We just lost 50% of the access to the Cape Cod Canal

[Raven]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Not that we would advocate any damage to actual rail components as that would be a safety issue.

OHHHH No of course not BOSS man

but those IDIOTS better quickly realize that they are like a BANK
with all of their assets just laying out on open ground
and it's virtually impossible to protect it all REAL FAST.

[Rob Rockcrawler]

MikeCC,
Thanks for taking the time and talking to these folks and educating them and us about the situation.

[Pt.JudeJoe]

[big jay]

It's amazing what you can find out about someone on google (especially when they have a unique name).

I guess someone that drives a cupholder boat like a 45' SeaRay isn't going to care much about surf-fisherman.

[gone fishin]

The threat of any kind will not help alleviate the problem. All we need is a hothead to take any action against the railroad and we will find all crossings closed to the public and no access to that side of the ditch.
Mike has the right idea and should keep a clear levelheaded line of communication open.

[bart]

what he said

[Saltheart]

I think everyone should push the issue and just fish the cape side. I promise not to fish in your spots on the mainland side. I promise!

Anyway , hopefully this whole thing just fades away. Like the old saying goes..... let dogs who lie sleep...or something like that.

[stiff tip]

STOP IT STOP IT !!!!!! THIS HAS GONE TOOOO FAR.... THINK ABOUT IT, THE EGRESS WAYS TO THE CANAL ARE EVERYWHERE,AND THE POPULARITY OF CANAL FISHING BOTH DAY N NIGHT IS CONSTENT ???????? OK. UNLESS U R FU*KING WITH THERE STUFF, I BET ITS OK TO CROSS THERE TRACKS..SO "LET THE SLEEPING DOG LIE"IVE BEEN DOING IT FOR 30YRS LETS NOT CHANGE THINGS YET..BTW ,THE R/R #^&#^&#^&#^& WENT WAY OVER ,ITS A POWER KICK (IMO)......CHEW ON THAT AWILE...... UR ALL GETTING CRAZY WAITING FOR THE FISH.........DAVE..........

[Clogston29]

Originally Posted by stiff tip

STOP IT STOP IT !!!!!! THIS HAS GONE TOOOO FAR.... THINK ABOUT IT, THE EGRESS WAYS TO THE CANAL ARE EVERYWHERE,AND THE POPULARITY OF CANAL FISHING BOTH DAY N NIGHT IS CONSTENT ???????? OK. UNLESS U R FU*KING WITH THERE STUFF, I BET ITS OK TO CROSS THERE TRACKS..SO "LET THE SLEEPING DOG LIE"IVE BEEN DOING IT FOR 30YRS LETS NOT CHANGE THINGS YET..BTW ,THE R/R #^&#^&#^&#^& WENT WAY OVER ,ITS A POWER KICK (IMO)......CHEW ON THAT AWILE...... UR ALL GETTING CRAZY WAITING FOR THE FISH.........DAVE..........

really the best advise. can't see you winning access here. best to let sleeping dogs lie. the rail's insurance company will never let them knowingly allow trespassing or, worse still, endurse people cutting across the tracks. if they ever extend passenger rail down there, forget about. they'll be fences and razor wire everywhere.

and for those saying, "let them try to enforce it" and the like, its really not that hard to do - take away parking, tow cars, and make a few arrests. its basically like saying "let them try to enforce speed limits", you throw a few cops out there and its basically done.

they also have the argument that there is legal, safe access to the canal at each end and an access road running between the two. they are not denying access to the canal, they're just denying easier access.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Clogston29

really the best advise. can't see you winning access here. best to let sleeping dogs lie. the rail's insurance company will never let them knowingly allow trespassing or, worse still, endurse people cutting across the tracks. if they ever extend passenger rail down there, forget about. they'll be fences and razor wire everywhere.

and for those saying, "let them try to enforce it" and the like, its really not that hard to do - take away parking, tow cars, and make a few arrests. its basically like saying "let them try to enforce speed limits", you throw a few cops out there and its basically done.

they also have the argument that there is legal, safe access to the canal at each end and an access road running between the two. they are not denying access to the canal, they're just denying easier access.

Trust me on this---there is nothing more certain than No Parking postings along Sandwich Road if things don't change. All it's going to take is one fisherman getting clipped by a passing car one morning. Once the turn outs are full--as they will inevitably get once the plugging bite hits cell phone/tackle shop/internet hotwires, guys park along the shoulder where there's literally a foot or two between them and cars zipping by at 60 mph. It is inevitable that someone will get killed some day if this keeps up, and that's when you'll lose parking access along the road.

The police department in Bourne doesn't want to break balls. Lots of them fish, including Chief Baldwin. But people force their hands, and they have no choice. They didn't want to issue parking tickets at Savorey Avenue (stone church) last spring, but the residents complained about noisy fisherment waking them up at 4 AM so they had no choice. The railroad has had several things to complain about, including kids playing chicken with the trash train in Monument Beach last year. Just keep things in perspective--this was one guy who the railroad conceded may have gone too far. Use your heads--if a train is approaching, you'll hear it. Don't try to save 45 seconds of fishing time by rushing over the tracks in front of an approaching train--and for God's sake, lose the idiotic idea of some sort of mass protest, or mooning, or whatever. Just let this die, for everyone's sake.

The reason the railroad mentions "legal" access points is because these are considered grade crossings, and there are whistle posts down the track which tell the engineer to sound the horn to warn crossing cars and pedestrians.

[Backbeach Jake]

Originally Posted by Mike P

Trust me on this---there is nothing more certain than No Parking postings along Sandwich Road if things don't change. All it's going to take is one fisherman getting clipped by a passing car one morning. Once the turn outs are full--as they will inevitably get once the plugging bite hits cell phone/tackle shop/internet hotwires, guys park along the shoulder where there's literally a foot or two between them and cars zipping by at 60 mph. It is inevitable that someone will get killed some day if this keeps up, and that's when you'll lose parking access along the road.

The police department in Bourne doesn't want to break balls. Lots of them fish, including Chief Baldwin. But people force their hands, and they have no choice. They didn't want to issue parking tickets at Savorey Avenue (stone church) last spring, but the residents complained about noisy fisherment waking them up at 4 AM so they had no choice. The railroad has had several things to complain about, including kids playing chicken with the trash train in Monument Beach last year. Just keep things in perspective--this was one guy who the railroad conceded may have gone too far. Use your heads--if a train is approaching, you'll hear it. Don't try to save 45 seconds of fishing time by rushing over the tracks in front of an approaching train--and for God's sake, lose the idiotic idea of some sort of mass protest, or mooning, or whatever. Just let this die, for everyone's sake.

The reason the railroad mentions "legal" access points is because these are considered grade crossings, and there are whistle posts down the track which tell the engineer to sound the horn to warn crossing cars and pedestrians.

Again, you're right as again I was joking..

[Joe]

I guarantee the cops are going to be more than willing to cite people - and good luck mouthing off to a third-shift rookie all by your lonesome. Fishing licenses, trespass threats.....And I say to myself, what a wonderful world...

[chuckg]

I would venture that if they ticketed the person in Wareham it was on the tracks in back of M&D, that could be a dangerous spot

[Dave Peros]

Glad to see a little more common sense in some of the posts and a little less emotion - although I am shocked to see some of it coming from someone of stiff tip's ilk!
There is no reason to even suggest vandalism or even some massive protest until more examples appear of the railroad's move towards citing folks for trespassing across their tracks to go fishing.
That said, I do get discouraged every time I hear of more obstacles being placed in the way of folks who fish from shore. Credit should be given to Lou MacKeil for having language written into the saltwater license funds appropriation for a good chunk of the money to go to access issues.
I know it would be a massive and overly expensive undertaking, but I would love to see the colonial ordinance governing waterfront property ownership overturned in the Bay State. If only two states, one of which is Massachusetts, have it on the books, maybe that should tell us something?

[NIB]

Isn't that the crackhead side anyways...
FORE!!

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by NIB

Isn't that the crackhead side anyways...

Yes, but up here we call it the "Jersey" side.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Dave Peros

I know it would be a massive and overly expensive undertaking, but I would love to see the colonial ordinance governing waterfront property ownership overturned in the Bay State. If only two states, one of which is Massachusetts, have it on the books, maybe that should tell us something?

It would be more expensive than you could imagine, as the Supreme Judicial Court has already ruled that it would be a "taking" of private property for public purposes and require fair compensation to the landowners.

We have the right of passage already for purposes of fishing and waterfowling--what we need is to make more law enforcement types aware of it when they challenge us.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Mike P

We have the right of passage already for purposes of fishing and waterfowling--

what we need is to make more law enforcement types aware of it when they challenge us.

now THAT is interesting !

[Clogston29]

Originally Posted by Mike P

We have the right of passage already for purposes of fishing and waterfowling--what we need is to make more law enforcement types aware of it when they challenge us.

True. I've had to explain the law to the police a couple times and a home owner once. Usually the response from the police has been along the lines of "just get out of here"

[piemma]

Just got to let this thread die. Out of sight, out of mind. There are a lot of other places to get to the Canal without crossing the track if you really want to. The whole mainland side for one.

I realize that this is an infringment on our rights but just let it go away and it will not be a problem. I don't see the railroad, in these uncertain economic times, stationing a crossing police RR guy at every access point.