Now this sucks!!!! Beware Boaties

[CreelReaper]

Hey guys and gals ,
I was just doing some web surfing and I came across a very interesting post in a car club chat forum. Now I don't know if it is true, and definitely can not verify it. But this would have to be one of the lowest acts of revenue raising I have ever heard.>:( :-/
It appears that a boatie probably around the Hervey bay region (as this was the location of the forum poster) witnessed another boatie being stung by Qld transport officers for breaking the law?????
Picture this......You pull up at the local ramp. Do what nearly everyone of us does and remove safety chains, tie downs and trailer lights and reverse the trailer into the water. Now this is the interesting bit.....according to the 'officers' you are now breaking the law by driving on a public road without trailer lighting.:o >:(

From what I could tell the boatie was issued a fine and told to 'pay it' or take them to court.
Now like I said, I do not know if it is true but if it is then this really is a low act. Apparently (hearsay on the forum) this has been happening a bit in the area and quite a few boaties have been stung for the same thing.

Has anybody from around Hervey Bay seen or heard anything of this happening??

Shane

[JayT]

Thats very interesting shane to say the least.....so say this was true these guys couldnt get any lower if they were on their guts at the waters edge at low tide ha,
But wat about if the carpark was a distance away and you had to drive on the main road or something....but in saying that you would think that your vehicle tail lights would still be visible an light up the trailer at night anyways, if it happened at night maybe?
Be good to hear more on this:)
Cheers Jay

[nuggstar]

i wonder if its a new recruit or just one coppa with a major power trip. i think it is ridiculous. i hope the fellers did take the fine up in court, im sure the courts will see it the fishamans way. thats bloody stupid.

[PinHead]

and today is ?????????????????????

[maztez]

and today is ?????????????????????

Yep I reckon your right PH

[lethal098]

yep i think its a gee up, a bit like to stroy triple m are doing on the radio

[CreelReaper]

Hey Pinhead,
Point taken mate. Didn't think of that haha. I hope it is like you suspect and just someone taking the mickey!!!!! If not then I still feel for the poor buggers.

Shane

[the gecko]

Have you got a link to the forum?

[oldboot]

AHH now this could be credible on one hand and posibly not on another.

If you were actulay traveling on a "road" ( this road has a name and is open to traffic ), it is a fair but rediculous cop.

Consider the boat ramps where ther is no car park as such or insufficient parking and you have to drive up the "road" to park or you park on an actual road. ( aquarium passage and breakfast creek ramps come to mind) It is a real posibility that you could get zipped.

If however the boat ramp is in a car park with a designated rigging area, particularly if that area is in fact council property or private property........very unlikly.

Joke or no joke it is worth keeping in mind.

Now here is an interesting one.
There is a old bloke down at wynnum, who lives very close to the boat ramp..... he pushes his boat on a trailer down the road to the ramp. He hooks up a hand winch to a handy post and lets his boat down the ramp and retreves it the same way.....then pushes his boat home.

NOW
Should his trailer be registered and have lights ;D and where does he hook his safety chain.:o

cheers

[Donny Boy]

and today is ?????????????????????

Maybe not Skipper.....................we're getting Daylight Saving this year.

OB
Should his trailer be registered and have lights http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/grin.gif and where does he hook his safety chain.http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/shocked.gif


As far as lights go...the Sun probably shines.......and the Safety Chain.......

Don't go there !! :-X

[marty+jojo]

I saw a guy get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt when retrieving his boat at queens beach ramp. I could not believe it.
Marty.

[tunaticer]

I saw a guy get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt when retrieving his boat at queens beach ramp. I could not believe it.
Marty.

I saw the same thing at Urangan Boat Harbour ramp about 15 yrs ago too........Really got to wonder about how big a prick some cops want to be.

[Kleyny]

AHH now this could be credible on one hand and posibly not on another.

If you were actulay traveling on a "road" ( this road has a name and is open to traffic ), it is a fair but rediculous cop.

Consider the boat ramps where ther is no car park as such or insufficient parking and you have to drive up the "road" to park or you park on an actual road. ( aquarium passage and breakfast creek ramps come to mind) It is a real posibility that you could get zipped.

If however the boat ramp is in a car park with a designated rigging area, particularly if that area is in fact council property or private property........very unlikly.

Joke or no joke it is worth keeping in mind.

Now here is an interesting one.
There is a old bloke down at wynnum, who lives very close to the boat ramp..... he pushes his boat on a trailer down the road to the ramp. He hooks up a hand winch to a handy post and lets his boat down the ramp and retreves it the same way.....then pushes his boat home.

NOW
Should his trailer be registered and have lights ;D and where does he hook his safety chain.:o

cheers

Unfortunately the term/word "road" in the queensland legislation is from fence line to fence line or a place with general access to the public. ie, carparks.

This is one reason why you must have a registered vehicle in most parts landcruiser mountain park.

But if this is try a very low act and IMO would not stand up in court. If it was at the ramp carpark or vacinity. But if he traveled some distance thats another story.

neil

[iceknight]

i thought no seatbelt was needed for reversing trailers?

[CreelReaper]

Hey guys, I will see if I can find the link when I get home tonight.

Shane

[oldboot]

I've had a loom at the current trafic act ( transport operations ( raod use management - road rules) regulation.

seems all sorts of things are now declared part of the road... including shopping center car parks...ahh but does you insurance company think so.

as far as the seat belt thing....hmmm section 264 onward
exempt from wearing a seat belt IF you are reversing.

now this you would have to argue
exempt if you are" required to get in or out of the vehicle or on and off the vehicle at frequent intervals AND the vehicle is not traveling over 25Km/h.

now 25km/h is real quite slow.
and if you get into the vehicle drive 50 meters, get out adjust the winch cable, get into the vehicle, reverse down the ramp, get out to have a look where you are going, move the boat a bit, reverse a bit further, winch on the boat, pull the boat out of the water, get out pull the bungs, get in pull the boat to the rigging area secure the boat and finaly reverse out and drive away..... is that frequently enough section 267.


Hmm seems there is no exemption for lights and plates on boat trailers.

I've always been a bit sus of light boards attached to the boat...... because they are not " fitted to the trailer"........

Here's another one....

how many boat/ trailer combinations where the lights are mounted on the boat result in the lights being greater than 1.5 meters above the roadway hmmm

cheers

AHHH don't you just love it.

[Kleyny]

Heres another good one.

A number plate must be visible from 30m at any 45deg angle.

How many boat trailers comply with that one. Allot are attached to the mud guard or on a light board with the motor obscuring the plate.

gotta love laws made/ written by pen pushers.

neil

[marty+jojo]

i thought no seatbelt was needed for reversing trailers?

The guy drove his car about thirty meters to turn around before reversing. I still think these coppers had nothing better to do, or they were pissed off they were not fishing.
Marty.

[RayDeR]

G'day!

How many of us secure the light board in the car when we leave the trailer and car in the car park?

I think I might end up in investing in a set of LED lights to put on my trailer which I believe are salt water proof.

I have also been wondering about "dead lights" which are on my trailer guards. I must get around to taking them off.

Ray de R

[CreelReaper]

Well guys,
Here is the link. Read into it what you will but I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be true.
It really does make you think how easy it is to fall foul of the 'law' these days. Also makes you wonder the calibre of person that are being employed by our enforcement agencies.
It shouldn't really surprise me though as I know the Brisbane city parking inspectors are bloody ruthless.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11253251&page=1&pp=25

Shane

[Kleyny]

Well guys,
Here is the link. Read into it what you will but I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be true.
It really does make you think how easy it is to fall foul of the 'law' these days. Also makes you wonder the calibre of person that are being employed by our enforcement agencies.
It shouldn't really surprise me though as I know the Brisbane city parking inspectors are bloody ruthless.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11253251&page=1&pp=25

Shane

I hope your not taring all law enforcement people with the same brush Shane.

Because i bet you if you had wrong things done to you or yours you will look for help by these same enforcement officers.;)

But i do agree there are some enforcement people out there that are far from fare or switched on.

neil

[nonibbles]

i thought no seatbelt was needed for reversing trailers?
yes but I'm sure he would have had to drive forward up the ramp. Petty, but a seatbelt would be required then.
I didn't think a public carpark was considered a road though. Surely the law isn't about whether it is public, or who owns it. I thought it was about driving on a road not a carpark. Be hard up to find a dictionary that defines them as the same thing.

[murf]

at the Fraser Is fishing comp in May the boaties are warned to ensure that the trailer lights are operable even on the 3m trailer extension bars

had heard of the same thing happening at our local ramp but I asked the local cop (a mate) and he denied it would of happened

cheers Murf

[oldboot]

I would argue the "frequent stopping" driving up the ramp I would also argue overiding safety concerns due to the risk of the car rolling back into the sea and being trapped by the seat belt.
Afterall you need to secure the boat on the trailer as soon as possible.


there are plenty of specific exemption in the trafic act for garbo's, cabbies and a variety of others... there should be specific exemptions for launching boats.

cheeers

[CreelReaper]

I hope your not taring all law enforcement people with the same brush Shane.

Because i bet you if you had wrong things done to you or yours you will look for help by these same enforcement officers.;)

But i do agree there are some enforcement people out there that are far from fare or switched on.

neil

Not at all Neil, just merely tried to make a point.;)
Law enforcement officers are no different to truckies, car drivers, push bikers etc etc etc. There is a percentage of people out there who are oxygen thieves (as my boss used to say) and there are people who do not deserve to wear the uniform they so proudly or vigoursly wear.
The problem from a pr view tho is that it is this type of people that bring everybody else down. I wouldn't hang every doctor on a Patel either.:P

Old boot I think about half way down the first page one of the blokes on the ford forum did actually past something from a gov agency on the recommended methods for this activity (can't remember exactly).

I have also known of 2 separate Pajero guys who were pulled over by the transport guys and were sent through the rollers because their vehicles 'blew' the tiniest bit of smoke too.

They were sent back to the 'factory for full inspections and I think one of them was eventually pinged for a windscreen sticker that was ruled to 'limit' the drivers field of vision.

At the end of the day a transport zealot is no different to a greenie zealot or a anti-smopking campaigner zealot or a.....you get the picture.;D

Shane

[BM]

This should be all thats needed plus a letter to your penalties office to have the penalty removed. Copied it from the other site.

3.2 Launching and retrieving
Launching
A systematic approach will enable successful launching of
a small boat from a trailer. Courtesy to other ramp users is
fundamental.
1. Most preparations should be undertaken prior to
launching—not at the ramp:
• putting the bungs in
• checking all safety gear
• checking the state of the batteries
• checking fuel and oil
Before backing the boat down the ramp:
• remove tie-down straps and trailer lights (disconnect
trailer wiring)
• secure lines to bow and stern to control the boat
when it floats clear of the trailer
• if launching a trailer-sailer, check for overhead wires
before rigging or moving the boat
• rig any remaining gear such as radio aerial or
transom-mounted echo sounder transducers.
Always walk carefully down a boat ramp you’ve never
tried before—it may drop off or be slippery.
2. Drive to the ramp and back the boat and trailer down the
ramp. Practice should be conducted in quiet carparks
or home driveways, not at a busy boat ramp. If boating
from various launching sites, it is worthwhile attaching a
towball to the front of the vehicle.
3. Back in far enough to float the stern, but try to keep the
tow vehicle’s wheels out of the water. The distance the
boat is backed into the water will depend on the incline
of the beach or ramp. If the trailer is of the ‘break-back’
type you will not need to back it in as far as other trailers,
but ensure there is enough water for the boat to float in
as it is pushed off the rollers at a steeper angle.
4. Make sure you have attached a bow line to the boat, then
release the winch and disconnect the winch line while
holding onto the bow line. Launch the boat slowly.
5. Move the boat to an area away from the ramp to load
additional equipment and passengers.
It’s easy to forget the bung—but if you do, don’t panic. Get
the boat going and when it is moving fast enough, the water
will drain away, and the bung can then be put in by one of
the crew.
Remember the speed limit within 30 m of a boat ramp is 6
knots.

[oldboot]

Ah but was there a disclaimer on that site like there is in the front of the boating and safety guide or tide book that states something like this.

.......disclaim all responsibility and all liability.......in respect of anything, and the consequences of anything........... the publication being inaccurate or incomplete in any way, or for any reason whatsoever.

cheers

[Camo]

You were talking about Qld Transport officers weren't you CreelReaper? With all the anti police comments on here, I thought I reading the Courier Mail for a minute. I'm fairly sure you are allowed to reverse without a seatbelt on.