Boliver and Other Texas Ferries

[marksiwel]

Maybe it had something to do with the first weekend of Mardi Gras on Galveston? Maybe they were 'sniffing' for drunk drivers?

Yep thats it.


Or its just more security theater. You can count it as Jobs created!

[chabouk]

The legal status of this situation is that you are being forced to submit to a search of your vehicle in order to drive down a public highway in Texas.

[57Coastie]

Curious, no gas cans on the ferry? Then how do you take your boat across without a gas can? Just asking...


Gary

This is an example of the inconsistent rules in effect there. My experience in going through this system many, many times suggested that if you have a gas tank hooked up to your boat engine(s), no problem. But if you have an extra tank of gas in the back of your pickup, you will be denied ferry passage.

Similarly, a bottle of propane hooked up on your RV -- no problem. But no spare bottles in your towing vehicle allowed.

Make sense out of that.

On the other hand, locals, as I once was, always hoped their car was selected for the random inspection, since after complaints from those inspected that this caused them to be late for work, late for doctor appointments, etc., the system was modified so as to send those inspected to the front of the line -- and believe me, the lines get long in the summer.

BTW, the "random" inspection was regulated by the rent-a-cops selecting a license plate character, letter or number, in effect for a period of time. If your license plate had that character on it you got inspected. You only have to watch two or three cars in the inspection line to, through a process of elimination, identify the current character.

A note above reports one of these guys saying they had something to do with homeland security. That may be true if the "h" and the "s" are in lower case. But the only connection with DHS is that TXDOT's instructions to have such a program dribbled down from DHS. My impression was that the "inspectors" were picked up somewhere for less than a living wage, and, as one can invariably expect, some of them were put in a situation where, for the first time in their lives, they could tell someone else what to do. That sense of power can really go to some people's heads, and some find it easy to abuse what little authority they have. This is precisely what apparently happened in the case mentioned in my earlier post where the rent-a-cop was censured by a deputy sheriff. The inspector got into a war of words with a driver; he reported the driver to a deputy; the deputy talked to both individuals; and the rent-a-cop lost.

Again, my personal experience is now a year old.

Jim

[marksiwel]

The legal status of this situation is that you are being forced to submit to a search of your vehicle in order to drive down a public highway in Texas.

Yep, it seems wrong on alot of levels.

Just build a Bridge, it would be cheaper and faster than a Ferry in the long run

[MoJo]

The legal status of this situation is that you are being forced to submit to a search of your vehicle in order to drive down a public highway in Texas.

Yep, it seems wrong on alot of levels.

Just build a Bridge, it would be cheaper and faster than a Ferry in the long run

Or,go through Texas City, Baytown, Winnie, and High Island to get to your destination.

[chabouk]

On opencarry.org, in the Washington forum, there has been some reporting of similar stuff. Just like Bolivar, there are ferries in Washington that are part of the state highway system, but security guards and/or LEOs who mistakenly think driving over this "floating bridge" is like getting on an airplane and subjects you to warrantless searches.

[Chasjr1]

They've been doing the same thing at the Lynchburg Ferry for a few years now. If you turned around due to the line being too long, you were immediately set upon by the HCSO, and pulled over to explain why you turned around, while they searched the car anyway. I think the HCSO was here due the Lynchburg Ferry being owned and maintained by Harris County.

[cohiba550]

Want to thank everyone for the replies. It's what I figured..........

[glock75]

I vacationed in Galveston this week and had to use the Bolivar ferry to get home earlier today. I was randomly selected for the 'Homeland Security' search. My lucky day.... anyhoo they asked me to turn off the engine, open the glove box, pop the hood, open the back and step out. One guy used the mirrors to look under the vehicle. The other guy walked around with me to look in the back. The only thing he asked was what was the ammo can about. I had one of those bulk ammo cans in the back loaded with 9 mm target ammo. I simply told him that I was a target shooter. That was it. Nothing else was said. They checked under the hood and told my as was good to go and have a good day.

I was also carrying my EDC in a Minotar IWB holster. Never asked about weapons or anything else. Obviously they are primarily looking for things that BANG in a BIGGER WAY. The whole thing lasted only a couple of minutes and I made the ferry with no problems or other delays. The private security guys were all friendly and just doing their jobs.