Weird BWI story

[billyb]

So a friend of mine is a professional captain at the lake of the ozarks.

He works for a guy that rents boats and the customers that rent don't know how to drive a boat or are typically on a bachelorette or bachelor party so they also hire a captain.

So this other captain that my friend works with had a bunch of guys at party cove a few weeks ago. He was unable to pull the anchor up so he told one of the guys to get behind the wheel and nudge the boat backwards when he gave him a signal.

So this drunk guy did as the captain told him and got behind the wheel awaiting the captains instructions. Sure enough, water patrol is IMMEDIATELY on scene and gives the guy a BWI.

I wonder if that guy could sue the company because "he was following the captains orders".

 

[davel501]

Some states have a charge for permitting an intoxicated individual to operate.

 

[Volffas]

Hindsight is always 20/20 but I would think it would be easier, safer, and quicker to just let one of the drunk guys pull up the anchor....

 

[Venkman]

What are the chances of that happening? I am in law enforcement and an attorney so I know crazy stuff like that happens but there must be more to the story. You would think if the guy was a captain he would know the lake patrol and could explain the situation. Or maybe he knows the lake patrol all too well. I kind of doubt he would have a case against the captain unless somehow he could allege the captain was negligent in allowing him to operate the boat (which he probably was) or if the captain was in some manner supplying the alcohol.

 

[jdiaz78]

If someone tells you to jump off a bridge, are you going to do it? This drunk person should have known the troopers watch party cove like a hawk and declined operating the boat.

 

[billyb]

Apparently water patrol was monitoring the situation and literally swooped in to write a ticket.

Apparently the captain is pretty upset about the situation...but he should have known better.

But honestly, if I was that guy and the boat just needed a nudge ...I would have sat down for a second to help...

I will see my captain friend tomorrow, so I may have more details about what happened (if anything) in a few days.

 

[davel501]

In Illinois we have this:

Knowingly Permitting a Driver Under the Influence to Operate a Vehicle

• Possible imprisonment for up to one year.
• Maximum fine of $2,500.

http://www.isp.state.il.us/traffic/drnkdriving.cfm

Not sure if it carries over to boats but our legislators are going through a boats are just like cars phase.

 

[Glassman]

As a private boater I don't let ANYONE who has been drinking get behind the wheel of my boat.

For a "Professional" Captain to do it is totally unacceptable, sorry. He should have known better.

 

[Venkman]

I do feel sorry for the guy who got arrested/ticketed, I can totally see that if I was in the same position I would be the drunk who helped the captain out. Chances are with my friends I would be the guy with the most experience and if a guy who was showing us a good time needed some help I would be reluctant not to help the guy out, especially if it was something as simple as assisting in pulling a stuck anchor. BUT, I know from experience with my own "crew" that I am not giving up the controls to a drunk person I know, much less one I don't know, too many chances of something catastrophic going down. I am not picking on the Captain, because I wasn't there. I am always glad to read these stories because it really makes you think about what you would do when placed in the same situation on the water.