Lake St Clair Boating Accident

[07DominatorSS]

I hate running at night. Just sleep on your boat and leave in the morning. It's not worth it.

Rumor has it, the bar threw everyone off the wall, and would not allow anyone to stay overnight!

 

[ChiefApache]

Rumor has it, the bar threw everyone off the wall, and would not allow anyone to stay overnight!

I'm not trying to start anything here, but how can the bar enforce this? And why? Is there access to their business property that people can steal?

We have a floating barge in our area. There is no overnighting, however we have stayed there because we've had too much to drink. We've never been told "you must leave" and if they did, it would be worth the argument with the CG or water officials IMO.

 

[Tony]

Posted this on Pirates a few minutes ago. The bar shoulnt be responsible in any way shape or form for the actions of its patrons. They could have been made to leave due to some form of liability or another.

For instance, Shooters in Cleveland doesnt allow overnight docking becase shipping traffic is a potential threat to any vessel tied there overnight. imagine being asleep in the cabin and crushed alive by a stray barge. Every last party involved would be sued.

 

[Chris]

We live in a world where bartenders and owners have been successfully sued for selling a drink to a drunken patron that later suffers a mishap. Who wants to be this becomes a part of a wrongful death lawsuit.

If a guy will drive home drunk rather than paying for a cab and having to deal with getting his car in the morning, what kind of barrier is it if he's got to have his boat towed away by SeaTow?

 

[FULL FORCE]

I hate running at night. Just sleep on your boat and leave in the morning. It's not worth it.

I enjoy running at night from the Casino to my marina, I would usually head back Sat nights witht he boat (not drunk) but with all the accidents lately, I plan to just stay put unless I HAVE to leave now, plus I hate the windshield light on the new boat it blinds me!! I have not moved it to the back like yours yet!

I hate to hear about accidents and after my "almost electrical fire" I am a tad more aware of anything can happen out there!!

 

[ChiefApache]

I enjoy running at night from the Casino to my marina

It's most likely just me, but in my 6 years of boating and the handful of times we've run at night, I am so scared to death that Rob is ready to smack me before we reach the marina with my idle chit chat and asking him to slow down to almost nothing.

I find zero joy in running at night and all that runs through my mind is what if there is a boat without it's lights on? What if there is a log in the water? What if, what if, what if??

Just not enjoyable whatsoever for me, regardless of whose boat I am in.

 

[FULL FORCE]

It's most likely just me, but in my 6 years of boating and the handful of times we've run at night, I am so scared to death that Rob is ready to smack me before we reach the marina with my idle chit chat and asking him to slow down to almost nothing.

I find zero joy in running at night and all that runs through my mind is what if there is a boat without it's lights on? What if there is a log in the water? What if, what if, what if??

Just not enjoyable whatsoever for me, regardless of whose boat I am in.

After running back to Mentor with you guys last year.... it is DARK out there!! By me in Marblehead is way better lit and I can see very well... but like I said with allt he accidents lately, I want to stay put more often now...

 

[ChiefApache]

After running back to Mentor with you guys last year.... it is DARK out there!! By me in Marblehead is way better lit and I can see very well... but like I said with allt he accidents lately, I want to stay put more often now...

I do agree there are lights in your area. Most often it's pitch black at night on the lake.

 

[VtSteve]

I own a bar... And trust me if I let someone leave my bar at night that I know is drunk and don't make the attemt to recomend a taxi, then he goes out and there is a fatality. By By liquor license.

Usually only in fatalities are bars liable.

As someone that has just gotten through a 15 year process for shutting down a DRAM shop carrier, I can tell you this. Fights in bars, accidents after over serving, even seemingly unrelated incidents can hurt you bad as the owner. It's a pretty regular occurrence nowadays that many boaters have been drinking out on the water, then start drinking at a bar afterwards. The liability is huge, and on the water, lots can happen.

One crash on the water after drinking will ruin you life. No more boats, cars, insurance, and you very might well end up in jail, penniless, or dead. The thing that worries me most now, is that being sober on the lake doesn't protect you from those that are not, especially at night. I love night boating, and wish this wasn't so. But I've now seen quite a few party hearty on the lake after dark, some with their lights off Scared the crap outta me.

At the present rate of accidents the last three years, I expect more than just a crackdown. Unfortunately, it will ruin many an innocent good time, just as always.

When in the boat or car at any time, day or night, think about who's next to you that has entrusted their lives with your judgement.

 

[LaughingCat]

Let's not call the bar. They rarely let people sleep in their cars. Why should we expect them to let people sleep on the boats. Maybe they will change their policy. but if two people were drunk and beligerant, they probably didn't want them loitering around the sea-wall/dock all night without someone watching over the bar., If fighting was involved, it seems logical to make them leave.

It doesn't mean the bar told them to drive drunk, just leave. So let's not call the bar.

 

[Chris]

The underlying theme here is that it's not the bar's fault. People are solely and exclusively responsible for their own behavior. If you can't handle your booze, don't drink. If you want to do anything other than drink, don't drink. That includes, driving a car or a boat, felling trees with a chainsaw, discussing religion or politics, etc.

 

[Wobble]

It's most likely just me, but in my 6 years of boating and the handful of times we've run at night, I am so scared to death that Rob is ready to smack me before we reach the marina with my idle chit chat and asking him to slow down to almost nothing.

I find zero joy in running at night and all that runs through my mind is what if there is a boat without it's lights on? What if there is a log in the water? What if, what if, what if??

Just not enjoyable whatsoever for me, regardless of whose boat I am in.

The last time I was on Lake Conroe. I worked on a buddies broken boat until after dark then we headed back to the Hotel at minimum planing speed.

I would have landed right in the middle of a pontoon boat full of people if hadn't seen a red light next to his ignition key, no nav lights.

I realized then that it just was not worth it.

I do occasionally make an exception for full moons though.

 

[BraceYourself]

Deleted my prior post.

I usually always stay where I'm drinking. Just got the feeling the bar made them leave. 10 different stories so I'll just stay out of this.

 

[phragle]

Dont look if your squimish..

this is what happens to the happy boater when he goes too fast and discovers a piling...........

 

[Expensive Date]

People are solely and exclusively responsible for their own behavior.

Chris this is America we don't have responsibility here,next you will be saying that people that make 35K a year should not have 500k houses and interest only mortgages

 

[PatriYacht]

I'm another one who hates boating at night. Maybe if it's a full moon, but otherwise, I'm staying at the dock.

 

[RLJ676]

Let's not call the bar. They rarely let people sleep in their cars. Why should we expect them to let people sleep on the boats. Maybe they will change their policy. but if two people were drunk and beligerant, they probably didn't want them loitering around the sea-wall/dock all night without someone watching over the bar., If fighting was involved, it seems logical to make them leave.

It doesn't mean the bar told them to drive drunk, just leave. So let's not call the bar.

What bars typically won't let you sleep in your car? I know plenty of people who've passed out in their cars outside of a bar.

If you are in a boat made to overnight, and tied up (not in a channel) safely, isn't it a little rediculous to make you leave if you've had too much to drink? If they are a disturbance, CALL THE COPS. I'll take a night in the klink over what happened to these guys!!!! Overall, I think the policy is bad.

Once a bar decides to make their money selling booze, they ARE RESPONSIBLE for more than you or I with their customers. That is the entire point of a liquor license, isn't it? Doesn't mean they have to go out of their way to protect you from yourself, but forcing/encouraging people to boat off drunk sure doesn't seem right.

This is all hypothetical, I don't know the actual circumstances of this case.

 

[Ms PatriYacht]

As someone that has just gotten through a 15 year process for shutting down a DRAM shop carrier, I can tell you this. Fights in bars, accidents after over serving, even seemingly unrelated incidents can hurt you bad as the owner. QUOTE]

what is a DRAM shop carrier?????


Bars don't always know who has been over-served, some places are large and crowded, you get served by more than one BT, people buy drinks for one another, people often drink elsewhere first and everyone's tolerance and behavior when impared is different.

We had two guys on our boat recently. They got to the marina at 10:00, started drinking at 11:00 AM By the time they left at 9:00 PM they must have had over 24 bottles of beer each. They consumed some they brought, bought beers at 4 different establishments and drank some of our's. If I had not seen how much each had drank I would have sworn that they had nothing or almost nothing. I am sure if they walked into a 5th bar and asked for another drink no one would have refused them. I feel for the bars because there are times when I am sure they have no clue how much their customers have had to drink. I have no idea of the case in point here, but if you are not showing outright drunk systems, how can a bartender be expected to know who is over the limit and who is not. I am sure most of you know people that appear to have a wooden leg when it comes to alcohol.

 

[Ms PatriYacht]

With respect to the Beach Grill their wall is not that wide. However the BG is located in a large marina called Jefferson Beach, they have transient wells and due to the economy empty slips. If the boaters wanted to I am sure they could have spent the night at the marina. Also just outside the marina, before you have to go on plane, is another bar called Jacks, there is a a huge seawall and also a Marina that you can stay at overnight. Because there are so many options at idle speed, the Beach Grill would not feel compelled to have people spending the night at what little space they have. Something tells me these guys had no intention on spending the night on their boat, the boats were small and each had several passengers. They were young kids in their 20's, most kids that age feel invincible, yet don't have enough life experiences to make them think in advance about the consequences for reckless behavior.

 

[ChiefApache]

:26:

We had two guys on our boat recently. They got to the marina at 10:00, started drinking at 11:00 AM By the time they left at 9:00 PM they must have had over 24 bottles of beer each. They consumed some they brought, bought beers at 4 different establishments and drank some of our's. If I had not seen how much each had drank I would have sworn that they had nothing or almost nothing. I am sure if they walked into a 5th bar and asked for another drink no one would have refused them.

Fundy......nice to hear you're well behaved on other people's boats! :biggrinjester::rofl::biggrinjester: