Drunk in Charge...?

[Greenheart]

On a similar line, we're not nearly as critical of driving whilst tired, as of driving whilst over the limit.

Driving when you may be at risk of snoozing, is much more dangerous than driving whilst slightly drunk, but any resultant crash is almost invariably considered a tragic no-fault accident, rather than the deserved consequences of over-doing something.

 

[scottie]

Before we get a nanny state!

Having known a friend who drowned returning to the boat late at night from the pub I would suggest that sometimes we do need someone to stop us doing things that we are not in a fit state for. If someone had be able to stop him not just advise as many did a life would have been saved.
I have been in position of restraining a person from driving a rib under the influence and thankfully ther was two of us large guys able to do it!
I don't drink and drive a car so why a boat ?

Would I call the police ? But if I saw someone sailing whilst out of control because of injury yes!
we don't need a nanny state but we do need self control and if we don't do it our self then eventually the state will step in big time and we will not like that.

 

[gljnr1983]

I was anchored in the golf course bay at loch lomond a couple years ago with 3 of my fishing buddys having a few beers listening to the raidio when one of my mates said thats the police over there shouting us so i turned the radio off and listened to an officer shouting to us get over so i replied i have been drinking and i am at anchor, he replied get over here .So i lifted the anchor and headed over to the pontoon berthing perfectly ,all on board were booked and warrent checked then we were told to leave the area in the pitch black luckily we had a good spot light to get us to the narrows but what annoyed me was this was a day after the loch awe drownings as wee were heading up to loch awe when we heard on the radio that there was a major search on up there and turned back settling on loch lomond so where is the common sense?

 

[Csail]

Don't really get pi55ed enough not to manage 6 knts in the boat but once flew a mates giving plane hammered and got stopped on landing but got away with it.There were good reasons for it which i could divulge....best not to ask.

 

[onesea]

Sadly I think when it comes to drinking and boating the writing is on the wall.. We will all protest and fight etc but...

Once upon a time drink driving was socially except-able, now...
Once upon a time it was acceptable not to wear a seatbelt now...
Once upon a time speeding was socially except-able (how long did that journey take you), now it is becoming increasingly frowned upon.

The same is happening to boats (just ironically in reverse):
Speed restriction, life jackets.... drinking...

What chance do we have?

The one that makes me cross is the xx% of car accidents are caused by speed. Hell yeah why would I be in a car if I did not want to travel, so if I am in a car good chance it will be moving at a speed...

Look at the stupid situation with knifes in the UK your average Leather-man/ knife & spike set in your car and it could possibly be argued your boat is illegal.

Then there is the stupid booster seat rules for children v's dog poo fines...

My sister was visiting me (4 years ago) I had no booster seats for her kids, a look on the internet we would not need them (occasional run exception). Hell as I pointed out to her the fine was only £350 or so pounds, I had risk more daily along the canals where if my dogs had made a mess I was due £1000 pound fine.

Its a good job common sense is no longer allowed, or some one would actually think about it:
99% (or what ever it is) of road accidents involve cars ban them!
35% (or what ever it is) of accidents involve alcohol, ban it!
90% (or what ever it is) of all drownings involve boats....

 

[charles_reed]

Sadly I think when it comes to drinking and boating the writing is on the wall.. We will all protest and fight etc but...

Once upon a time drink driving was socially except-able, now...
Once upon a time it was acceptable not to wear a seatbelt now...
Once upon a time speeding was socially except-able (how long did that journey take you), now it is becoming increasingly frowned upon.

The same is happening to boats (just ironically in reverse):
Speed restriction, life jackets.... drinking...

What chance do we have?

The one that makes me cross is the xx% of car accidents are caused by speed. Hell yeah why would I be in a car if I did not want to travel, so if I am in a car good chance it will be moving at a speed...

Look at the stupid situation with knifes in the UK your average Leather-man/ knife & spike set in your car and it could possibly be argued your boat is illegal.

Then there is the stupid booster seat rules for children v's dog poo fines...

My sister was visiting me (4 years ago) I had no booster seats for her kids, a look on the internet we would not need them (occasional run exception). Hell as I pointed out to her the fine was only £350 or so pounds, I had risk more daily along the canals where if my dogs had made a mess I was due £1000 pound fine.

Its a good job common sense is no longer allowed, or some one would actually think about it:
99% (or what ever it is) of road accidents involve cars ban them!
35% (or what ever it is) of accidents involve alcohol, ban it!
90% (or what ever it is) of all drownings involve boats....

The best misapplication of statistics was the proposal to ban non-skid brakes on cars as there was a significantly higher proportion of those involved in high-speed accidents 1985-95.
Or the chap who refused to go to bed as most people died there.

 

[ukmctc]

OK, enough bull, lets do away with the barrack room lawyers.

Yes in Scotland a uniformed officer can breath test a drunk boaty, and arrest said boaty for being drunk incharge.

There are other charges that could be set, just incase the 1st offence is dropped by the PF, and as standard these would be added as lesser charges, breach of the peace etc;

Anyone stupid enough to sail/motor/fish whilst drunk on a boat, well we hope they just fall overboard and are never missed, thus saving the tax payer a load of cash.

 

[Talbot]

.......Wasn't it Philip K Dick who said " Alcohol can make you shoot at tax inspectors; and miss ! ".........

Heinlein! / check my signature

 

[Seajet]

I know, I know ! I was corrected at the time; mind, it does sound like Phillip K Dick...

 

[BERT T]

I was anchored in the golf course bay at loch lomond a couple years ago with 3 of my fishing buddys having a few beers listening to the raidio when one of my mates said thats the police over there shouting us so i turned the radio off and listened to an officer shouting to us get over so i replied i have been drinking and i am at anchor, he replied get over here .So i lifted the anchor and headed over to the pontoon berthing perfectly ,all on board were booked and warrent checked then we were told to leave the area in the pitch black luckily we had a good spot light to get us to the narrows but what annoyed me was this was a day after the loch awe drownings as wee were heading up to loch awe when we heard on the radio that there was a major search on up there and turned back settling on loch lomond so where is the common sense?

You were sleeping in there my friend. Under health and safety regulations you should have refused and told them to sling their hook!

 

[gljnr1983]

OK, enough bull, lets do away with the barrack room lawyers.

Yes in Scotland a uniformed officer can breath test a drunk boaty, and arrest said boaty for being drunk incharge.

There are other charges that could be set, just incase the 1st offence is dropped by the PF, and as standard these would be added as lesser charges, breach of the peace etc;

Anyone stupid enough to sail/motor/fish whilst drunk on a boat, well we hope they just fall overboard and are never missed, thus saving the tax payer a load of cash.

Thats right i have seen this before giving people additional charges they did not do anything to get trying to mess there lives up because they have not commited a serious enough crime costing mega money on legal aid and court services..Must feel great to have that power.

 

[Greenheart]

I was anchored in the golf course bay at loch lomond a couple years ago with 3 of my fishing buddys having a few beers listening to the raidio when one of my mates said thats the police over there shouting us so i turned the radio off and listened to an officer shouting to us get over so i replied i have been drinking and i am at anchor, he replied get over here .So i lifted the anchor and headed over to the pontoon berthing perfectly ,all on board were booked and warrent checked then we were told to leave the area in the pitch black luckily we had a good spot light to get us to the narrows but what annoyed me was this was a day after the loch awe drownings as wee were heading up to loch awe when we heard on the radio that there was a major search on up there and turned back settling on loch lomond so where is the common sense?

Is it an offence to be drunk in an anchored vessel, in Scotland? If not, the officer's insistence that you drive while drunk, couldn't possibly stand up in court as your fault.

If you'd only dropped the hook when you realised the police had seen you, it'd be a different story. But particularly on Loch Lomond, where plenty of people sail, aren't the police able to access patrol boats? One angry copper standing on the beach, can't blame you for being out of his reach.

 

[gljnr1983]

Is it an offence to be drunk in an anchored vessel, in Scotland? If not, the officer's insistence that you drive while drunk, couldn't possibly stand up in court as your fault.

If you'd only dropped the hook when you realised the police had seen you, it'd be a different story. But particularly on Loch Lomond, where plenty of people sail, aren't the police able to access patrol boats? One angry copper standing on the beach, can't blame you for being out of his reach.

I am not sure about the drunk in charge law in scotland because when you are tied to a pier with a bottle of beer in hand an officer will walk past you to book the lads drinking on the pier.There are 3 patrol boats on loch lomond which usually have 1 or 2 police officers onboard during the day doing beach walks talking to boaters and campers,i have spoke to a couple of these officers and they said there is nothing wrong with a wee drink as long as all is kept tidy and quiet i would imagine creating a good relationship between the divide.I dont think the police can call the patrol boats after 9pm summer time.

 

[NormanS]

I am not sure about the drunk in charge law in scotland because when you are tied to a pier with a bottle of beer in hand an officer will walk past you to book the lads drinking on the pier.There are 3 patrol boats on loch lomond which usually have 1 or 2 police officers onboard during the day doing beach walks talking to boaters and campers,i have spoke to a couple of these officers and they said there is nothing wrong with a wee drink as long as all is kept tidy and quiet i would imagine creating a good relationship between the divide.I dont think the police can call the patrol boats after 9pm summer time.

I think you should have been charged with cruelty to the English language.