No. Why would you not wait to open the drawbridge until the boat is at the bridge? In no way did it impede my day but I think it’s ridiculous that you would not wait until the boat is ready to pass through.

Well there are several reasons why. I’m taking it that you’re not a boater. That said the bridge opens on the :20, :40, and :60 every hour when necessary on the weekend. You should plan your trips to our neighborhood accordingly. All of that aside, you are in paradise, slow down and enjoy that you live where people vacation.

I've experienced this too, snell_yard_police. At both the John's Pass bridge and the Treasure Island Causeway one. Once the bridge is fully open, I would expect the passing boat(s) to be ready to go through- not sitting way off in the distance. I think the bridge operators should set a target time, say 5 mins max, for a bridge to be open for a single boat passage.

REC-CH assigned this issue to Public Works Department

@TSO I’m curious to why you have taken such offense to this. The drawbridge was fully opened 10 minutes before the boat was even close to the bridge... Like I said, it did not impede my day and I was in no rush but I still think this is ridiculous. There is no viable argument against what I am stating. When the boat gets to the bridge you open the bridge, after the boat passes you close the bridge…. And I am a boater but that’s irrelevant here. This is a matter of common sense and simple timing

So you should know better. I’m not taking offense. It’s common sense that a sail boat has a small engine and doesn’t move fas and is hard to stop and waitt. It’s also common sense to think maybe the boat had mechanical issues. You have no idea what was going on with that boat. So if it didn’t impact your day, Why complain?

Because a sailboat doesn’t stop on a dime or cannot stop on a dime like a powerboat does it needs to wait for the bridge to fully open before it starts towards the bridge so you’re going to have approximately 3 to 5 minutes for the bridge to open then the boat will get started to come through probably another 3 to 4 minutes and then another 3 to 5 minutes for the bridge to close. it’s about 15 minutes this was not unnecessary or out of the norm.

Also, be aware that some bridges open "on demand" and others open on a schedule, regardless of boat traffic. It could be that the bridge was opening on schedule - and it appeared to you that it opened for the sailboat.

Clearly you’re a “sailboat person”. I am fully aware of how inertia works. The boat could proceed to the bridge and then stop. At that point, the drawbridge operator could open the bridge and let the boat pass. The boat I am speaking of was completely stopped at least a quarter of a mile away from the bridge. What is the difference if that boat went all the way to the bridge and then stopped? Like I said, there is no viable argument against what I’m saying here. I’m not complaining about the bridge being open for the boat to pass but rather the bridge opening and stopping traffic while a sailboat is over a quarter of a mile away from the bridge.

@Myrna The bridge would not open on schedule if there was nothing to open for.

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Once again you make an assumption with out any knowledge. I own a cruiser with a flybridge. This bridge opens on the 20s plan better next time. The boat did what it was supposed to do as did the bridge operator. If that boat had stopped in the middle of the channel in front of that bridge you would’ve been upset as a boater that it was sitting there and you would be right. Given that you are a boater you know that the side of that channel in either direction is extremely shallow at that bridge so to do what you’re suggesting that boat would sit right in the middle of a very narrow channel and narrow pass under the bridge.

Once again I make an assumption? That’s the first assumption I made. I take that back, I had also assumed you had common sense… so that’s two. I am very familiar with that channel and once you have approached the bridge there is plenty of room on either side to wait for the bridge to open. There’s no reason to open the bridge when a boat is three channel markers down the intercoastal. Like I said, there is no viable argument against what I’m saying here. This is hardly a narrow channel....

And yes the sailboat should not stop in the middle of the channel. If the operator of the boat is incapable of waiting off to the side in this massively wide channel they probably should not be driving the boat. Also, the boat was under power not under sail and was no larger than 30 feet

1. It is the responsibility of the operator to make the scheduled opening. If they do not make it they have to wait. Openings are based on travel distances at idle between the bridges. The bridge is not to remain open and impede road traffic to wait on a slow vessel.

2. To make a statement that not knowing the condition of the vessel would be a reason to keep the bridge open is hog wash. With that logic, a half functioning car can get on the interstate and it’s the responsibility of the general public to operate safely around them?

3. That bridge serves as a major thoroughfare for first responders between the barrier island and the mainland. The assumption should be the bridge is to remain down unless there is an awaiting vessel.

4. Any operator that cannot maintain his position in a channel has no business being on the water.

So says the Dawg 🐶

@dawg great points. Hey, are you really dawg the bounty hunter?

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