Water Patrol

[littlejasper]

If I am within 50' of the bank at night, do I have to have on my running lights??

[Old plug]

Yes if he tells you to do it then do it. We had so some guy running around here fruday night with no lights and the water patrol ran into him sent 4 people to the hospital. The guy was drunk. Drunks try to run without lights around here all the time. They think they can hide that way. But in your case the law says hard to the bank i think.

[Quillback]

There's no 50 foot exclusion rule. Here's a link to the MO regs. Pages 38 and 39 lay it all out as far as night time lighting.

http://www.boat-ed.com/missouri/handbook/book.html

[fishinwrench]

Running lights if you are underway, Anchor light if not. Right?

[Old plug]

I think that is what is what the rule is wrench. But i think you have to be dead at anchor. Going along the bank with the troller is not daed anchor. I imagine after this pst weekend the boat patrol is going to really be watching about running light. Tell you something else they do nit like is those big bright white docking lights people put on the bow of there pontoons. I ran seen one up my cove last evening.he has been running around that way this year, I seen him stopped one time and he shut them down. But he must hove only got a warning If your night vision is that bad you should stay off the water. Of course blind drunk out there makes no difference. I am certain some of these guys run without lights because they think they can fool the patrol. I heard there were three wat patrol boats stationed in the CoCo Nuts area Sunday.

[GNSfishing]

Have pity for the person fishing on the rear deck with the bug storm out right now with that rear light on. Whether right or wrong, I usually don't fish the banks with the rear light on. Will turn lights on as another boat approaches to tell them I am here. Now if I am fishing a long shallow point or structure I will have both front and rear lights on all of the time. Like I said right or wrong and you will find that is what normal night fishermen do. There are a few who keeps their lights on all of the time while on the water and of course a very few who do not turn their lights on whether fishing or running (scares me).

[GNSfishing]

I think that is what is what the rule is wrench. But i think you have to be dead at anchor. Going along the bank with the troller is not daed anchor. I imagine after this pst weekend the boat patrol is going to really be watching about running light. Tell you something else they do nit like is those big bright white docking lights people put on the bow of there pontoons. I ran seen one up my cove last evening.he has been running around that way this year, I seen him stopped one time and he shut them down. But he must hove only got a warning If your night vision is that bad you should stay off the water. Of course blind drunk out there makes no difference. I am certain some of these guys run without lights because they think they can fool the patrol. I heard there were three wat patrol boats stationed in the CoCo Nuts area Sunday.

The first time I encountered a boat with head lights I was puzzled wonder where that road was the car was on. The agree if the headlights on a boat is dangerous to other boat operators because they blind you meeting them. I have had to shut down until they pass so I could see again. Saw one Sunday night around Woolie creek below Cape Fair marina I could not see their navigation lights until they passed me.

I did not see the water patrol boat out of the dock at Cape Fair this labor day weekend, so why are they not out on the water full time on these long holiday weekends? The presents of water patrol around the Cape Fair area is slim and none ever since they were changed to the Highway Patrol dept.

[Old plug]

They may have had extra pressure up here. sunday was o awful bad out there. Also this place coconuts has a darn airplane giving rides up there i have no idea at this point how they are keeping a waterway clear for landing and takeoff. Then in the air he swoops down at tree top level into the coves. Gives them a thrill ride. It will go on I suppose till he has a mechanical problem and sticks it into someones home. I think the water patrol has been having a lot if problems with the coconuts facility.

[Feathers and Fins]

Lights on at night period end of subject if you do not have them on you are _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and if you by not having them on cause the harm or death of another boater you disserve all the civil and criminal charges possible. There is no excuse in this world for not turning on the lights for safety. Personally that is one of the few activities that should be an instant removal of boating privileges and loss of drivers license and if children are involved Child endangerment charges.

I have seen several bad wrecks because someone didn't want to run them including a fatality all because someone didn't want to flip a switch and ignored safety laws. I myself have almost ran into a few people because of it and it is the one certain violation I will always call the sheriff about.

[fishinwrench]

Lights on at night period end of subject if you do not have them on you are _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and if you by not having them on cause the harm or death of another boater you disserve all the civil and criminal charges possible. There is no excuse in this world for not turning on the lights for safety. Personally that is one of the few activities that should be an instant removal of boating privileges and loss of drivers license and if children are involved Child endangerment charges.

I have seen several bad wrecks because someone didn't want to run them including a fatality all because someone didn't want to flip a switch and ignored safety laws. I myself have almost ran into a few people because of it and it is the one certain violation I will always call the sheriff about.

Oh c'mon, Easy now!

There ARE other objects afloat that do not/will not have lights on them. Some are anchored (no wake buoys), others are adrift (logs, hoists, boats, and Complete Docks with hoists and boats still attached that have come unbuttoned), so a boater should NOT expect to be able to run at max legal speed through the darkness expecting that anything else out there is going to be lit up like a runway.

Common sense (and/or the lack of it) works both ways.