Noise Violations in Northern California

[diggler]

Well, they've been really cracking down up here in the Delta. The sheriff regularly maintains a presence at the gas docks in Buckley Cove, Stockton. they wait around in the afternoon, and then pull everyone in to do a "safety check" and then a sobriety test.
I had passed all of these tests without a problem. However, they felt the need to cite me for OT headers without baffles, and then claimed I was doing 12mph in the 5mph no-wake zone. Total penalty: $481.25
Well, here's the results of the court date today. I put baffles in and had the Coast Guard sign off. This dropped the ticket penalty from $481.25 to $327.50
I was going to contest the speed violation, but the judge stated that (no lie) "We reduce this charge from a misdemeanor to an infraction. The penalty for an infraction is $100 if you plead guilty now".
Well, of course I pled guilty. I didn't have any more time for court so I paid the $100 instead of $481.25
Hooray for me!!! :D

[572Daytona]

Do they actually have speed limits in no wake zones? I thought no wake meant just that, no set speed just no wake. Is there such a thing as a boat speedo that will read accurately at 5mph? I've never seen one.

[diggler]

Do they actually have speed limits in no wake zones? I thought no wake meant just that, no set speed just no wake. Is there such a thing as a boat speedo that will read accurately at 5mph? I've never seen one.
No speed limits unless it states specifically so. One fell I know beat a no-wake ticket even though he was going 40mph. He had a Skeeter that leaves next to no wake when it's on plane.

[GlastronGuy]

No wake...
I just look behind me to see if I am making a wake. It's usually 1100 RPM, no idea on the speed. Most no wakes are marked 5 MPH.

[Dr. Eagle]

No speed limits unless it states specifically so. One fell I know beat a no-wake ticket even though he was going 40mph. He had a Skeeter that leaves next to no wake when it's on plane.
Some of the No Wake zones I have seen in the Delta have both 5 Mph and No Wake somewhere (usually on a sign on the levee). Most floating buoys I have seen just have 5Mph on them. Sucks they are getting so NAZI about it.. my Eliminator would have earned me the same honor of a visit to the judge I am sure.

[HCS]

Don't ya just love it. The cops finally found their new source of revenue.
If they want to bust the drunks, so be it, bust em.
But now they give everyone a complete shake down so they can bring in $$$$
for their department. They figured out if they site everyone for everything
they can, they can line their pockets. I'd sure like to know when this becomes harassment. I think they should have to have probable cause to shake your boat down. Of course I'm sure they could make up some excuse for searching your boat any time they want.
Just like in your case. :hammer2:

[diggler]

Don't ya just love it. The cops finally found their new source of revenue.
If they want to bust the drunks, so be it, bust em.
But now they give everyone a complete shake down so they can bring in $$$$
for their department. They figured out if they site everyone for everything
they can, they can line their pockets. I'd sure like to know when this becomes harassment. I think they should have to have probable cause to shake your boat down. Of course I'm sure they could make up some excuse for searching your boat any time they want.
Just like in your case. :hammer2:
You know, I didn't bitch about it, because I didn't want to seem like a complainer. However, there are more and more folks getting cited on their boats, and also in their cars in San Joaquin county. I even talked to the gas station attendent in Lathrop that was telling me that the cops hang out at her gas station to issue citations for those that take off their seatbelt before a full stop at the gas pumps. I guess they got five people in the course of an hour.
I don't live in San Joaquin county, but I know that a lot of the population there can't afford a ticket, let alone toilet paper. It "appears" that more and more boaters are targeted. Maybe because they have a greater source of income?? All speculation, but the fact is, the funds for these public services are cut, and these public entities are hurting.

[Extreme Liquid]

What sucks is they can at any time inspect your boat under the ruse of "safety". It is a shame, but we boaters are good targets.
I was inspected at Cottonwood and sited $150.00 for not having a square cushion with handles. Total cost to buy was $12.00 at Cottonwood.

[LakeRacer]

You know, I didn't bitch about it, because I didn't want to seem like a complainer. However, there are more and more folks getting cited on their boats, and also in their cars in San Joaquin county. I even talked to the gas station attendent in Lathrop that was telling me that the cops hang out at her gas station to issue citations for those that take off their seatbelt before a full stop at the gas pumps. I guess they got five people in the course of an hour.
I don't live in San Joaquin county, but I know that a lot of the population there can't afford a ticket, let alone toilet paper. It "appears" that more and more boaters are targeted. Maybe because they have a greater source of income?? All speculation, but the fact is, the funds for these public services are cut, and these public entities are hurting.
Straight from the ABC's of California Boating Law:
SPEED
Speed is limited by law for certain conditions and areas. The maximum speed
for motorboats within 100 feet of a bather (but not a water skier) and within
200 feet of a bathing beach, swimming float, diving platform or life line,
passenger landing being used, or landing where boats are tied up is five miles
per hour.
A safe speed should be maintained at all times so that: a) action can be taken
to avoid collision and b) the boat can stop within a distance appropriate to the
prevailing circumstances and conditions.
In restricted visibility, motorboats should have the engines ready for immediate
maneuvering. An operator should be prepared to stop the vessel within
the space of half the distance of forward visibility.
I suppose the "landing where boats are tied up is five mile per hour" means that the fuel dock was fair game...not to mention the entire marina if thats where the fuel dock was.
As for the LE making tons of money on tickets think about how much it costs for the LE boat, the LE officer, the gas, the court appearance by LE, the Judge etc and add it all up. Did the $100 fine pay for it all? I don't think so. If they needed money that badly they wouldn't be reducing fines so easily.

[HCS]

I totally agree. They call it a safety check and shake you down. A buddy of
mine is from England so obviously he has an english accent. They checked him
for his green card! :jawdrop:

[Dr. Eagle]

I totally agree. They call it a safety check and shake you down. A buddy of
mine is from England so obviously he has an english accent. They checked him
for his green card! :jawdrop:
Bet they wouldn't have done that if he were from Mexico....... :notam:

[Boatcop]

From Arizona Law:
ARS 5-301 Definitions:
15. "Wakeless speed" means a speed that does not cause the watercraft to create a wake, but in no case in excess of five miles per hour.
And as I've tried to explain dozens of times before. Agencies themselves do not get any money from citations. The fine money goes to the courts, the State, and a minor mount, usually less than 10%, goes to the City or County coffers. Zero to the agency writing the ticket. And police budgets aren't contingent on how many tickets they write, or the amount of fines they generate.
And the story about the cops writing seat belt tickets to people at gas stations is pure BS. Traffic laws (with the exception of DUI) apply only to public roadways, not private property, which a gas station driveway is.
I appreciate the first hand stories about police overzealousness, but leave the "I heard" or "My buddy" stories in the fiction section, where they belong.

[Tommy1005]

My dad is a District Judge here in TX, and even we got a ticket a couple of weeks ago. Our boat is yacht certified and 27 feet long, so kids don't have to wear life jackets, and we just have to have a throwable "OR" a whistle according to TX law. We had a whistle, but no throwable because we were in compliance with the law. The cop ticketed us anyway, it has since been dismissed, but what a hassle. Atleast they aren't stopping us for noise violation. That's one thing that's nice about TX, you can be as loud as you want, but if you have selectible exhaust, you better shut it off in the no-wake zone, they will ticket you for that on occassion.

[LHC30Victory]

And as I've tried to explain dozens of times before. Agencies themselves do not get any money from citations. The fine money goes to the courts, the State, and a minor mount, usually less than 10%, goes to the City or County coffers. Zero to the agency writing the ticket. And police budgets aren't contingent on how many tickets they write, or the amount of fines they generate.
And the story about the cops writing seat belt tickets to people at gas stations is pure BS. Traffic laws (with the exception of DUI) apply only to public roadways, not private property, which a gas station driveway is.
I appreciate the first hand stories about police overzealousness, but leave the "I heard" or "My buddy" stories in the fiction section, where they belong.
WOULD Y'ALL PLEASE LISTEN TO BOATCOP AND QUIT BASHING L/E IN GENERAL - save it for the A/H's that deserve it

[HCS]

I still thinks it's harassment. If I'm doing something wrong fine.
But if were not. Leave us alone. You don't need to shake down every god damn boat for violations.
Go down to the court house and look at how much money they rake in.
Weather it goes into the bureaucacy or not really isn't the point.
It's a wind fall of cash that is being generated from boaters,and you
can't tell me there isn't any officials or politicians that don't know that.
Boating is a luxury and more and more the system is raping it.

[diggler]

From Arizona Law:
And as I've tried to explain dozens of times before. Agencies themselves do not get any money from citations. The fine money goes to the courts, the State, and a minor mount, usually less than 10%, goes to the City or County coffers. Zero to the agency writing the ticket. And police budgets aren't contingent on how many tickets they write, or the amount of fines they generate.
And the story about the cops writing seat belt tickets to people at gas stations is pure BS. Traffic laws (with the exception of DUI) apply only to public roadways, not private property, which a gas station driveway is.
I appreciate the first hand stories about police overzealousness, but leave the "I heard" or "My buddy" stories in the fiction section, where they belong.
Alan, you're absolutely right. I should not have mentioned hearsay, and I apologize. Another point you're correct on is whether or not they broke even on a $100 fine. Of course not. However, I was in front of the judge today for less than two minutes. My only question would be, how many people that were cited had the time to actually appear, or would end up paying the entire fine? Just some wondering out loud.
As to the excessive speed in the 5mph zone, that was the whole reason I decided to fight the citation. My boat won't even idle at 5mph unless I give it some gas. (very old jet impeller). That's what made me upset at the whole deal.
What made it worse was that the six officers (two sheriff's boats) were parked in wait, stopping every single watercraft that came into the marina. There was a line of at least ten boats waiting for their "safety inspections". I don't even want to hazard a guess as to why they set something like this up on a Sunday afternoon.
Oh well, it all worked out fine, I only lost about two hours of work today showing up at the courthouse. Thanks again Alan for putting everything in perspective.
(Oh, almost forgot... the infraction occurred in Northern California. Are the laws about citation and the associated penalties collected different than AZ?)