Venice - $168 fine for no flag..

bdrannik · Oct 29, 2004

As I was walking down to the beach earlier in the week, there was a Venice Police boat with two diver gals.. They got caught without a flag.. Fine was $168 each. I think they've been watching this more closely since the diver died a few months ago at Venice that didn't have a flag.

MikeJacobs · Oct 30, 2004

LOL just kidding while I hate "spot" and have personally found it to have been of little use, I rarely use my dive-sausage or octopus either. If you ever need to surface in boat traffic you'd feel very exposed without it! I've gone both ways and now always drag spot along.

bdrannik:
As I was walking down to the beach earlier in the week, there was a Venice Police boat with two diver gals.. They got caught without a flag.. Fine was $168 each. I think they've been watching this more closely since the diver died a few months ago at Venice that didn't have a flag.

dive4funOften · Oct 30, 2004

bdrannik:
As I was walking down to the beach earlier in the week, there was a Venice Police boat with two diver gals.. They got caught without a flag.. Fine was $168 each. I think they've been watching this more closely since the diver died a few months ago at Venice that didn't have a flag.

???

Wendy · Oct 30, 2004

bdrannik:
As I was walking down to the beach earlier in the week, there was a Venice Police boat with two diver gals.. They got caught without a flag.. Fine was $168 each. I think they've been watching this more closely since the diver died a few months ago at Venice that didn't have a flag.

Did they ever determine how she died? I don't think not having a flag killed her. But I think its good that they are cracking down on divers.

Scuba_Jenny · Oct 30, 2004

Only cracking down on divers because they are easier to catch than the boaters?

But this isn't about divers vs. boaters.

I don't see how having a flag is going to save you if you are having problems at depth. You don't clip a flag to yourself, and if you are having problems, letting go of the flag is probably one of the first mistakes you are gonna make, heck, I have let go before without realizing it until I wonder why there isn't drag anymore.

Mike you are right. "Spot" might be a pain, but you gotta have it, and if you are in boat traffic, you do feel slightly better than no Spot.

ReefGuy · Oct 30, 2004

Yeah, they COULD be cracking down on the boaters that use our flags for target practice!!

Wendy:
Did they ever determine how she died? I don't think not having a flag killed her. But I think its good that they are cracking down on divers.

Wendy · Oct 30, 2004

ReefGuy:
Yeah, they COULD be cracking down on the boaters that use our flags for target practice!!

who is saying that they are not ticketing boaters as well? at least the law enforcement is out there on the water doing their jobs, and now you are going to complain about who they are going the tickets too? geez I guess some scubaboarders are only pro law enforcment when the laws they think should be enforced are enforced.

CBulla · Oct 30, 2004

I'll believe they are ticketing boaters when I see it. My last dive there I watched a police boat run the sandbar less than 100 yards, more like 100 FEET, from Novafury with my dive flag without cutting on the throttle one bit. Enforcement of the law means knowing it yourself and this gentleman obviously had no regard for the human life under that flag, only that his pretty boat was seen. In all my trips there I have seen that boat 3 times and never once has it ever approached any of the boats or jet skiis that completely disregard the dive flags in the water.

I have a LOT of respect for law enforcement and the jobs they do in our society, I don't have respect for those who have specific roles within it and have no clue how to do it.

DennisS · Oct 30, 2004

I've been stopped many times by the marine patrol as I exited the water. They sit on shore with binoculars. It is kind of funny to get frisked while wearing a BP wing, bathing suit and vest, the cute woman in a Hawaiin shirt is my favorite.

Is that a spiny lobster tail or are you glad to see me?

My only question is where are they when the go fast boats are using the color difference between the sand and reef 150 yds offshore as a channel marker at 60 mph. I've had boats scream by overhead, I've thought of just leaving the flag anchored and picking it up on my return but every once in a while I see a 2/0-4/0 hook imbedded in the bottom from someone trolling and decide to keep it nearby.

FL_Chad · Oct 30, 2004

I am surprised the FWC has time to give tickets to anyone with all those manatee zones they have to guard....

I own a boat and took a boaters safety course even though I grew up here on boats most of my life. The sad truth is that far too many boaters dont even know that you are supposed to give a dive flag a buffer (remember it is only 100 feet if you're in a pass or inlet, not 300 like open water). If they would force people to take some kind of basic course, then we would at least know when someone comes too close that they are just an a$$hole and not just ignorant of the law. Regardless, diving w/out a flag is as foolish as coming too close to one in a boat, I think. Both deserve tickets.

Venice - $168 fine for no flag..

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