# Increased Law Enformement Along Upper Colorado



## OldFatMan (Jan 10, 2011)

Right ting to do Toby. Ever lost friends/family in highway accident? Not good. Thanks for the reminder.


----------



## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

To bad that law enforcement has to intervene.Drunk stupid people has been a worsening problem on this stretch.
This is a prime example of why it is important to act like a citizen, and not an idiot. I for one enjoy not seeing an official presence when i'm looking for some nature. 

Though boaters take a share of blame, the worst of the problem, that i have witnessed on the water, has been people in inner tubes, sloppy drunk, no p.fd. 
no knowledge of white water safety, and hanging out in the boat ramp drinking for an hour. Though it will not fix the problem, it would significantly help, to ban inner tubes on the upper colorado, this is Not a safe craft for this section of white water, and the trend is towards a large number of drunk people on the river, followed by a large number of drunk people on the trough road and hwy 131.

Thanks to the men and women of law enforcement for helping to keep people safe, we should deffinately do our part as boaters to help set the example.


----------



## BoilermakerU (Mar 13, 2009)

I don't think banning tubes solves the drinking and driving problem. There are plenty of people that can tube responsibly, and most of the year, the Upper C is pretty mellow. I have no problem with people tubing the Upper C, if done responsibly (PFD and sober as a start).

Enforcing the use of PFD's is a better option, but that's tough to do once people get on the water. you'd have to be patrolling the river. It's not just tubers, there are plenty of boaters on these mellower stretches of water that don't wear PFDs and drink before, during and after their trip down the river.

And then there are the shuttle drivers at Rancho that do shots before hopping in their vehicles to give folks a ride back to their cars...


----------



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

A great place to do the open container and "Tubing under the influence" enforcement would be from Cottonwood Island to Dotsero. That place is out of control with idiots in the summer...


----------



## Schutzie (Feb 5, 2013)

As a former highly experienced "drink N Run" guide (cmon, it was the 70's, a more stupid era) Schutzie volunteers to be the river enforcement officer. He also has prior law enforcement experience.

He already has the "riverside sobriety test" ready.
First, I need you to walk heel to toe around the perimeter of your raft/kayak/inner tube.
Kay
Now I need you to tilt your head WAAAAYY back, hold your arms straight out from your body, and touch your belly button.
Kay
Now I need you to stand on one foot, point to the sky with your left hand and arm, and put your right hand behind you (excellent test when arrest is imminent)

I strongly recommend that I be given confiscation powers to confiscate any booze from rafters.

Seriously; being a raft guide in the early 70's was the only job I've ever had where drinking on the job was a requirement. We were lucky and never had an injury or accident. But, this was also at a time when we were often the only group on the river and we could only offend ourselves.


----------



## tsprunk (Feb 27, 2007)

Hey Andy, we included Horse Creek, Cottonwood and Dotsero in the patrol assignment, though clearly the use numbers are higher between Rancho and Two Bridges. We left some discretion to the individual deputy working the shift, but yes, we have heard similar stories downstream as well.


Thanks for the reminder!


Toby


----------



## hduncan88 (May 22, 2009)

Does this enforcement care about drunk tubers with no PFD's?


----------



## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Are pfd's required for privater boaters/tubers?

In the AHRA, private rafters are not required to wear a pfd, but tubers are. 

(I can't explain the rationale, so just contact them if you care why...)


----------



## jaffy (Feb 4, 2004)

DoStep said:


> Are pfd's required for privater boaters/tubers?
> 
> In the AHRA, private rafters are not required to wear a pfd, but tubers are.
> 
> (I can't explain the rationale, so just contact them if you care why...)


Aren't all boaters in Colorado (even on lakes/ponds) required to carry a PFD? Tubers would have a hard time doing that without wearing one, so maybe that's why.


----------

