Pending Legislation for raft-ups
- Thread starter Dusty Rhoads
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They need to hurry up with that other bill: "Stopping all forms of spontaneous fun."
I will stop at section A: "No more laughing at jokes, unless preapproved by the official fun committee, chaired by Afghanistan Taliban."
That is about where we are headed with this junk.
I will stop at section A: "No more laughing at jokes, unless preapproved by the official fun committee, chaired by Afghanistan Taliban."
That is about where we are headed with this junk.
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Not so fast now:
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/TOP/2012/02/01-02/Bumper-Bash-bill-hits-rough-waters.html
One down and one to go. Now they just need to keep it down.
It probably would go over a bit better if it was a gathering of 100 or more boats or an organized event that they wanted you to have a permit for.
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/TOP/2012/02/01-02/Bumper-Bash-bill-hits-rough-waters.html
One down and one to go. Now they just need to keep it down.
It probably would go over a bit better if it was a gathering of 100 or more boats or an organized event that they wanted you to have a permit for.
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We'll have to keep an eye on it to see how DNR revises it. I didn't see any comments in that article that addressed what concerns me in the bill. Instead they twisted "social media" to mean the opposite. I don't trust anything that's done in the legislature in Annapolis.
Quote from the article "Bumper Bash last year drew more than 800 boats, 4,000 people and cost the DNR, Coast Guard and county police and fire departments thousands of dollars to cover."
If they plan on recouping the cost, the permit is going to cost thousands of dollars. I can't see too many people willing to write a check for that amount.
If they plan on recouping the cost, the permit is going to cost thousands of dollars. I can't see too many people willing to write a check for that amount.
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And there you have the objective.
It amazes me that an event like a mayor of a town that holds and event like Canal Days would even think to support this type of legislation. You hold an event that celebrates the water way, and complain when a couple hundred boaters gather there for the weekend, while welcoming thousands of people by land.
Mayor do not forget those boaters bring money into your town every weekend, and a lot of those thousands of people by land come for no other reason then to see the boats in the water!!!
And I do not think for a minute that events like Canal Days are costing the town and bussiness money in the long run. They are making money hand over fist.
Here is a excerpt from the news article above qouting the mayor!
Proponents of the bill include county police and fire officials, several community members and town leaders from Chesapeake City on the Eastern Shore. The town has an annual raft-up event called Canal Days that typically draws a few hundred boats, Mayor Frank Hill said.
The drunkenness in the water has scared people away from the Canal Days activities on land, costing the town and local businesses money, Hill said.
Mayor do not forget those boaters bring money into your town every weekend, and a lot of those thousands of people by land come for no other reason then to see the boats in the water!!!
And I do not think for a minute that events like Canal Days are costing the town and bussiness money in the long run. They are making money hand over fist.
Here is a excerpt from the news article above qouting the mayor!
Proponents of the bill include county police and fire officials, several community members and town leaders from Chesapeake City on the Eastern Shore. The town has an annual raft-up event called Canal Days that typically draws a few hundred boats, Mayor Frank Hill said.
The drunkenness in the water has scared people away from the Canal Days activities on land, costing the town and local businesses money, Hill said.
IMO there are two Canal Day events; the one in town and the other in the Basin. Quite frankly, I do not believe that the one in the Basin has any impact on the one in town. The folks partying in the Basin are rowdy and booze is the major contributor to the "anything goes" Mardi Gras atmosphere but it stays in the Basin. The folks in town stay in town and spread their money around in the restaurants, shops and vendor stalls. The partiers in the Basin stay in the Basin and about the only thing they are spreading is STDs. Yes, there is an expense incurred in the basin but the vast majority is for MD DNR police and the Coast Guard. The town does not get involved in that party.
A very small percentage does spill over into town as evidenced by people: unlocking my front gate to throw up on my porch, pissing on my front tree, and having sex on my SUV parked in back.
Now the question is what to do, and IMO its police it and be strict on the bad actors. Which I think has gotten much better.
So like always the question is what to do when you have a very small percentage of bad actors. It's no different than my office on University of Delaware's campus. Man you can hate the students, but its a small minority and the money keeps the businesses going which in turn keeps the atmosphere of the town going. All you have to do is look at Elkton and see what you would have without the students.
I would say there is really only one place making money hand over fist that day, and they probably need it to keep going during the lean times like now.
Reading all of the law and the articles it is obvious at exactly who this is directed at and why. It is the ongoing battle of who pays for what.
The problem as always is unintended consequences. I don't know that many would argue if I am going to have a party where I charge $20 for wristbands plus $10 a drink, get a couple thousand people to come, who should pay to police the 50 idiots.
On the other hand if I just have 50 people show up to my party and a neighbor doesn't like it too bad. If somebody acts poorly there is a thing called personal responsibility.
In my mind they could make it simple by dictating if the sponsor is making money.
Now the question is what to do, and IMO its police it and be strict on the bad actors. Which I think has gotten much better.
So like always the question is what to do when you have a very small percentage of bad actors. It's no different than my office on University of Delaware's campus. Man you can hate the students, but its a small minority and the money keeps the businesses going which in turn keeps the atmosphere of the town going. All you have to do is look at Elkton and see what you would have without the students.
I would say there is really only one place making money hand over fist that day, and they probably need it to keep going during the lean times like now.
Reading all of the law and the articles it is obvious at exactly who this is directed at and why. It is the ongoing battle of who pays for what.
The problem as always is unintended consequences. I don't know that many would argue if I am going to have a party where I charge $20 for wristbands plus $10 a drink, get a couple thousand people to come, who should pay to police the 50 idiots.
On the other hand if I just have 50 people show up to my party and a neighbor doesn't like it too bad. If somebody acts poorly there is a thing called personal responsibility.
In my mind they could make it simple by dictating if the sponsor is making money.
I think most people would agree with that. My biggest concern over this law, is what haapens when you get a zealous police office, and a bunch of unrelated people rafted up in a cove? Evne if you have five or six different raft-ups. Is he going to say, why there are more then 50 boats here, Everyone go home.
Phillip,
I apologize if I misrepresnted the impact of Canal Days on the local residents. I was just working it from my perspective which was that the people in the raft-up in the Basin were pretty much stuck there for the duration and enjoying it. I can't speak for those who get drunk and stupid in the bars in town or those in the Basin who manage to "escape" to land. (Again, my perspective as a visitor, not a resident like yourself.)
Sex on an SUV??? Now, that's kinky!
I apologize if I misrepresnted the impact of Canal Days on the local residents. I was just working it from my perspective which was that the people in the raft-up in the Basin were pretty much stuck there for the duration and enjoying it. I can't speak for those who get drunk and stupid in the bars in town or those in the Basin who manage to "escape" to land. (Again, my perspective as a visitor, not a resident like yourself.)
Sex on an SUV??? Now, that's kinky!
spj I totally agree. Totally.
Mike no apology necessary. Yes it really surprised me when my neighbor called and said I think somebody is stealing or vandalizing your Land Cruiser to come out a see a couple having sex. (she left her glasses, he left a hat) I guess it was more romantic than having it down by the creek with the mosquitoes or in the basin where I think you could catch more than a STD.
I do wish they would just make the law more clear. Seems like nobody makes money from the Bumper Bash. In my mind, I don't think there is anything you can do in that case.
Its always the problem of trying to manage to the least common denominator. The problem is passing laws to that level means they can be abused. So in the Canal Day case you look and say ok, who should pay for the extra police. Somebody has to pay overtime for every single Sheriff that is there. Now should that get settled with a state law? No. On the other hand do I as a taxpayer (you pay tax if you live in town) want to pay for police that are controlling a crowd that somebody is making a ton of money on??? Understand the town does not make money from the event. The merchants association rents out the booths (and doesn't make much), the stores because they have booths in front of them don't make much, but the Chesapeake Inn that charges for $10 for parking, $20 for wristband, and drinks. Well I don't do their books, and I don't comment on what I think people make or don't because there are a lot of variables. Now their point would be why do I have to pay for some stupid idiots that raft up, get blitzed on their own booze, and never spend a dime with me.
Mike no apology necessary. Yes it really surprised me when my neighbor called and said I think somebody is stealing or vandalizing your Land Cruiser to come out a see a couple having sex. (she left her glasses, he left a hat) I guess it was more romantic than having it down by the creek with the mosquitoes or in the basin where I think you could catch more than a STD.
I do wish they would just make the law more clear. Seems like nobody makes money from the Bumper Bash. In my mind, I don't think there is anything you can do in that case.
Its always the problem of trying to manage to the least common denominator. The problem is passing laws to that level means they can be abused. So in the Canal Day case you look and say ok, who should pay for the extra police. Somebody has to pay overtime for every single Sheriff that is there. Now should that get settled with a state law? No. On the other hand do I as a taxpayer (you pay tax if you live in town) want to pay for police that are controlling a crowd that somebody is making a ton of money on??? Understand the town does not make money from the event. The merchants association rents out the booths (and doesn't make much), the stores because they have booths in front of them don't make much, but the Chesapeake Inn that charges for $10 for parking, $20 for wristband, and drinks. Well I don't do their books, and I don't comment on what I think people make or don't because there are a lot of variables. Now their point would be why do I have to pay for some stupid idiots that raft up, get blitzed on their own booze, and never spend a dime with me.
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From what I have observed at some Canal Days, the past couple years have really calmed down. The Chesapeake Inn does pay for lots of extra security. They pay for (or claim to pay for?) an extra 100 security personnel during the event. Except for the boaters on the docks, I have not seen many people transferring from the basin to the land, so I woiuld say that the majority of the bad behavior seen on land probably originted from landside visitors (visiting the Ches Inn by land), and not from the boaters.
The boaters anchored in the basin tend to stay in the basin, for the most part. In the past, the landside visitors that were causing trouble were the ones coming to the Chespeake Inn (but not the boaters at the Chesapeake Inn docks.)
The Chesapeake Inn has played a lot less (C)Rap / Hip-Hop type music at the past couple Canal Days, and now the crowd that shows up has changed somewhat, and calmed down. At laast, that's my unofficial, casual observation.
I don't see how the boaters should be responsib;e for landside security expenses. As far as extra waterside security, etc., there were so many patrol boats constantly circling the basin, and between boat raft-ups, that they actually created somewhat of a traffic hazzard at times. It seems that every LEO and USCGAux in the area was there, .... many with grins on their faces, trying to get "an eyeful" of the mardi gras type atmosphere. I talked to a couple of the LEOs there, and (off the record) they said many of them look forward to "patrolling" Canal Day. No wonder so many show up! It seems like a little overkill on the water.
As for the propoposed permitting requirement for raft-ups, I wouldn't be surprised if it's another typical Maryland money grab.
The boaters anchored in the basin tend to stay in the basin, for the most part. In the past, the landside visitors that were causing trouble were the ones coming to the Chespeake Inn (but not the boaters at the Chesapeake Inn docks.)
The Chesapeake Inn has played a lot less (C)Rap / Hip-Hop type music at the past couple Canal Days, and now the crowd that shows up has changed somewhat, and calmed down. At laast, that's my unofficial, casual observation.
I don't see how the boaters should be responsib;e for landside security expenses. As far as extra waterside security, etc., there were so many patrol boats constantly circling the basin, and between boat raft-ups, that they actually created somewhat of a traffic hazzard at times. It seems that every LEO and USCGAux in the area was there, .... many with grins on their faces, trying to get "an eyeful" of the mardi gras type atmosphere. I talked to a couple of the LEOs there, and (off the record) they said many of them look forward to "patrolling" Canal Day. No wonder so many show up! It seems like a little overkill on the water.
As for the propoposed permitting requirement for raft-ups, I wouldn't be surprised if it's another typical Maryland money grab.
Bumper Bash has been cancelled for this year:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-bumper-bash-canceled-20120301,0,7044597.story
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-bumper-bash-canceled-20120301,0,7044597.story
"Within an hour of the cancellation announcement, 41 comments had been posted on Bumper Bash's Facebook page, including the following message from organizers: "There is NOTHING WRONG with a bunch of boats showing up July 28th (id be surprised if they dont!) but we BumperBash, will not be hosting it."
Hey MD DNR! Whatcha gonna do now???[}}:-|>>]
Hey MD DNR! Whatcha gonna do now???[}}:-|>>]
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you all up in MD. need to get out the vote and change your ppl in the statehouse seems every 6 months those a-holes come up another way to keep boaters from coming up and enjoy your part of the bay, I for one don't like coming up there. The state just comes across as anti-boater..
That is the problem the percentage of boaters in md are from another state.They can't vote but they spend alot of money in md. Last year canal day was really bad I know of three deaths and all had something to do with canal day. People who drink I have no problem, people who get drunk I have a problem with.
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<<...."Last year canal day was really bad I know of three deaths and all had something to do with canal day."...>
Beth -
There were no deaths associated directly with with Canal Day last year. There were a pair of suicides on the nearby Chesapeake City bridge near the time of Canal Day (but having nothing to do with Canal Day), .... and there was a drowning of a man at the town dock adjacent to, but not at, the Canal Day festivities taking place next door at the Chesapeake Inn. Those 3 deaths could have happened anywhere, and it was purely coincidental that they took place near (but not at) the time and place of the Canal Day festivities. The man who drowned hadn't even been at any Canal Day events. The boat he was on had just arrived at the town dock. He jumped off the boat (stupid thing to do) to tie up, hit is head on the dock, and fell in the water.
By the way, the water in the basin where the Canal Day boaters gather is part of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Being it is Federal water, Maryland's anti raft-up law should not apply. The DNR can assist the USCG at the event, but they can't apply specific MD laws.
It's the U.S.C.G. that has controlled the number of boats entering the basin.
Beth -
There were no deaths associated directly with with Canal Day last year. There were a pair of suicides on the nearby Chesapeake City bridge near the time of Canal Day (but having nothing to do with Canal Day), .... and there was a drowning of a man at the town dock adjacent to, but not at, the Canal Day festivities taking place next door at the Chesapeake Inn. Those 3 deaths could have happened anywhere, and it was purely coincidental that they took place near (but not at) the time and place of the Canal Day festivities. The man who drowned hadn't even been at any Canal Day events. The boat he was on had just arrived at the town dock. He jumped off the boat (stupid thing to do) to tie up, hit is head on the dock, and fell in the water.
By the way, the water in the basin where the Canal Day boaters gather is part of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Being it is Federal water, Maryland's anti raft-up law should not apply. The DNR can assist the USCG at the event, but they can't apply specific MD laws.
It's the U.S.C.G. that has controlled the number of boats entering the basin.
I agree there was only one, however that was related (not responsible). They were trying to get a docking spot were turned back, went to the town dock and there were several factors involved, of course one factor was involved. They would not have been coming had it not been Canal Day.
Again, not responsible, but related.
Again, not responsible, but related.