View Full Version : Towing Skier by/under bridge - TX Law
02Outback
07-13-2010, 05:21 PM
This past weekend we got stopped after my driver pulled me under a bridge that goes over the San Jac River. We have been doing this every time out there since it is wide open, etc - not knowing there was a law against it.
Apperantly you can't take a skier within 150ft of a bridge in TX. This, we did not know. Time to read up on some boater safety rules.
Does anybody know what the fine will be? I didn't get the ticket, my driver/co-owner did.
Thanks,
you da man
07-13-2010, 05:25 PM
Is that 150 ft from the support columns? What about the 360 bridge in Austin (that's a suspension bridge though)
jester
07-13-2010, 06:19 PM
Would have been nice to just get a warning first. Sorry to hear about this. Let us know how everything turns out.
jimmobius
07-13-2010, 08:51 PM
I tell ya ,I think there are more boating laws than transportation laws. Seems like you hear about the dumbest things. I think the legislature must get bored and have run out of laws to make up in another catagory so they pick on the boating scene. I am on a city owned lake , and some of the rules they have kind of parallel the state but they are not enforced. Such as the 150' rule between boats when you are pulling a skiier, and also the boat pulling the skiier has the right of way. Well , most people don't have a clue. I also think that law enforcement officers have a slow day and peobably have been told to issue tickets since the city/county is way below target on sales tax issues and they need the money ..
Jim.
02Outback
07-13-2010, 11:26 PM
Didn't get a warning or anything. She was writing the ticket before she even got close to us. There are also no signs around the bridge to let you know this - you would think there would be.
Her partner, also complained about my original ID numbers on the boat, saying they were not up to standards - they are the original decals from 2002.
Not sure about the bridge in Austin. But as far as here around San Jac, she said you can't take a skier anywhere near within 150ft of the bridge - including columns.
you da man
07-14-2010, 12:47 AM
I would definately check local laws on that...I searched and searched Texas Parks and Wildlife Chapter 31 which are boating laws/regulations to include operating a boat. I didn't find one thing about distance from bridges. However, Chapter 31 did say that local laws can be added. It's actually "PARKS & WILDLIFE CODE § 31.092. Local Regulations". I thought one thing was funny. There is a law against making an hazardous wake. It states under Texas Parks and Wildlife Chapter 31.098. "HAZARDOUS WAKE OR WASH. No person may operate a motorboat so as to create a hazardous wake or wash." I guess any of use that surf are guilty of this.
sweeper2
07-14-2010, 08:56 AM
We go under the bridges and see skiers go under the bridges on San Bernard river all the time, no tickets ive heard of yet
kaneboats
07-14-2010, 11:07 AM
There's a sign on one of our bridges but not on the other two. But, it says "no skiing"-- nothing about wakeboarding, surfing, kneeboarding, etc. :)
SEARK
07-14-2010, 04:16 PM
I would definately check local laws on that...I searched and searched Texas Parks and Wildlife Chapter 31 which are boating laws/regulations to include operating a boat. I didn't find one thing about distance from bridges. However, Chapter 31 did say that local laws can be added. It's actually "PARKS & WILDLIFE CODE § 31.092. Local Regulations". I thought one thing was funny. There is a law against making an hazardous wake. It states under Texas Parks and Wildlife Chapter 31.098. "HAZARDOUS WAKE OR WASH. No person may operate a motorboat so as to create a hazardous wake or wash." I guess any of use that surf are guilty of this.
In Arkansas there is usually nothing posted, but in the boating safety books issued by the game & fish each year it states that you can't make a wake within 100 feet of a man made structure. They say just because it's not posted you should still know the law. I know they gave out quite a few tickets on the 4th for this very thing.
02Outback
07-14-2010, 05:21 PM
BEWARE!
$515 fine if towing under or within 150ft of bridge.
FML.
you da man
07-14-2010, 06:11 PM
BEWARE!
$515 fine if towing under or within 150ft of bridge.
FML.
What law enforcement agency wrote the ticket? Was it local police dept, sheriffs dept, Game Warden, or Parks & Wildlife
02Outback
07-14-2010, 11:38 PM
Harris County Sherriffs Dept.
you da man
07-15-2010, 12:47 AM
Harris County Sherriffs Dept.
I would call them just for clarification of how the law is worded and if it's a local/county law or if they can produce or quote the state law that prohibits towing a skier (technically you were not skiing) within a 150ft.
Kidder
07-15-2010, 08:29 AM
To clarify, this is for bridges with columns in the water. Suspension bridges don't count.
Joe Pool Lake has them marked.
02Outback
07-15-2010, 11:55 AM
To clarify, this is for bridges with columns in the water. Suspension bridges don't count.
Joe Pool Lake has them marked.
This is correct.
rc5695
07-15-2010, 12:02 PM
Too bad they write you up for stuff like that and leave the jetski's running 20' behind your skiier alone...
02Outback
07-15-2010, 01:41 PM
Too bad they write you up for stuff like that and leave the jetski's running 20' behind your skiier alone...
No kidding. The same day we had a Jet Ski riding right behind our wakeboarder and then went around him and came right up on our wake. I had to veer away and shut it down because of the idiot. Where was this cop then???
jester
07-15-2010, 02:05 PM
No kidding. The same day we had a Jet Ski riding right behind our wakeboarder and then went around him and came right up on our wake. I had to veer away and shut it down because of the idiot. Where was this cop then???
The cop was thinking i can get more money from the wakeboard boat then a jet ski person.
There is never a cop to stop the idiots but always a cop to stop the safe people that just did not know about some laws.
jmvotto
07-15-2010, 11:22 PM
The cop was thinking i can get more money from the wakeboard boat then a jet ski person.
There is never a cop to stop the idiots but always a cop to stop the safe people that just did not know about some laws.
aint that the truth.....
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