned to the dock when one client brought some orange juice on board spiked with vodka. (By the way, don't believe it when they tell you vodka doesn't smell - its does).

Now when we returned to the dock, that was another story. Break out the case of beer kept on ice in the slip's storage locker and let's sit back and talk over the trip. I always kept an eye on that though because of the very reason you stated - I didn't want anybody driving home intoxicated.

It seems to me that there are a number of different ways of looking at this open container law.

Imagine what that effort could have done to the drug business in the area, if they really wanted to bust pushers, but they don't do blue on blue enforcement!

(1) My boss was cited in VA for exceeding the speed limit. They were perfectly happy to make the speeding charge go away and become a non-movement violation, if he paid the fine and just went away. IOW, public safety was not of paramount importance.... collecting the fine, was.

(2) Several states already have a totally idiotic series of tax laws. VA was the latest: http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1818.asp

Just as your's is dealing with SC, mine will soon be dealing with VA.....

Gotta get done with it Swallow the evidence down Should have been done long ago There's my whole six pack Soaking into the ground A case woulda been quite a blow

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, (etc)

Oh jiggers the cops are comin Why can't they leave us alone Keep paddlin while I'm dumpin No beer in Ohio No beer in Ohio (how many more?) No beer in Ohio (will I have to pour?) No beer in Ohio

There are some darn good reasons not to drink while boating. The skipper really needs to blow zero. Passengers who become intoxicated are more likely to wind up in the water and will be less able to assist in their own or some other person's rescue. Studies have shown that the marine environment tends to increase the effects of alcohol.

Still, that said, busting people for having an open can of beer anywhere aboard a boat seems extreme. The news bit didn't imply that all or even any of the boaters were legally intoxicated. A town big enough to turn out 45 cops (to write a total of 200 beer-related tickets) has to have a mayor, city council, etc. I guess we can all be sure that when the politicians all gather for a party on the mayor's yacht that there will be no open containers or consumption of alcohol anywhere aboard.

Some boaters have and enforce a no-alcohol policy aboard their boats. I'm not opposed to a guest having a beer or a glass of wine, within moderation. As long as the operator waits until the boat is at its final destination for the day before imbibing, the cops shouldn't be busting beer. Public intoxication, lewd or rowdy behavior, public urination, etc, deserve to be ticketed and should bebut even if it's borderline unwise a non-operating adult shouldn't be ticketed for holding a can of beer on a boat.

Depends on how the local law is written of course but I'd like to see them fight it out in court.

There's a difference between having a beer on a summer afternoon and being a "drunk".

I thought Carrie Nation and Temperance Unions were ancient history. Good thing they didn't catch one of the canoeists or kayakers smokin a doobie.....if beer warrants a ticket those uptight puritans would probably lynch somebody found with a joint.

No wonder the entire world seems to be moving to the west coast! :-)

People SUCK! Remember? We see many instances of this sucky behavior all the time. Many instances involve alcohol too, unfortunately. Ruins the good responsible time for the rest of us, yano? :-(

John Kuthe...

What the hell is a doobie? Is it one of those new designer drugs? Does it give you the feeling that Kansas and Nebraska are closing in on the left coast. Good to see you a little closer to the fusilage than ol' HK, at least on this issue. There may be redemption for you yet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_open_container_laws

Carylyle Lake does a pretty good sweep a couple times a year too. They don't get wild about "open seal" though, but when none of the boats occupants can pass the breath blower, then things get interesting.

And it does happen.

This is NOT about people "driving" a vehicle. Canoes appear to be the boats in question This is NOT about general boating laws.

This is a quiet, scenic, river that has a special "no alcohol allowed" law in this area. They are trying to keep this a "family friendly" area near a state park. The idea is that it is much easier to enforce a blanket no alcohol policy than to try to chase down the problem people or have probably cause to individually check id's on people who are drinking to check their age.

I don't know the details of the river but expect that it is similar to a few of them around here where people go to kick back while canoeing or tubing. They are slow, shallow, wide enough to not be difficult but narrow enough to easily wade across.

You would need to be really wasted (like not be able to stand up) to be in significant danger on them.

The Cannon (near Cannon Falls, MN) is longer, the primary activity is using a canoe barely faster than drifting, and the activities are very quiet.

The Apple (near Somerset, WI) has a very different reputation. The water has a small "rapids" at the end of the commonly used zone.

Googling for "apple river" wisconsin alcohol family, brought this up as the 2nd result. DrinkingStuff -> Content -> Pictures -> Details Apple River, Wisconsin... Apple River, Wisconsin... +Zoom In Submitted on Oct 28, ... what no more alcohol??!! ...shh, you'll wake the baby. Jump to page: ... www.drinkingstuff.com/pictures/97 - 47k

WARNIING: NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY

The primary activity is tubing. You park your butt in an inner tube and drift along the river. There are campgrounds along the river that have tube rental and some people go there to party with their underage friends and/or get REALLY drunk and obnoxious.

From what I have heard, it used to be a lot worse than it is now. The local people decided that things were getting out of hand and convinced the county sheriff's department to spend some time cracking down on: underage drinking, public drunkenness, public sex acts, and littering. There are warnings about this and you are supposed to pay a deposit on every container you leave with.

I have been down it several times in the last 15 years and never saw significant nudity but saw a number of obnoxious drunks. We generally have a cooler in it's own tube and have a 2-4 beers in the few hours it takes to drift through the trees. More fun that soaking in a hot tub. Usually the tubes are tied together into a raft and whomever is towards the front gives a quick (and sometimes surprised) call of "butts up" to warn people about a rock near the surface.

That's a good point.

Unless there is a law against public consumption.

Technically, Connecticut is not in compliance with the Federal Open Container requirements, but if an open container in found in a vehicle in the course of a vehicle/traffic stop, a field sobriety and/or BAT is required of the driver.

That was a recent change and I believe of the 13 states that are not compliant have similar laws.

CT is an odd state with quite possibly the most moronic legislature in the 50 states second only to RI and/or MA. You would think that they would be all over this, but curiously they aren't.

--Vic