Towing Skier by/under bridge - TX Law

[02Outback]

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]

Is that 150 ft from the support columns? What about the 360 bridge in Austin (that's a suspension bridge though)

[jester]

Would have been nice to just get a warning first. Sorry to hear about this. Let us know how everything turns out.

[jimmobius]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

BEWARE!

$515 fine if towing under or within 150ft of bridge.

FML.

[you da man]

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]

Harris County Sherriffs Dept.

[you da man]

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]

To clarify, this is for bridges with columns in the water. Suspension bridges don't count.

Joe Pool Lake has them marked.

[02Outback]

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]

Too bad they write you up for stuff like that and leave the jetski's running 20' behind your skiier alone...

[02Outback]

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]

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]

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.....