Illegal left turn on Havasu?

[77charger]

Chris (RRX), has been around boat and jet skis for a very long time.

My read is he wanted to educated those. That AZ law is very unknown and I am shocked they are writing tickets for it.

That means everyone heading south and enters the he Islander is breaking the law (never written). And everyone heading south and going into Windsor is also breaking that law.

Way I read it too
Ore as a warning. But seems done these days think you have to be a popular newer member with high post count to have an opinion lol.

 

[Englewood]

I recently got a ticket similar to this during Memorial weekend (5-345D “Failure to follow traffic pattern”). $230.

I was leaving Thompson bay headed to Riviera on the AZ side at sunset 5-10mph tops. Cop said I need to pull out onto river/right side, then make a 90 degree turn into the Riviera.

His actual words were “It’s only a matter of time until we get the call for a head-on in front of the Riviera”.

 

[Taboma]

Don't be too quik to judge. He is a member here and his time on the lake goes well beyond RDP.

Not judging Chris or his actions in the slightest, it was an obvious parody of Internet forums and their process of judging the actions of others in general.

Question ----- How could I possibly judge Chris or his skills with what little information he chose to share ?

Answer ---- I couldn't nor should anyone else.

Clear now ??

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Despite the popular narrative……….. There is no such thing as “right of way” in boating.

The correct definition is the boat to Starboard is the “stand on” vessel. The boat to their port is the “give way” vessel.

Oh so that’s what that boater course was talking about…. After hearing about that on the course the maritime stuff made more sense. Apparently I forgot that pretty quickly.

 

[240Hallett]

Wrong
View attachment 1243614

Correct
View attachment 1243615

Either way you are making a left turn.

 

[4Waters]

Either way you are making a left turn.

But you are approaching the shore from the right

 

[185EZ]

The future of Lake Havasu

 

[steamin rice]

Chris (RRX) has been boating on Havasu forever, and has been around the boating forums for 20 years or so, even running his own successful forums for years. Chris is a good guy, with no drama and he's been very responsible every time I've seen him. I took his post as an FYI to people to be aware of the law, and not a complaint about getting the ticket.

I will say that I was not aware of that particular aspect of the law, so I've learned from his post. It does seem like a warning vs a citation may have been appropriate, but what's done is done.

 

[DRYHEAT]

I recently got a ticket similar to this during Memorial weekend (5-345D “Failure to follow traffic pattern”). $230.

I was leaving Thompson bay headed to Riviera on the AZ side at sunset 5-10mph tops. Cop said I need to pull out onto river/right side, then make a 90 degree turn into the Riviera.

His actual words were “It’s only a matter of time until we get the call for a head-on in front of the Riviera”.

Seems to me that the state or any entity having to do with any approval for the Riviera project would now be liable for creating a dangerous condition? Any lawyers up for the challenge?

People have been driving up and down this lake/river darting in and out of coves forever and now they’re just gonna start enforcing this?

Smells like the Arizona boater education card/license is on its way.

 

[Ziggy]

The bit of irony I've seen is there have been multiple times I've been coming up river aiming towards Thompson Bay dodging leo boats hugging the Az coast going south for their super secret copcove

 

[crzy2bealive]

So when I’m headed back into jacks smiths I need to make a uturn somewhere in front of the houses and enter the marina by turning right into it.

 

[Fastdadtsmith]

Will there be a "What time is too early for startup at the Riviera" thread soon?

 

[shueman]

I can see a “no wake zone” in the near future as traffic grows at the Riveria

 

[LazyLavey]

If these violation get out of hand we can expect a left turn bay and "turn on green arrow only" signal...

seems it's fairly chaotic in that area... guys leaving the channel and heading south crossing the n/b traffic or darting diagonally towards copper canyon

 

[Taboma]

Chris (RRX), has been around boat and jet skis for a very long time.

My read is he wanted to educated those. That AZ law is very unknown and I am shocked they are writing tickets for it.

That means everyone heading south and enters the he Islander is breaking the law (never written). And everyone heading south and going into Windsor is also breaking that law.

You're basing those assumptions off what sliver of information if you don't mind, since this is about educating us boaters ?

In other words, what other information do you and apparently a couple of other boaters possess other than this operator claiming he was ticketed for a left hand turn into a marina, or cove, or it doesn't matter what ?

Was he on the left or right of the center of the lake ?

What approximate distance was he cruising, or idling or running, off the AZ shoreline prior to commencing his left turn ?
Could the LEO have concluded he was traveling reverse to the established rotational pattern of the lake ?

Did he cause another boat to be forced to unreasonably alter his speed, or course while engaged in this left hand turn ?

Are you aware of any of above facts as a basis of your assumption ?

 

[rivrrts429]

Chris (RRX), has been around boat and jet skis for a very long time.

My read is he wanted to educated those. That AZ law is very unknown and I am shocked they are writing tickets for it.

That means everyone heading south and enters the he Islander is breaking the law (never written). And everyone heading south and going into Windsor is also breaking that law.

I don’t know anything about the guy or his boating abilities and I trust your judgement but something doesn’t add up. Seems easy enough to be educated by the deputy during the stop and leaving with a warning unless it was viewed as aggressive. Maybe the cop was an asshole, dunno.

If the ticket was written just as he explained it and nothing more I totally agree with you that there’s going to be millions of tickets written for this for Riviera, Islander and Windsor.

 

[Kachina26]

Apparently not

See, I’m not the only one.

 

[RiverDave]

Don’t understand that one. At some point in your u-turn you’re probably turning left.

That’s kinda what I said.. so long as you aren’t impeding traffic I don’t understand the difference.. u turn down the way or cut across seems the same?

 

[RiverDave]

Sounds like the dude is blowing it out of proportion and leaving info/context out. My guess would also be he got snippy with the cops or cut people off to get to the marina.

Lakes have been counter clockwise for as long as anyone on Havasu has been boating. Pretty straight forward. Pass your destination by a reasonable amount, make a safe u-turn and proceed to destination on your right side.

“U turn at copper canyon” is most likely an exaggeration, cop most likely pointed or stated “towards copper canyon” as a point of reference. A little common sense here would go a long way.

Based on the original FB posters lack of response and unwillingness to post the ticket, he knows he is in the wrong.

Sounds like boaters licenses might be a good idea after all.

Another one of my friends received this same ticket during super cat. He said he wasn’t impeding any traffic (sunset) and just cut across and they wrote him for it.

On the same token they also wrote him for not having the actual “hard copies” of his coast guard documentation. He had photos of it in his phone.

The Cig documentation is basically the title to the boat at that point so he didn’t want to keep it in the boat.

 

[calkid]

Wrong
View attachment 1243614

Correct
View attachment 1243615

Looks like the boat operator in the picture is going to jail!

 

[riverroyal]

So I've been coming into islander marina wrong for 20 years? I'm supposed to pass it heading south and make a u turn. Comical.
How about heading up river at the river mouth? Everyone is on the west going in, but ends up on the east.
How about the north end of the channel? We supposed to hug the crazy horse shore?

All the stupid shit on the lake and this was a ticket.

 

[240Hallett]

So I've been coming into islander marina wrong for 20 years? I'm supposed to pass it heading south and make a u turn. Comical.
How about heading up river at the river mouth? Everyone is on the west going in, but ends up on the east.
How about the north end of the channel? We supposed to hug the crazy horse shore?

All the stupid shit on the lake and this was a ticket.

Exactly! There are people going the wrong way on lake regularly. Is this the new reason for “contact”??

 

[77charger]

So I've been coming into islander marina wrong for 20 years? I'm supposed to pass it heading south and make a u turn. Comical.
How about heading up river at the river mouth? Everyone is on the west going in, but ends up on the east.
How about the north end of the channel? We supposed to hug the crazy horse shore?

All the stupid shit on the lake and this was a ticket.

IMO if it’s clear it’s safe to do and shouldn’t be an issue. Now if you cut off a boat or something similar then I can see this a reason to be stopped.

People ask for more enforcement and unfortunately it eventually happens. Boat laws are strange if it makes sense to do it one way it’s probably illegal.this is probably the first I heard of someone getting a ticket for this. I’m sure most of us have driven wrong side of lake at one point as well.

 

[CoolCruzin]

So what I get out of all this - the cops are hang out around the riviera area.
Be careful

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

So what I get out of all this - the cops are hang out around the riviera area.
Be careful

Bingo. They are following the money

 

[mjc]

So what I get out of all this - the cops are hang out around the riviera area.
Be careful

Yes they head into their docks right next to the marina. And have to go south of rattlesnake island.

 

[Good Stuff]

Yes they head into their docks right next to the marina. And have to go south of rattlesnake island. View attachment 1243793

They are just grumpy because they have to go all the way down to Copper Canyon to make a u-turn to get into their docks. They write tickets for people who make the direct turn on their way back north because they are jealous.

When does the Casino ferry get a ticket for traveling straight back and forth?

 

[RiverDave]

That may have been an oversight when I did my boaters safety classes.

Its still ok to make a left turn on a double yellow line, but watch out for that double double yellow line, it will getcha!

Wait a second.. we can turn left on a double yellow?

 

[RiverDave]

Wrong
View attachment 1243614

Correct
View attachment 1243615

I’m not sure why it would matter if you aren’t impeding traffic?

I can see if there is boats heading northbound but if there’s no one coming?

 

[JJ McClure]

jeez. I miss kwicherbitchin…

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Bingo. They are following the money

go be poor somewhere else in your f150…also stay in the left poverty non slip owner lane

It was insanity Saturday..

 

[Taboma]

Hoping somebody will post up which AZ boating law is being violated and the ticket being written for.

All that's been shared so far is two boats have received a ticket for apparently an illegal left turn into a bay with a marina.

This is the only A.R.S. I can find relative to what little information is being provided. It's ridiculous to conclude that this regulation is intended to preclude perpendicular or angular crossing, like from Windsor to Havasu Landing, and you can only travel the entire circumference to get from one side to the other.

Navigation rules) ( 5-345.D) Normal traffic on the waterways of this state shall be counterclockwise. Watercraft leaving the shoreline area shall yield right-of-way to watercraft approaching the shoreline area notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B of this section. In layman's terms, keep the shoreline on your right when driving on the lake. (5-345.B) The area from a point directly ahead to one hundred twelve and one-half degrees of the compass to the starboard side of the watercraft shall be designated the danger zone. Operators of the watercraft shall yield the right-of-way to any other watercraft occupying or entering into this danger zone which may result in collision.

 

[SkyDirtWaterguy]

What next?? A no-wake zone across the entire lake a quarter mile north and a quarter mile south of the Riviera? WTF

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

What next?? A no-wake zone across the entire lake a quarter mile north and a quarter mile south of the Riviera? WTF

Probably coming soon.

If they were going to be this anal they should have built a separate entry and exit to the marina from the water.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

go be poor somewhere else in your f150…also stay in the left poverty non slip owner lane

It was insanity Saturday.. View attachment 1243806

I’m brimming with happiness seeing all those people lining up to use the best new launch ramp.

 

[Fastdadtsmith]

What next?? A no-wake zone across the entire lake a quarter mile north and a quarter mile south of the Riviera? WTF

You just said Beetlejuice 3 times, way to go!

 

[MPHSystems]

Would a hand signal count?

That’s what I’m thinking.

 

[Justsomeguy]

So when I’m headed back into jacks smiths I need to make a uturn somewhere in front of the houses and enter the marina by turning right into it.

I almost typed this very thing. Everyone does it. Ironically, I will often go up to the bridge turn around and head back. But that's mere coincidence.

 

[4Waters]

I’m not sure why it would matter if you aren’t impeding traffic?

I can see if there is boats heading northbound but if there’s no one coming?

This is the way I understood it.

View point from the water, you must approach the shore, cove, marina.... from the right and leave the shore, cove, marina.... to the left. I was taught by my dad and my exgf's dad to drive past where you want to go, turn left across the channel marker line and gradually move towards your destination, you will then be approaching from the right.

 

[Singleton]

What next?? A no-wake zone across the entire lake a quarter mile north and a quarter mile south of the Riviera? WTF

Most likely see what Midwest lake do. Extend the no wake 100’ out from the breakwater. However all this does is push all the boat moving along into a skinnier section of water, thus increasing risks.

Based on my research and the pics posted earlier on page one of this thread, this is an AZ statue.

 

[Bobby V]

Hoping somebody will post up which AZ boating law is being violated and the ticket being written for.

All that's been shared so far is two boats have received a ticket for apparently an illegal left turn into a bay with a marina.

This is the only A.R.S. I can find relative to what little information is being provided. It's ridiculous to conclude that this regulation is intended to preclude perpendicular or angular crossing, like from Windsor to Havasu Landing, and you can only travel the entire circumference to get from one side to the other.

Navigation rules) ( 5-345.D) Normal traffic on the waterways of this state shall be counterclockwise. Watercraft leaving the shoreline area shall yield right-of-way to watercraft approaching the shoreline area notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B of this section. In layman's terms, keep the shoreline on your right when driving on the lake. (5-345.B) The area from a point directly ahead to one hundred twelve and one-half degrees of the compass to the starboard side of the watercraft shall be designated the danger zone. Operators of the watercraft shall yield the right-of-way to any other watercraft occupying or entering into this danger zone which may result in collision.

Screenshot from RDP FB page.

 

[bentprops]

No left turns? ok here you go,

 

[Track Man]

It’s the same situation coming out and into site six. People going 100 miles an hour past both these marinas. I kind of saw this coming. You have a Lotta rental boats on lake Havasu and people drive like idiots. Jet skis are out there cutting in front of boats all day long. They don’t even bother to look.

 

[Taboma]

This is the way I understood it.

View point from the water, you must approach the shore, cove, marina.... from the right and leave the shore, cove, marina.... to the left. I was taught by my dad and my exgf's dad to drive past where you want to go, turn left across the channel marker line and gradually move towards your destination, you will then be approaching from the right.

Is this what you're explaining as to how generally or literally A.R.S. 5-345D should be interrupted ? Or are they / you referring to some other regulation I'm not aware of ?

In over 60 years of boating on lakes, rivers and oceans, this is the first time I've ever heard of this rule. I'd love to see the written statute.

To clarify my legend notes on the following map example --- I'm trying to interrupt what I think you're stating, not what I believe to be true per this or any other regulation I'm aware of.

EDIT --- Based on a subsequent post provided by Bobby V, it appears my red and blue lines are exactly what the full or revised version of ARS 5-345D states.

 

[Badchoices03]

Going into Pirates because of all the boats going in all different directions, I have always went past it down to like the last peninsula campspot, did a U-turn, and came back in from the right...never knew I was doing the legal thing...lol

 

[Taboma]

Screenshot from RDP FB page.
View attachment 1243928

Thank you , then I stand corrected, either the 5-345D I was quoting was either abbreviated or has been revised.
The version I'd read and previously quoted ----
Navigation rules)
( 5-345.D) Normal traffic on the waterways of this state shall be counterclockwise. Watercraft leaving the shoreline area shall yield right-of-way to watercraft approaching the shoreline area notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B of this section.
In layman's terms, keep the shoreline on your right when driving on the lake.

This version from the screen shot appears to be a new revision ?

 

[4Waters]

It’s the same situation coming out and into site six. People going 100 miles an hour past both these marinas. I kind of saw this coming. You have a Lotta rental boats on lake Havasu and people drive like idiots. Jet skis are out there cutting in front of boats all day long. They don’t even bother to look.

We either police ourselves or they will do it for us.

The problem is to many people have a chip on their shoulder and have a "I know everything you can't tell me anything" attitude and now those same people are complaining that the cops are being dicks.

To be honest I'm surprised that so many on here didn't know you need to approach your destination from the right and leave to the left. I didn't see this on my boaters card class and it should be there.

Let's not let this violation become a revenue generator, let's stop it here with this thread.

 

[4Waters]

Going into Pirates because of all the boats going in all different directions, I have always went past it down to like the last peninsula campspot, did a U-turn, and came back in from the right...never knew I was doing the legal thing...lol

And there are always bad accidents at pirates and topock, if the rules were followed there would rarely be an accident

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

We either police ourselves or they will do it for us.

The problem is to many people have a chip on their shoulder and have a "I know everything you can't tell me anything" attitude and now those same people are complaining that the cops are being dicks.

To be honest I'm surprised that so many on here didn't know you need to approach your destination from the right and leave to the left. I didn't see this on my boaters card class and it should be there.

Let's not let this violation become a revenue generator, let's stop it here with this thread.

If everyone had their boaters card this would not be a problem.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

And there are always bad accidents at pirates and topock, if the rules were followed there would rarely be an accident

I would say accidents there are pretty rare there, especially given the traffic?

It’s funny they just decided to heavily police this there, now. If it were a real problem people would be getting tickets for this constantly, everywhere.