Leisure boaters drink limits review urged by MAIB

[Antares_9]

http://www.mby.com/news/531446/maib-renews-call-for-alcohol-limits-for-leisure-boaters

[MY littleboat]

I have no doubt that this will happen one day and that section 80 be activated. If so this could mean a while new way of thinking for broads boaters

[pks1702]

I don't drink and drive on my ship but when parked up have often been know to take a libation

If this came into force surely it would be for boats under-way?

If not I will be the first ask for Caravanner's to be covered by the same

[w44nty]

There is nothing wrong having a drink or 2 whilst moored up for the night,but drinking whilst the boat is underway should be made illegal,only trouble is there are not enough river police to enforce it.

Drink and any moving vehicle or vessel do not go together,its madness for people to drink whilst underway.

[donnygeoff]

its madness for people to drink whilst underway.

Especialy going over breydon on a rough day, you could spill some

Will the Gin Palaces be re-named Lime and soda palaces

[Antares_9]

I quite like the American idea where they nick you even if you are moored up if the boat does not have overnight accomodation, might be a but unfair if you d a tent on the bank mind.

[Seadog]

This has been on the cards for along time, and is yet another example of our freedom being chipped away at, most boaties Ive meet have a drink after a passage or journey to celebrate, moored for the night I can see no problem.Its quite amusing to watch some of those old flims with the saliors full of rum and the officers merry on pinkies

[w44nty]

I don't drink and drive on my ship but when parked up have often been know to take a libation

If this came into force surely it would be for boats under-way?

If not I will be the first ask for Caravanner's to be covered by the same

Just following on from this post regarding caravans,if it is against the law to drink whilst in charge of a motor vehicle,what about a camper van parked up for the night,can you have a drink in that,strange question but I would like to know the answer,if I sat in the back seat of my car drinking and was caught by the police I would get nicked.

Whats the difference sitting in a camper van,it still a motor vehicle

[Julz]

I don't drink and drive on my ship but when parked up have often been know to take a libation

If this came into force surely it would be for boats under-way?

If not I will be the first ask for Caravanner's to be covered by the same

Indeed Perry, the same drink driving laws apply to a caravanner whos van is attached to a towcar to which he is incharge whilst on the public highway, no matter if hes in the driving seat or not, even if hes asleep in the caravan in a lay-by, the police require him to be in a sober enough state to move on if requested to do so, and in England and Wales being as so called 'Wild Camping' in lay-bys and waste land is illegal, then this can happen more frequently than you imagine, with a high proportion of culprits being Motorhome owners. Scotland has slightly different laws on the subject, and overnight stays are allowed in designated lay-bys and rest areas, but with restrictions as to the use of naked flame, and the banning of dumping of litter, emptying of toilet cassettes, or the release of grey water waste whilst parked up in these areas.

There have been several cases of motorhome owners having their veichle seized by police whilst parked up at the roadside for non compliance to the drink driving laws, or other offences under the road traffic act such as expired tax and insurance.

It doesnt matter a toss that its being used as someones tempory home at the time, if they break the law then they pay the price just like any other motorist would do, and most would find themselves with a hefty bill to pay for a hotel for the night plus transport and retrieval costs which no insurace policy, however good, would cover them for.

Julz

[pks1702]

But what if he is parked on his pitch for the night (on private property) with car attached to Van

[Julz]

If hes on his own land or that where hes got permission to be from the private land owner then generally the police could not touch him, but having said that, if the land was part of a privately owned campsite, or one belonging to either of the main 'clubs', then he would be under the jurisdiction of the rules and regulations of that particular campsite, and most require a unit to de-hitch for overnight stays, and have set distances between units as part of their fire regulations

The site were on now is owned by one of the big clubs and has warden control, its barriered for entrance and exit, each unit is required to occupy a designated pitch even for an overnight stay, car goes to the left hand side of the caravan, awning goes to the right, 6mtrs has to be kept between our unit and next doors, theres a no drink-drive policy on site, and a first gear only, 5mph speed limit for safety's sake. They also ask that noise levels are kept to a minimum after 11pm, and they are strict on removing anyone who refuses to comply. In return, we get to stay within lush woodland, with an abundance of wildlife, and top class facilities as far as services are concerned, a spotlessly clean shower block and well maintained hardstanding pitches with EHU and digital Tv Bollard, and even better, a great bunch of people to share our hobby with, or help smooth out any problems should they arise, like someone at the service centre last week left my water valve in the 'drain' position, and we spent an hour wondering why it was taking so much more water to fill the onboard hot water tank than it did last year, Grr!

To be honest, theres no excuse for anyone to have to spend a night parked up sleeping on a public area, theres such a good network of small certified sites and locations dotted around the UK and governed by the two main clubs that its always fairly easy to find somewhere within easy reach, and there fairly cheap to use too, with the average one charging no more than a tenner a night and that mostly includes an EHU (electric hook up) it also protects you from the prats that think its good fun to bang on the caravan sides and try and scare the occupants whitless during the small hours mostly due to their own boozed up state, or inorder to commit theft from the occupants

Julz

[donnygeoff]

I have a bottle or two while tootling down the river...

I must be a bad person... slap my wrists

[Seadog]

A Publican in Norwich went to put his car away, driving on the pubs car park, he was seen by a Policemam and failed the breath test.The car park was owned by the pub, but gave access to the general public, therefore there was a form of public right of way, I think this was abit unfair as the pub was closed at the time and the poor chap lost the lot though this