Some people have nothing better to do.

[jamespl]

Just took my stiletto out for a run at my local pond which is situated within a stately home that is open to the public, I've used this place a number of times and they have full size sail boats so I figured I would be ok and I've never had a problem. Ran my first set of batteries and was waiting for everything to cool down and up walks a park warden saying they have had a complaint that I'm rounding up the birds, I couldn't believe it. One of the things I always do is make sure I'm well away from any water birds! He then went on to say I'm not allowed to run rc boats there. Unbelievable what some people are like, I'm just there minding my own business.

[driftah]

get used to it bud some folks are a$$h*les and have misery in their life to spread.Its a shame really I have people in my water area that bring their kids and family out to watch my boats and chat it up.You should just get a huge rc sailboat that says dolce and gabbana on it then you may be ok lol.You are also not alone,just imagine what the nitro guys go through hehe all those dix with noses in the air smelling burnt nitro over their starbucks lattes.Anyhow good luck on the search for h2o

[drwayne]

I once had the misfortune of unloading my boat at a newish public lake.. got spoken to by a ranger who claimed my previous visits had been reported as poorly behaved... and all model boats now discouraged. [ pointing finger to my chest gesticulating at peronsa mine..]
I have a well practiced dumbfounded look... I identified myself as a first timer, apologised for assuming 'water open for recreation' included me ..then tracked and contacted the area park manage.. introduced self and club as reasonable ppl who endangered no birds nor environment.... and now we have access 'within understood boundaries and rules' .
Most birds have learned to stay away from the boats .. the silly ones are disposed with dignity.
W
Au

[siberianhusky]

If you're trying to run on private property why not try approaching the owners with your boat and a nice little speech about how safe and quiet the electric boats are?
If it's their duck pond or something like that than I'd guess you're outta luck for that spot.
We have a problem with a family property, we don't mind people walking our property but don't want unknown hunters on it. Asking permission can go a long way! Especially if I get some venison scraps for the dogs.
LOL the biggest problem is people poaching our fish! Some of the best trout fishing in the world on the Miramichi River. Plain old great hunting and fishing in Northern New Brunswick!

[jamespl]

It's owned by the local council so it's not private, I would never trespass. It's a public park within the grounds of a stately home and it's all owned by the council. There are no signs saying no boating or anything. I did email my local council about where I can run my boat but heard nothing back.

[Flying Scotsman]

There was one public park that I frequented until one woman approached me and stated this is an unleashed dog park and your boats upset the dogs....well the next scene was not pretty....I stated it was a public park and not for the use of dogs only, if that was the case why are you standing here?.... then the fun began!

Douggie

[MR2NR]

I got yelled out for swimming in the duckpond (While retrieving my boat lol) but my boat was more than welcome.

[Flying Scotsman]

Well! you should have been admonished for that act...do not swim after a boat that has failed!

Douggie

[domwilson]

You could find out if RC boats really are banded on that pond. Some guys just have a bad day and decide to use their positions of authority to vent on someone else.

[Flying Scotsman]

Dom, the person that I had an interesting conversation with was a patron of the park and not an official.

Douggie

[jamespl]

Ive only had it again today. seriously is it just me or does everyone get greif? Went to a new pond i hadnt been to before and thought lets go ask the ranger if i can use my boat on the pond. So went to see him and he said no prob just keep away from the ducks which is a given really. so off i pop, run one set of packs and think that the pond is a bit too small really so i head home to be confronted by a woman who has a right go at me telling me how innapropriate it is to run my boat on the pond, right at this point im thinking im so glad i asked the ranger and just let rip on her, nothing really bad but i had some ammo this time as i had permission. Im not hurting anyone and i would certainly never hurt any wildlife. Im at the point where im thinking is it worth running a boat? I have one pond i know of where they have a club where i never get hassle but its like 30min or so drive so i dont get to run there too often.

[LarrysDrifter]

Yes, its worth it running boats. NEVER stop doing anything that brings you enjoyment because someone feels the need to bitch at you about how they feel. You got permission which was the right thing to do. Feel free to return anytime you please. F the woman.

[NativePaul]

After this story hit the papers last week I think its going to be pretty bad for us for quite a while, especially round here, Horsham where I live is the next town over from Crawley where this happened I think I will be traveling to privately owned boating lakes even though the nearest one is about 50 mins away for the rest of the year at least, so as not to inflame the situation while its fresh in peoples minds, just because i have the right to go to a public lake it doesn't mean that its right to do so and I think that me doing so at the moment is likely to result in complaints that will lose me the lake in the long term, by-laws are easy enough to change if the weight of public opinion is against them. Given the sensational nature of the story as it made some national papers you cant blame members of the public for being outraged, the local papers tells a slightly different story, of a man and his two young kids with no mention of hitting it multiple times, irresponsible driving for sure but possibly just a 5 year old kid that made a mistake not the premeditated act of cruelty that some papers would have people believe.

[Alexgar]

I usually try to be polite but theres exceptions one day i was boating in one of our rivers (lady bird lake) and a woman told me the they were setting up for rowwing races and i need to leave , i then told her it was a public lake and that it was not posted. Then she proceed to tell me she drove from Dallas (3.5hrs) I then told her i pay taxes here so go F*ck yourself. There was nothing she could do the cops know we run here its a matter of courtsy and if she would have approached me differantly i would have told her i only have enough batteries for 15 mins of runtime and i would be out of the way well before the racers showed up. Goes to show the entitlement issues some people think they have and how communication could have made the whole situation much smoother

[Steven Vaccaro]

My son hit a duck a few weeks ago. Not by intention, the duck surfaced and he hit it. He's no thug.

I cant stand these animal activists. Its not right until its bothers them. For example a local city banned leg traps back in the late 1990's, now that the coyote population is crazy and killing local pets, they want to bring leg traps back.

[Jesse J]

I usually try to be polite but theres exceptions one day i was boating in one of our rivers (lady bird lake) and a woman told me the they were setting up for rowwing races and i need to leave , i then told her it was a public lake and that it was not posted. Then she proceed to tell me she drove from Dallas (3.5hrs) I then told her i pay taxes here so go F*ck yourself. There was nothing she could do the cops know we run here its a matter of courtsy and if she would have approached me differantly i would have told her i only have enough batteries for 15 mins of runtime and i would be out of the way well before the racers showed up. Goes to show the entitlement issues some people think they have and how communication could have made the whole situation much smoother

Man that even made my wife laugh!

I had one run in up in montana when a lady tried to tell me the public pond was actually taken care of by a home owners assoc and I couldnt be there. but when I called the public parks director,he said that is a common misconception. I ran boats there for two more summers and never saw her again-but I did have the guys number in my tool box!

[jamespl]

Attitude is a big thing for me. If someone has a problem and they are polite to me I will be polite back but this woman was outraged and just went off on one saying that she had phoned the rangers office to tell them what I had been doing. I just said back in a not so polite way I've already spoke to him and I have permission so do what you like! It's funny how some people are like that and then others stop and have a chat to ask you about the boat and how fast it is.

[jamespl]

My son hit a duck a few weeks ago. Not by intention, the duck surfaced and he hit it. He's no thug.

I cant stand these animal activists. Its not right until its bothers them. For example a local city banned leg traps back in the late 1990's, now that the coyote population is crazy and killing local pets, they want to bring leg traps back.

I bet they eat duck at their local Chinese restaurant too!

[Gimp]

I was running my MG one day at the lake, boat got all the attention and praise in the world from people visiting the park. A female park ranger drove by and even smiled and waved at me while I was running it. I went back the next day (Labor Day Sunday) and was basically told I can't run it. I asked this park ranger why it was ok yesterday but not today? He says I'm disturbing the ducks and the female ranger doesn't know all the rules........Funny part was there was a whole group of about a dozen ducks sitting 10 feet from me on shore watching my MG lol. I was polite, said ok, and started packing up. All the spectators I drew in starting complaining to the ranger IN MY DEFENSE.

The lake doesn't allow gas powered fishing boats, but trolling motors/sail boats/kayaks etc are ok. Everyone started telling the ranger he needs to throw out all the electric powered fishing boats because they're disturbing the ducks too. He just walked away. I think his thong was on too tight that day and was on a power trip.

[Alexgar]

Its good to hear from you jesse we still need to meet up one weekend

[jamespl]

Hey gimp are you from the UK or does the US version of topgear get a stig too?

[Gimp]

I don't watch US Top Gear (they do have a Stig, but he sucks), ONLY UK Top Gear for me. I live in the US but I'm 1/2 English (Mom came over when she was 16).

[jamespl]

Good man. Topgear rules. There was a big uproar over here about the real identity of the stig! They have since changed him though.

[Steven Vaccaro]

If I were tossed from a local PUBLIC pond, I would politely ask where I find the regulations for such a ban?

[JT13031]

So sorry to hear all these stories of being told you can't run at a lake. The small public lake, a big pond, I have been running at is in a town park. Several emplyees have of the town have introduced themselves to me and asked me to continue running there and to try getting others to come. They have actually gotten permission from the dec to scare off the geese. They want boats there as much as possible to discourage the geese from landing and to scare off the ones that are around. There's a roped off swimming area and the lake was shutdown this year due to ecoli from the goose droppings. The lake is really the perfect size, its plenty big enough, I couldn't drive to the other side and see the boat if I wanted to, yet the lake is small enough that even on a windy day there is minimal chop to the water. Unfortunately they drain the lake every year for the winter and they started a week ago, now there is a muddy mess surrounding the water and I can't get to the water to launch my boat. Time to put it away till spring I guess. Hope the rest of you guys find a new place to run that welcomes you.

[Gimp]

If I were tossed from a local PUBLIC pond, I would politely ask where I find the regulations for such a ban?

I have a feeling it was due to the labor day crowd and increased number of people around and on the water. I've since sold the boat and building a FC Daytona. I will definitely be back because it's a great place. If I have a problem again I'll be sure to ask for the "rules".

I don't think I was banned, more like a please don't run this here today (at least that's how I took it lol).


And yes, Ben Collins (old Stig) is a wanker.
I'm actually related to the first Stig (black suit Stig). Perry Mccarthy is my mother's cousin!

[Flying Scotsman]

As a point in my last post on this subject this was the same woman's dog that sent about $150.00 of my equipment to a watery grave with no apology at a different date.

Douggie

[LarrysDrifter]

Im sorry to hear that,Doug. She probably thinks you got what you deserved. If it were me, she would be getting a mouthful everytime I seen here.

[Flying Scotsman]

Larry, the episode with the dog destroying my equipment took place at least 5 years ago, the other confrintation was about 3 years ago.

Douggie

[JackBlack26]

I used to run at a public pond where most people would gather and look. One or 2 occasions I had someone try and lecture me about what I was doing. The only posted signs are "Do not feed migratory animals" and "no fishing". Well people go down there strictly to feed the birds even though the posted signs say otherwise. I had one lady come at me twice, on 2 sepeate occasions. She tried to tell me she was the "unofficial" mayor of the park. I told her I was the "unofficial president of the local boating club", lol! She was pissed!! I told her I payed home owners taxes to the county and it being a county park I could go about my business since I wasnt breaking any laws or hurting anyone. She mentioned calling the cops and I offered up my phone. Told her to beat it and kept boating. The second time I actually raised my voice and got a bit verbal, threatening to call the cops on her for harassment. Last I ever hear I'd her.

Another member of this forum got a ticket there for using a bottle and fishing line as boat retrieval. Theysaid he was polluting but it was dismissed.

Only reason I don't run there anymore is because turtles have over run the waters. I feel bad nailing the turtles and it's a pain to keep replacing nylon screws on the rudder every pass.

Don't give up. Stand your ground. As long as your not hurting anyone or anything and you are not breaking any POSTED ordinances you should be able to do as you like!