Monday, July 26, 2010

Banning Drinking on the Beach

Silly laws can’t overcome the creativity of the American people. 

The city council on Monday banned so-called “floatopia” parties where people booze it up on inner tubes offshore, closing a loophole in a beach alcohol ban.

Since voters banned drinking on the beach in November 2008, revelers have occasionally gathered a few feet offshore on Mission Bay on inner tubes, surfboards, rafts and other floating devices. The new measure, which takes effect immediately, prohibits drinking up to three miles offshore.

Speakers warned that the city was discouraging innocent fun and potentially driving away tourists. Council members said it was a question of saving lives, keeping beaches clean and sparing headaches for police and lifeguards.

I see a market for party barges that head a few miles off shore.  Of course, they could just allow drinking on the beaches where people who pass out will wake up with a bad sunburn instead of drowning.

(6) Comments
Posted by Owen at 2114 hrs
Politics + Politics - General

  1. Sailboats, motorboats and rowboats are exempted from the ban.

    The partying is in Mission Bay in San Diego.  The ocean is too rough to party on floaties like that.  The “safety” excuse is bullshit.  They’re banning the floatopia because of the mess of trash that the crowd leaves behind.  All it is going to do is push it one level further - to real boats.  There’s no way they’ll ever ban booze on boats.  Look for a couple hundred row boats lining the Bay this labor day.  The next step will be them banning it on all boats within 50 yards or something of the shore.  That’s when we’ll finally see someone drowned to death as they drunkenly drift to/from shore.  At least with the current system people are in shallow enough water to stand up.

    As a San Diego resident who likes clean and enjoyable beaches, but someone who also enjoys drinking and would love to be able to take some wine or a six pack to the beach, I can see both sides of the issue.  Most of the people partying are not San Diego residents.  They come from Orange County, L.A., Arizona, and a lot of student from San Diego State and UCSD.  The politicians are going to side with their constituents, so they’re continuing with the beach booze bans.

    Before the ban, people were bringing wagons with kegs for crying out!  It’s like neither the city council, nor the party crowd, know no moderation.  What they ought to do is lift the ban in a year or two, and re-write some more stringent rules on what kind of booze is allowed on the beaches - along with very heavy fines for violators.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 26, 2010 at 2330 hrs


  2. When I lived in South Florida there was a small flotilla of boats that would take you 12 miles off shore and then turn on the slot machines and open up the poker and blackjack tables.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 27, 2010 at 0908 hrs


  3. Owen, I’m curious as to why you think this is a “silly law”?  Drinking on barges is fine.  As is drinking in bars.  Are you saying you support the consumption of alcohol, any time, any place???

    @ David:  BTW, I attended UCSD back in the 70’s for two years.  Not on the level of SDSU, but a LOT of partying went on…

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 27, 2010 at 1102 hrs


  4. “Are you saying you support the consumption of alcohol, any time, any place???”

    I sure do.  Don’t you?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 27, 2010 at 1245 hrs


  5. I sure do.  Don’t you?

    LOL!  Generally, I do.  But I hate drinking/drunks around children and related events, like Little League, AAU, birthday parties, school events, etc. I can’t stand to be around people who can’t hold their liquor.  I appreciate, support and adhere to “drunk in public” laws and their enforcement.  Nothing “silly” about that…

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 27, 2010 at 1415 hrs


  6. I appreciate, support and adhere to “drunk in public” laws

    “Are you saying you support the consumption of alcohol, any time, any place???”

    These are 2 different things IMHO.  Consuming a beverage does not necessarily mean you are or will be drunk.  I don’t even agree with the whole “drunk in public” thing.  If I’m in my house, get tanked, then step outside for whatever reason and don’t bother or endanger anyone else, technically I’m still violating the law and I should be punished for my disregard of the law and the utopian society we are trying to create.

    Now if I’m being a jerk and disturbing other people by yelling at them with my slurred speech, they have a rather valid argument.  The law I’m breaking is not for being drunk, it’s for being an ass.

    Yes I realize there isn’t a “Being an Ass” law.  Perhaps that’s what “Drunk in Public” should be changed to.

    Posted by Jay4Liberty on July 27, 2010 at 2003 hrs


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