i upset a guy on the weekend

[Krichbourg]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

I agree with QC. Not everyone would bother with second guessing a situation like that. Most already know with 100% certainty that they are correct. You get points from me for even considering you may have not handled the situation correctly. Living and learning, that's what it's all about. Stay safe and pass it on.

 

[Krichbourg]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

I'm not responding to the OP here, just voiceing my opinion. I'm guilty of not being the nice guy when someone puts me and mine in an unsafe position on the water. I pride myself on being a safe a courteous boater. we have rules on the waterway and when people don't follow them, that's when folks get hurt or worse. I've had a few close calls with one of my young-uns either in the water, tubing, or wakeboarding. I have gotten vocal on the water, maybe not the best way to handle things, but if they didn't know the rules before-they dang sure do now. Ripping someone a new "one" today might save someones life tomorrow, I feel that's a worthwhile investment. I wonder if therapy may help me?

In my experience, "ripping someone a new one" is never a way to successfully deliver information. It may make you feel better but the person being ripped, whether they are right or wrong, isn't hearing what you are saying. It is so easy to disregard someone who is yelling and screaming. If you really want to deliver information and educate someone, try being polite first. It won't change an idiots mind but you haven't given him an easy excuse for disregarding what may be good information, which could save his life later. When you speak softly, people have to listen to hear you. Just another way of looking at it.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

From HIM I received the finger.......................

.................If somebody gives you the finger, you probably did something that wasn't respectful to the other guy...........................

The ACTUAL facts are that there are poorly educated drivers and boaters all over the place and if we are to be safe we MUST anticipate that the "other guy" will very possibly do something wrong.... pointing fingers, yelling, flipping off, cussing, and complaining will not help.....

 

[QC]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

I will apologize profusely ahead of time if anything I ever say gets a thread closed.

Just trying to prevent that.

I travel on business to CA monthly, and the way people drive on the freeways amazes me. I don't boat there, but I can imagine that CA boaters share some of the same traits.

I don't know that I would say that "Very few others do", but the percentage is wayyyy to high!

I guess I have more faith in my fellow humnas, and I don't think any state (or even country) has a monopoly on rudeness or inexperience.

(PS - when I said "run over", I meant "go too close", "pass within a safe distance", or "pass within the legal requirements". I wasn't implying physical contact)

I didn't really think so, but your post read kind of black and white, all or none, literal . . . I think that's what got my hackles up. Thanks for the response!!

 

[ewenm]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

Actually "Jim" i consider myself a very polite boater, i will always try to give way or give space to another, when anchoring i try not to encroach on another s space, i slow down around anchored boats, i observe the speed limits, and i general wave to other boaties.

i just get disappointed when others don't act in the same manner.

but all that said i also try NOT to be dropping off the plain just to cater to someone elses stupidity, if i believe i will endanger anyone life or property then obviously i will take what ever action is required to respect that.

i knew i was a little close to the other guy, i just wondered what others thought, yeah probably looking for a slightly different answer than i got but hey i can live with that

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

as i go past him we can see all is ok, but now without looking he is starting to move over towards us, i nail it and go past and he gets some spray.

im confident i wasn't out of line, what do yah reckon??

Im sure he had lots of spray on his own jumping wakes and using other vessles to have fun ( wrecklessly with kids IMO ).

From your first post..I think this guy would not have had a problem if He didnt make a manuver mistake on his part with that 40 footer ( therefore possible injury for one of his kids ).

I can hear it now..kids laughing..dads having fun..everyones having fun..everything is Great untill someone gets hurt..

Now kids are crying..dads all pumped with adrenaline ( and possible few drinks ). He hits the gas and starts a manuver towards you.

You Made a call on weather to Shut down .. or Pass. Just because you sprayed the guy does not mean You were too close..it could have been he moved on you when you were up-powering.

If your confident you made the right call.. ( was not out of line ) then Ill stand by that.

Nobody here can judge you in any way. .. But Im sure you learned something thats a Big plus.

YD.

PS. Larger vessles Allways have the right of way. And if you dont think so just loose power infront of a moving Freighter ... because you thought you had the right of way ...

 

[JimS123]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

PS. Larger vessles Allways have the right of way.

Now you hit the nail right on the head. Your assumption is wrong and that's why some people get into trouble. They ASSUME too much.

Commercial 300 foot long freighters, Tug Boats pulling / pushing barges, sailboats under sail, Police (CG) Boats with lights and sirens on and any commercial boat with limited maneuverability HAVE the right-of-way.

However, 60 Foot Motor Yachts or 40 foot Fountain Gofasts with 800 HP are another story. Although its might be prudent to avoid them, they have no more rights than the guy in the 12' rowboat with the 3 HP 2-stroke!

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

Now you hit the nail right on the head. Your assumption is wrong and that's why some people get into trouble. They ASSUME too much.

Commercial 300 foot long freighters, Tug Boats pulling / pushing barges, sailboats under sail, Police (CG) Boats with lights and sirens on and any commercial boat with limited maneuverability HAVE the right-of-way.

However, 60 Foot Motor Yachts or 40 foot Fountain Gofasts with 800 HP are another story. Although its might be prudent to avoid them, they have no more rights than the guy in the 12' rowboat with the 3 HP 2-stroke!

Jim..Your not getting it...

Meritime Law does not superseed Maritime common sense...

PS. Larger vessles Allways have the right of way. And if you dont think so just loose power infront of a moving Freighter ... because you thought you had the right of way ...

You Might have the right of way..but you still can be Run over ( even if you Had the Right of Way ) those laws arent going to help you if your haphazzardly running amuck because you Legally have Right of way..

IMHO..IF you have right of way ..then you should be more resposible to where your at and where the larger guys are AT ALL TIMES..

Its called Water Saftey..

YD.

PS. I think QC is right .... there is no argument here...

 

[sasto]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

I find that folks drive the boat the same way they drive the car. Tailgaters will be tailgaters. Speeders will be speeders.....Personalities on the road will usually show me what kind of boater you are.

I don't need hand signals, common courtesy goes a long way.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

We get little infractions of the rules in a few spots where I boat. They are generally due to folks passing above headway speeds in less than the required distance.
It really doesn't bug me that much unless I am the one who drops off plane to observe the distance rule - only to have some one overtake me in a slower boat and then plug along in the line I had been planing on hitting at a higher rate of speed.
So to the OP, I feel your pain.
I really have to get out of those tight spots and find some less traveled places. We all do.
Remember, we are out there on leisure time. I go by the idea of "No sense getting all rush hour out in the boat". Then when there is some room I can put the hammer down. Waiting makes it more fun.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

There's a reality here which noone's brought up, yet. A 32' boat dropping off plane creates a BIG rolling wake; quite possibly enough to capsize a tinny of 1/2 the size. I see people all the time drop off plane because it's generally thought off as the right thing to do, only to cause the guys in the tinny, flat bottom, or bass boat to grab whatever they can most easily reach to hang on. You've got to know your vessel, it's characteristics, and how the operation of it effects others. Sounds like the OP may very well have taken the safest and most thoughtful actions available. I wasn't there. I don't know how much leeway he could have given the smaller vessel.

I don't give anyone the one finger wave, even if they earn it...

 

[veritas honus]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

No worries, ewenm.

Lessons learned everyday on the water. We were in the ICW couple days ago. I was approaching a bridge, and while slowing down, a guy pulling a skier, in a no wake zone, cuts across my bow, dropping the skier in front of me. I just shake my head. The skier gives me the finger.

I can't believe you shook your head... How rude. Let me guess, I bet you rolled your eyes, too.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

# Every vessel must proceed at a safe speed at all times. Several factors should be considered when
determining safe speed, including but not limited to the state of visibility, traffic density, your vessel's maneuverability, with special reference to stopping distance and turning ability. At night, consider the
presence of background lights such as those from shore, or from the back-scatter of your vessel's own
lights. Consider also the state of wind, sea, and current, and the proximity of navigational hazards.
# The Rules specifically require that any action taken to avoid collision, if the circumstances allow, will be
positive, made in ample time, and in keeping with good seamanship. Any changes in course or speed
should be large enough to be readily apparent to the other vessel. This means that you should avoid last
second changes in course, and you should avoid a small series of changes. Change direction early, and
make a large turn.

I almost swamped a little flat bottom boat.. I was going slow.. He was right smack dab in the middle of the channel and it was a little channel.. Very busy day.. Holiday I think.. I am not sure if he had engine troubles or what.. I passed him on one side as another was passing on the other side.. He was in a bad place and went for alittle ride... I was going slow.. not even on plane.. I felt sorry for him, but he didn't shoot the bird at me or the guy flying by him... Man I am not afraid to lay on the horn... Lets em know I am there and that I see them... It's kinda like saying hey bud lets not hit each other

 

[JimS123]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

Meritime Law does not superseed Maritime common sense...
You Might have the right of way..but you still can be Run over ( even if you Had the Right of Way ) those laws arent going to help you if your haphazzardly running amuck because you Legally have Right of way..

That's where the problem begins - where has all the common sense gone? But even more than that, what about common courtesy?

People should drive their boats defensively, just like we are taught to drive our cars. If the guy in the tinny wants to be sure the 30 footer doesn't run into him, he has to assume that the 30 will not yield the right of way. Thus, he slows down first giving way to the big guy. Its a shame he has to do that to survive, and it shouldn't have to be that way.

I realize we should never say never or always, or everybody or nobody, but the fact remains that all too often all too many boaters feel that because of their size they can do whatever they want. When I am navigating the river and come upon trolling fishermen, or skiiers and tubers, I don't give them a 100' clearance, or even 300'. I go to the freaking other side of the river! I do the same for the 30 footers at anchor with kids swimming all about. All I ask is that they show me the same courtesy!

 

[witenite0560]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

I'm not in an area where I have to deal with traffic much and anything over 26' is very rare. However, seems to me the proper thing to do would have been to slow down, give the passing signal on your horn and swing as wide a berth around him as possible. If he ignored your signals and continued to behave recklessly, then he would have been 100% at fault. As it is, you must share some of the guilt.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

That's where the problem begins - where has all the common sense gone? But even more than that, what about common courtesy?

Welcome to 2011 Jim, That is the question I think we are all asking ourselves as well.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: i upset a guy on the weekend

That's where the problem begins - where has all the common sense gone? But even more than that, what about common courtesy?

Welcome to 2011 Jim, That is the question I think we are all asking ourselves as well.

All of our treasured "commons" are gone... Common sense, common courtesy, common knowledge... All are now, basically, oxymorons. Sense, courtesy, knowledge... Unfortunately, all very uncommon ideals these days. Didn't you laugh at your parents when they would say with frustration, "When I was your age..." "Back when I was growing up..." "You'll go through the same thing when you grow up" "You'll go through the same thing when you're the parent" "My parents told me this, but I didn't believe them"

I didn't think they would be so right, who does? For the most part, parents get more and more irresponsible with every generation.; It's sad, but as long as we never lower our own standards to meet that of those around us... There'll still be hope for our future generations.