Choke Canyon Park Ranger

Warning to all fishermen who enter Choke Canyon Lake State Park.
The park ranger at the South Shore Unit is a wanna be Robocop.
He gave a good friend of mine a ticket for going 8 miles over the speed limit (28mph) while he was leaving the lake. There was no traffic and he was not really speeding that bad.
I know he was breaking the law but my friend said the guy was a real JERK and wouldn't even consider just a warning ticket.
I know when I go to the south shore I rarely see anyone obeying the posted speed 20mph. Every fisherman is usually in a hurry to get to the ramp and I am guilty of it too. So watch your speed cause there is a New Sheriff in town and he patrols the south shore unit. So be aware all my fellow fisherman.

Thanks for the advice!

They have gotten really serious about the speed limits. They should instead spend more time ticketing the bank anglers taking undersize fish and more than their daily limit.

Yep, laws were made to be broken!

Just goes to show don't let your guard down, as just when you think nobody is looking....Well!

They hired the guy to do a job, so they are getting their monies worth it seems.

Chances are since you posted the warning he seems to have accomplished what he wanted to do, and that's slow people down.

I have a problem when I'm going the speed limit and the guy behind me thinks is fun to ride right up on my motor or bumper, and when I move over they chicken out and finally get the message and back off.

I say good job officer!

Guess you guys are going to have to drive the speed limit down there!!!

I know I am.
We seem to have forgotten about the speed limit ever since there has not been an attendant at the entrance.

+1,000 speeding is why I now have to cough up about 25,000 on top of my uninsured motorist coverage, hit by a moron with no ins. that was "only going 5 over" the 35 mph speed limit. I was stopped waiting for someone to turn and BAM, now can't work, have to file bankruptcy, and am broke. yeah just 8 over so tell me what makes ur friend so special that speeding is O K? SLOW DOWN AND OBEY THE LAW. Oh yeah the 25 grand is for the surgery to replace my disc at c6 to c7 and a titanium plate for the rest of my life.

Your buddy breaks the law and your upset with the park ranger?? What am I missing here???

Your buddy was wrong and the park Ranger was right. What more can be said.

He rear ended you because he was going 5 MPH over the speed limit??

There are more important laws to worry about, if the place was empty it should not be a big deal. Go ticket the people keeping every fish they catch.

I saw someone pulled over at the callihan unit about 2 weeks ago for pretty much the same thing. Mixed call on that one as the weather gets nicer more familes out there and that means kids so if they are siding on the side caution I am fine. 20mph is REALLY SLOW though

not a big deal? what if you're flying down the road and a deer comes out and you hit it? you think that ticket is going to cost ya? wait till you find out they charge you for that deer. even worse there is one other family in the park and a kid runs out in front of you. is it really that important to get to the ramp that fast?

on your way to choke... if you travel through three rivers... do the speed limit there as well. there is always a sheriff(s) in, before and after the town limits pointing the r gun at you.

the point was that he was in too much of a hurry to pay attn. most "speeders" are too busy with themselves or the phone makeup etc. to pay attn. and 5 mph may have made a difference in the amount of damage to my neck. either way speeding is wrong, dangerous, and stupid, why do you think insurance costs so much. as a truck driver for many yrs. (over 2 million accident free miles) I recieved only one ticket and that was for avoiding an accident, had to get in a restricted lane, and I have seen all too often what the result of thinking the speed limit doesnt apply to me ends up costing people. it is just not worth it ever, try this do the speed limit in hvy traffic and see how many speeders u beat to where ur going, u can pay more attn to what is going on in front of you and avoid problems, you will beat them most of the time.

Most people don't pay attention anymore to how they drive.

They have their minds elsewhere, or their phone up against the side of their heads, and are totally disconnected with what is going on directly in front of them.

I can drive any morning on I37 heading out to Choke and I'm driving the speed limit with nobody within sight behind me when headlights appear in the far distance.

Not much traffic and eventually they catch up to me, and instead of just changing lanes and going around they just continue to follow right up against the back of my boat.

I've tried speeding up but it makes little difference, so now I slow down and force them to pass me.

I've slowed down as slow as 50 before they would go around, and the sad part is they were speeding in order to catch up to me from way back there to begin with when I'm doing 70.

I't wouldn't bother me so much if it was only once in a while but it's pretty regular lately. Makes no sense at all!

hopalong, now i agree with people just dont pay attention period.
Fishing a tourney at Ute NM two deer ran out in front of us but i was paying attention and slowed down enough so they bounced off my bumper and slid in front of my truck. They both got up and ran. I was going maybe 20 when i hit them. No broke lights or dents and we were able to fish that day but only boated 1 keeper.

Some will win...

Some will lose...

Some were born to sing the blues!

So you are saying only bank anglers are keeping under size fish and more than their daily limit and people with boats aren't?

Yeah, He wouldn't let me off the hook for leaving my Certificate of Number for my boat in the truck at the ramp. I got a nice citiaon for it, and it was during the BassChamps tournament, and while he was going through everything another boat was whacking them off the spot I was headed!!

hopalong123 sorry for your accident,but have you ever been to south shore unit?
There are NO campers and very few deer.And not much traffic on a weekday when this incident happened.
I was just trying to heed a friendly warning.

Speed limits posted whats so hard about slowing down just a little?? South Shore has deer.

some people don't get it. a posted speed limit 24/7. tpw states that the cert of no. is in the boat at all times. there was a pro that left ins. papers in his truck and it cost him alot more than a good spot and a fine. follow the rules and all is good.

been there used to live in boerne and still the same principal, the law is the law. too many people now think that it doesnt matter, look at the interstate, city streets, your neighborhood, where is it safe to speed/break the law. I just don't get it, why risk the ticket and ins. rate going up, the warning is good and maybe someone else will slow down. bottom line to me is just dont speed in the first place and no worry. last, how much was the ticket by the way bet it would buy fair amount of boat gas.

used to get that alot in the big truck and talk about dumb arses, slowing down is the best way to do it, let em pass, best lesson I ever got for driving was in the 60's before radar detectors, let someone pass every 5 miles or so and meet the cop. if ya do the speed limit that is an automatic anymore and lookie u got a free radar detector. just dont forget to wave as you go by when they get pulled over.

28 mph is 40% over the speed limit. For a little perspective; 40% over 70 mph is 98 mph!
The park rangers at Lewisville Lake Park use their radar guns on a regular basis and write many citations.

Breaking the law.
End of story.
If a guy broke into your house at night to rob you would you say "I know he was breaking the law BUT..."
No. You'd probably shoot him or want him put away for a loooong time.
Not comparing speeding to burglery.
Just saying that laws are LAWS.
By breaking a LAW you are by definition a criminal.
Your friend should just deal with it and stop breaking the law whenever it suits him.

I know the guy there and he gave me a ticket for being in the park to late cause my truck broke down on the boat ramp one night F him he is a pile of Shiloly.

so don't go to choke. we wont miss you. would be really funny if the GW at choke just happened to watch this site from time to time. they tend to pretty good memories.

that is pretty bad... if your truck broke down

I lunched at South Sore Saturday morning and pulled up to the booth to pay and the drop box was so full I had to cram my envelope inside and anyboday after me would have had more trouble paying theirs.

I don't know why they cannot empty it more often or get a bigger one.

I didnt say anything about a game warden. I was speaking of a barny five park ranger. For your info I allrdy dont go to south shore but thanks.

To be able to issue a citation that individual would have to be a licensed Texas Peace Officer. Where did the citation tell to appear to pay it?

He was a licensed peace officer as well. He told us about 15 times.

If you responded the way you are on here...he probably did the right thing. Attitude plays a big role in decisions.

Park Rangers and Game Wardens don't get paid squat. They are not making money off of the tickets they write. They are there to protect the parks and wildlife that we all take advantage of every day.

My brother was a Park Ranger at Coleto Creek and had to deal with idiots on a daily basis. Campers, bank fishermen, people launching boats. The term idiot has no limits.

Respect them and they will respect you. Don't make the Idiot List!!!


Oh, And for those of you few that don't like the south shore unit or calaham unit. Stay home or fish somewhere else.

All TXBassin is saying is that his buddy got a ticket so slow down and the guy happened to be a jerk. I appreciate the warning to slow down as I don't like getting tickets and since I was not there I have no idea if the guy was a jerk or not. Why doesn't he deserve the same benefit of doubt that many are automatically providing the officer. Maybe TXBassin's buddy was the jerk......who knows....but I am not going to immediately dismiss him as the bad guy for no reason other than to argue against his friend. It's possible for law officers to be bad seeds as well!

Very true mookie. I never intended to get on anyone bad side, all i was saying is that i had dealt with the guy before and he was a pain in the ars.

Not related to this post but I love his signature

[/quote] used to get that alot in the big truck and talk about dumb arses, slowing down is the best way to do it, let em pass, best lesson I ever got for driving was in the 60's before radar detectors, let someone pass every 5 miles or so and meet the cop. if ya do the speed limit that is an automatic anymore and lookie u got a free radar detector. just dont forget to wave as you go by when they get pulled over.[/quote]

What I was taught to call "Bear Bait."

bob,

i am on yourside. seems a little harsh you getting a ticket because of a mechanical failure. myself, i think i would bypass this guy and talk to someone above his head in getting the ticket thrown out. i also don't care if he is reading this forum as well. just wrong in my book.

Thanks! Im just a fishermen I never cause anyone problems and all lend a hand to someone in need. Not give them a ticket.

one way to practice keeping the peace, funny how that works huh?

Get him to go Play Robo cop on the Illegals fishin off the boat dock off to the side, That wont even reel up or move when you trying get your boat out solo and the wind is blowing 40mph.Man That S it ticks me off.

You're not on my badside, if anything I agree with you. My personal experiences at Choke have been bad as well. I was just trying to point out the craziness of people jumping all over somebody just because he thought a law enforcement guy acted like a jerk, law enforcement guys are regular people with a different job, no reason they can't be jerks and use bad judgement just like the rest of us.

I never intended to get on anyone bad side, all i was saying is that i had dealt with the guy before and he was a pain in the ars.


That part wasnt intended for you mookie. I was glad someone was backing me up here.

I'd have to disagree. The speeding is a safety issue. You're saying the ranger should put public saftey asside to make sure someone doesn't keep small fish? I know he said it was empty but if you want people to slow down you enforce the limit all of the time. Not just when the park is crowded. I'm guilty of speeding sometimes on the highway myself but NEVER in a State Park. With kids and families around it's just not worth the risk.

Like stated above, if your breakin the law theres no ifs, ands, or buts. Take your ticket and be quite. If you broke down, now thats just wrong.....

Okay so next time something goes on at THE SOUTH SHORE UNIT AT CHOKE CANYON that I think will keep other fisherman out of trouble I'll just keep it to myself.

It's kind of like the guy weaving in and out of traffic trying to get just one more car ahead instead of just falling in line like everyone else, and then a few miles down the road you see him pulled over getting a ticket.

Honk! And wave, that's what I like to do!

TxBassin, you can warn me.....I don't like getting tickets and I will be honest and admit to occasionally speeding.

Barney fiVe??

Txbassin,

Thanks for the heads-up. I do try and go the speed limit, but all it takes is a brain fart particulary after getting up at 4:00 a.m. It does take a conscious effort to go that slow. It's like going through a school zone, you better not be day dreaming or before you know it you are speeding.

Ya'll are right, that guy is very zealous in his duties... ya better not let him catch ya with beer....

THAT is sooooooo true!