Ramp Rage & Hooligans

[narcosis70]

I'm pretty disturbed by some of the recent posts. I'm in North Dakota and do my boating on northern Minnesota lakes. It does get busy on the ramps at times (they're all singles), but the worst I've ever seen is folks who tie up both the ramp and opposite side of the dock when someone's waiting to come in off the lake. Hey, folks, boating is supposed to be about fun, recreation, and relaxation, not oneupmanship and figuring out ways to "get" that ninconpoop who did some thoughtless or rude thing to you. People brandishing and firing off guns anywhere near a boat ramp or parking area are criminals and the local deputies will be happy to escort such folks off to appropriate settings for such behavior. Guns have their proper places at ranges and during hunting season. Also, just my personal feeling, mind you, if I come across any ramp or parking area where punks or troublemakers are hanging out, I'll simply go to a different lake, or adjust my days and times at the ramp when those folks aren't around. You see, I'm not at the lake to play Billy Bada$$, I'm there to go for a nice cruise and scuba diving. Can't do that if I'm stressed out over whatever the people around me might be doing.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

I agree with you. While idiots at the ramp are an unavoidable nuisance, blowing your stack at them does no good at all.<br /><br />Offering to help is good. Ignoring them until they finish their business is OK. It can be annoying, but getting in some brawl with a drunken idiot is not my idea of a nice day at the lake.<br /><br />I just let 'em do their thing. Once they finally get their boat on or off the trailer, they'll go away.

 

[Marauderk]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

Man i am pretty lucky as we have several ramps close by and if ones busy or has to many idiots then i go elsewhere. <br /><br />But alot of people do not know how to go about with the loading and unloading and if you offer help and tell them to get ready to unload away from the ramp or the proper way of doing things they will do it next time. <br /><br />Of course you then have the jerks who could care less and do it anyway but karma is a funny thing and it will bite back

 

[cntrydude]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

Also, just my personal feeling, mind you, if I come across any ramp or parking area where punks or troublemakers are hanging out, I'll simply go to a different lake, or adjust my days and times at the ramp when those folks aren't around.

This is why the scumbags keep it up! They win and no one stands up to them. I say if enough of us say, I'm fed up and I'm not going to take it anymore, then we take bag our society. What happens when they are at every lake near you? Will you then sell your boat?<br />Just my .02 cents.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

Yes, yes...let's take the country back. But, you see, not everyone who is an idiot at the boat ramp deserves being yelled at.<br /><br />A lot of folks are just inexperienced at launching, etc. Sure, it's annoying, but we may have done something similar at one point or another in our boating days.<br /><br />The genuine buttheads...well...it all depends on what they're doing. The ordinary people who make mistakes...well, I've been there myself, and appreciate a little forbearance from those I'm inconveniencing when I forget to take off the transom saver or something like that. <br /><br />Hotheads at the ramp do no good whatsoever. None. The minute someone starts yelling at someone else, everything comes to a stop and delays things even more.<br /><br />The real creeps...the ones who threaten people or are drunk and violent? I call the cops on them. It's that simple. I have my cell phone with me all the time. I just call the cops and let them deal with them. Then I launch my boat and go out and have a good time.

 

[Cranky18]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

CATransplant, I completly agree. I usually have my wife and son with me and I would not want to get into an altercation over someone being rude or thoughtless which might endanger them. If you did actually get one jerk to leave or change his ways there is an endless supply to replace him.

 

[narcosis70]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

CNTRYDUDE and whoever agrees with him: I guess I should have explained the situation better. We in the North Country are blessed with thousands of nearby lakes, some big and some so secluded you will be the only boat there for hours at a time. There are party lakes here noted for heavy drinking and irresponsible jetski operators. Serious fisherman and boaters just ignore them or go to lakes they're not found at. I also failed to mention that at the dozens of boat ramps I've launched from, almost none have picnic areas or parks nearby. There's the ramp, dock, parking lot, and the adjacent property is either heavily wooded or privately owned. A few of the ramps don't even have docks. So there's no reason at all anyone would hang out at them. Other than the party lakes, the only ones with large non-fishing crowds are in state parks. I don't know about other places, but in Minnesota State Parks, I swear you won't find a nicer bunch of people. Yes, we do need to stand up to scumbags who take over recreational areas. But is it going to be vigilante justice that will likely land you in jail, hurt, or dead? All over trying to enjoy a relaxing day at the lake? Or are we going to do the right thing and let the appropriate authorities do their jobs? If you're out to teach a scumbag a lesson, don't bother driving all the way out to the lake. You can likely do that a few blocks or less from your own home. No matter how much hate and bad behavior are around, we still have to live together.

 

[monoshock]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

I see people driving like a bat out of HE77 heading to the lake. Do they think the lake is going to dry up before they get there? No wander they are so hot headed when they arrive at the ramp.<br /><br />Also I think everyone needs to have a little more patience when it loading time. What’s the big hurry, got to get home and watch rerun? <br />Just me, maybe I’m wrong.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

I think it's just the impatience that seems to have infected everyone. It seems like a lot of folks have to do everything as fast as they possibly can.<br /><br />For me, things done slowly give more pleasure. My wife agrees.

 

[molsenice]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

Just got pops boat running before going on vacation. well I think the kids were more excited over taking the boat out than I was and thats not even possible. Well my wife was exahsted when the "day" finally came and she bowed out and I could not blame her. Wow did she make the right decicion. The closest water to us is mabey 5 min away and it has a wonderfull ramp. Pulled in and found 2 boats waiting to come out. So we waited. I am of the opinion the if you want out, you go first - I'll park where you were. Well the kids got a lesson in ramp etiquette 101. as one boat came out, another pulled in from the river. then a few jetskis and 30 min latter, they were still comming in. Now I could have besn persuasive and mentioned to some of the people that I had been there a while and would like a turn - but I have seen ramps go sour - the kids were great, surprised, but well behaved. One guy pulled in with his beer cooler and buddy and "JUMPED LINE" while tying up the ramp, - no where to tie off, so he parked his boat on the ramp while he parked his truck and trailer. - Thats people - he needed a dose of buckshot - but that"s not my stile - the kids were very happy that we did get the boat wet and everything was awsome - next is to let them drive but that will have to wait till they have the experiance of the boat and time to ask - in the mean time, go ahead, I might like the fact that YOU (who ever you are who jumps line) are not their when I put the boat in and hopefully you and you beer cooler will get arested by the sheriff's on boat patrol

 

[beezee28]

Re: Ramp Rage & Hooligans

Where I launch the boat is a state park and there are sign stating that NO alcoholic beverage allowed. On the most part, people followed the rule but there again this park is patrol but the TPWD officer. Again no open container allowed, but what is in the cooler stays in the cooler. I guess I luck out on this boat ramp.<br /><br />As for people being inconsiderate, there is no way one can control that as these people are not taught etiquite at home or at school. They are most pobably being brought up without the moral requirements acceptable by our society. Only when they learn the lesson of social acceptance can they be appreciated by the society as a whole. Sorry about my rumbling on...