Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

[Fleetwin]

A couple of weeks ago, I meet my sons at a local ramp to have some fun just running around with his boat and mine. He hadn't seen my new boat.

I arrive early and launch my boat-solo. No issues. I pull the boat around to the far side of the dock, where no-one is waiting, park my tow rig and wait for them.

In the meantime, a guy backs his pontoon trailer down into the water-cockeyed, taking up two of the three lanes. He then walks to the end of the dock. I strike up a conversation and ask: "Where is your boat"? He says: "it's being towed here, I have a new battery for it."

Well, a half hour later, my son launches his boat in the one open lane and the guy that had the pontoon issue is gone. We ask someone else what happened to him? They said: "He got on his pontoon and left". HIS CAR AND TRAILER ARE STILL BACKED INTO THE WATER!

We run around, for a while, and two hours later, his tow rig is still backed into the water. On pullout, we have to share the only open lane.

I'm not sure if this was arrogance or stupidity. I'm thinking the latter. I can't believe how some people can live just thinking they are the only human on the planet.

On the way out, I did report him to the Manager at the facility we launched at. For all I know, it's still there.

 

[barrya58]

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

I truly believe some people believe the sun revolves around them!! Not sure about this fellas situation but it sure looks like he could not care less about anyone else. Barry

 

[canoemang]

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

If he left it intentionally yes.. arrogant idiot..

but for all we know... he took it out for a quick test and had some issues with his pontoon as he had before and was stranded somewhere.

Id bet on the first one though

 

[jkust]

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

Saw something similar...there were no parking spots left so the guy just left his truck/trailer right on the ramp and went out for the day. It was the definition of egregious as it was a one lane ramp.

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

I wish we could have stayed. But I had a 70 mile trip back home.

I implored my sons to stay (one is 6'6" and the other 6'4") just to have a "talk" with the guy.

Nope, we all had commitments that evening.

I just can't believe the arrogance/stupidity.

 

[britisher]

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

Maybe public boat ramps should be designated Tow Away zones for trucks/trailers left unattended on the ramps. It is essentially illegal parking. A nice retrieval fee x 2 for truck AND trailer and they would soon learn not to do it again.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

If he left it intentionally yes.. arrogant idiot..

but for all we know... he took it out for a quick test and had some issues with his pontoon as he had before and was stranded somewhere.

Id bet on the first one though

In no way defending the pontoon owner but, a couple years ago I took the lil' Ray out for a quick water test after de-winterizing. I went to the least used ramp on a gloomy day in the middle of the week. I pretty much had the lake and the ramp to myself. It was a three lane ramp and I decided to just keep my water test within eye-shot of the ramp and leave the truck and trailer on the ramp.

The water test was going well until one of my attempts to get on plane resulted in a loud backfire and the engine dying. With the boat dead in the water, I looked back to the ramp and thought, "This is going to be a long paddle against the wind." and the sickening thought, "You are going to be 'That Guy' if anyone shows up to use the ramp."

Fortunately I got the motor fired back up enough to limp it back to the trailer. It was revealed later that the block was cracked. I'll included that with my lessons learned. So...

1) The fact that I had the lake to myself also meant the chances of anyone helping me were pretty slim, although an empty trailer at the ramp may have clued someone in (if anyone even used the ramp that day.) I still should have taken the extra time to park in the parking area.

2) I had checked the oil prior to de-winterizing on the muffs. Had I checked the oil after running on the muffs, I would have seen the milky oil and not even put myself on the water with a stalled boat. Unrelated to leaving the trailer at the ramp, but still a lesson learned.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

I'm kinda an a-hole when it comes to inconsiderate people...regardless if ignorance, mistakes or just plain arrogance. If this situation had presented itself to me in this manner I would've called a local towing company and said I was "so-n-so from the marina", explained the situation and had the whole rig towed!! Hopefully that would've taught the guy lesson?

In my defense, I'm also a guy who holds doors for all people (even if it's at the cusp of being too accommodating), will go out of my way to assist people in need of help (broken down cars/flats/towed boats), and help fix things for complete strangers.

The longer I live the more I realize there are lot of "takers" that exist...they have a natural sense of entitlement, to everything, regardless of who pays for it...I'd lump self-serving people into that fold!

Maybe it's just me?

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

Around here the truck would of been found at the end of a set of long skid marks.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Some People-The Arrogance or Stupidity

Around here the truck would of been found at the end of a set of long skid marks.

Around here, we have tides that often take care of problems like that.

The only way to absolve yourself from leaving a rig on the ramp "just for a minute" is to leave the keys in the ignition in case your minute becomes, well, like most short boat trips. If you can't tolerate someone moving your rig, you shouldn't leave it there.

But we are wasting our time; the ones who need our counseling are not listening.