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McCook Gazette

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Editorial

Keeping liquor off the lakes is a good idea

Friday, January 21, 2011
McCook Daily Gazette

Many of us probably didn't know it was legal to have an open alcohol container in a boat. If State Sen. John Harms of Scottsbluff has his way, it won't be for long.

Introduced Wednesday, his bill would make it unlawful for any person in or on a vessel, motorboat or personal watercraft to possess an open alcoholic beverage container on Nebraska waters while the vessel is underway.

Nebraskans only recently got the right to enjoy a drink in certain areas of state parks, after having lost that privilege a few years ago, thanks to unruly crowds and tragic accidents at Lake McConaughy and other locations.

Authorities have the right to take that privilege away again at any location where drinking becomes a problem, but it only makes sense that drinking be prohibited in vehicles capable of speeding around congested lakes at near highway speeds.

Having a drink dockside, or carrying a closed wine bottle back to the marina would be OK, but slamming down several beers while pulling tubers across the reservoir will be a definite no-no.

With the reintroduction of legal drinking at state parks, keeping the booze off the water is a good idea.

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  • How about THIS instead? Hold the people who are actually PILOTING the boats accountable!

    Coming up with ever-more draconian laws like this really isn't going to do anything. Someone in charge of enforcing such a law might lower the boom on someone in a boat who is chugging a can of beer, but give a pleasant thumbs-up to all the people sipping their 16-ounce bottles of Sprite ... while being blissfully unaware that those bottles of Sprite were spiked with vodka early in the day!

    Have "designated drivers" on boats. If someone is piloting a boat erratically or otherwise irresponsibly, investigate. If an accident occurs, give the boaters involved a sobriety test. But if the passengers aboard a boat want to sip some wine while enjoying the open water, why should THEY be penalized?

    -- Posted by PolishBear on Mon, Jan 24, 2011, at 10:22 AM

  • Most states treat drunken boaters just like drunk drivers, no difference at all. No open containers allowed. I can't believe "open alcoholic beverage container on Nebraska waters while the vessel is underway." How about no open containers anytime?

    -- Posted by FarmerJoe on Thu, Jan 27, 2011, at 7:02 PM
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