Looking for your opinion on etiquette

[Mike Steckelberg]

I would have tried to get off the so called "road" but if I couldn't due to fear of getting stuck I would have done the same thing so I could fish.....some people make to big of deal out of simple things such as this one.....from the way he acted it reminds me of certain bass boat owners I have encountered in the past:)

[Getanet]

Without seeing the trail/track/road, it's impossible to know. But I agree with Draven422, the question is about etiquette, not legality. If the only way to get to that spot was on a well used trail, it's likely others will need to use it too. The courteous thing to do would be not block it.

I also agree with the other poster who said that if you have to ask, you're probably realizing perhaps you were in the wrong when it comes to etiquette. If that's the case, it probably won't happen again and it should be chalked up to a lesson learned.

[bikeoutback]

Wow, just gets maddening. When did commen sense go out the window? 4x4 truck can go offroad, 2wd minivan can't. Thou shalt not park on any path, road, 2 track, plowed area or any other surface that a previous human has previously occupied on a lake??? Get over yourselves. Do what YOU have to do get out and go fishing and enjoy yourself. Park where you need to park. Rule #1 of a lake is that ALL WATER AREA is public.

If another 2WD vehicle came then the poster and them would have figured out a way at that point, simple as that. It's not like it seems Hoffer had any malicious intent to block the road. This walk out or don't go is [PoorWordUsage] also. If I had encountered attitudes like that when I started ice fishing I would have quite fishing!!!! Walk out and back all dang year cause all I could afford then was a 2wd cheap car and not a $10k plus 4x4 truck is ridiculous.

I'm probably wrong but I fish where I want but I stay 100+ feet from other's houses, I drive where I want (I do own a fancy 4x4 truck now), I drill holes for others, I push/pull other out if stuck, I give fishing reports to other fisherman, I would have simply driven around Hoffer and waved with a smile and I enjoy having a good time on the lakes and wish more people came out and did the same.

[muchowja]

Our car doesn't have a button but if you put the transmission in first or second it turns the traction control off.

[Chnginthhofl]

Drive where you want and park where you want the thing here is it sounds like you weren't log jamming a plowed road, if he can get around you then its his problem. What it sounds like to me is typical, people don't see the big picture here.

[mntim]

I personally make every attempt to not block traffic on the lake, but I also concede the road to a smaller vehicle than mine. If I were you, I probably would have gotten up some speed and got off the road hoping to not get stuck when I needed to leave. On the other hand, if I were the other guy and your vehicle was blocking me,I would have simply gone aound and waved or offered to help shovel a path for you to park. His ettiquite certainly was worse than anything you did

[ratherbefishin]

I like to fish right on the plowed roads , the fish bite there

[Shack]

We where kind of just talking about this in the Metro forum:

Click Here!!!

Here is what I said:

Before I started to just take my snowmobile and I had 4x4, I just hated it when someone would plow a road out from a public access. For one, sometimes, all of a sudden it was "their" road. For two, most times it was a guy who owned a straight blade and had no clue how you are supposed to plow an ice road. When you drive out from a public access on one of these roads, you have almost no option but to follow the road because of the plowed banks on either side and drifting from those banks. Most times the road is just wide enough to get 1 vehicle threw and the plow guy banks both sides of the roads with no off shoots to let others drive off. Then him or his buddies complain when you are using the road or parked on them. IMO you should not have to feel this way when using a public access to get on a public lake.

If the plow driver would have done the road correct (like it sounds like they did in Spring), or just left it no road. Even with a good snow fall a week later the snow has blown down enough for off road travel most years. If some ones decides to plow out a road from a public access, do it the wrong way, they should be prepared for people parking and using their road. Just common sense IMO.

I would just say use and park on the roads. The access point is public and for everyone to use and it is a public lake. I still would not drill on them, because unfortunately that plow driver has pretty much made it your only option driving out on the lake.

I just understand it is a public lake. If I have the means to get around someone parked on a path, trail, cartway, or what ever they want to call it, I will. I am not going to make someone move off the trail/road only to get stuck. I will then spend time and my vehicle helping to get them out. I might help blaze an off shoot for them to pull on, but even if I plowed the road or made the path, I will never claim it as "mine".

I do not invite or encourage confrontation while out in the field at all. I try (and have been very successful) to avoid it. In your case (I do know there is two sides to every story though), I would have not moved and just not given into the ego of the guy driving the truck. I would have just went back fishing.

[Draven422]

I'd like to throw this out (and be open to some bashing).

If it's a PUBLIC lake, and people can park where they like, next time I'll use that excuse when I park right at the access and block the road. OK, I'm not really going to do that.

I was out on a south metro lake a couple weeks ago, and noticed a pickup spinning all four wheels. Snow was only about 2"-3" deep. The guy had some baby bottom smooth tires and wasn't going anywhere. I gave him the courtesy pull out. My point is that even though someone has a 4WD vehicle, not all of them perform the best in snow and ice.

[stumper]

I had some knuckle head give me heck one day for parking my permy in the middle of the "road". The best part? I made the "road" to my permy, it dont go anywhere ,but to my permy.LOL.

[Hoffer]

Good points pro and con...

Heres the main points from my perspective.

1. I would have parked off road had I had the chance or ability.

2. The road wasnt even "plowed" just a 2 lane track - and there were other such tracks around as well - just not as used.

3. The dude with the 4x4 that made me feel like I was parked in the middle of highway 94 in rush hour - blasted me - but then simply drove around with no issue whatsoever.

4. If another van or car came by - I would have worked with the guy to try and figure something out. I mean even if I wasnt parked there - if 2 vans or cars met on that path traveling to and from they would have had the similar situation - they would have had to figure something out.

5. I dont buy into the "dont go fishing then if you dont have a 4x4." I have ice-fished for over 30 years since I was a kid and have put in my dues and time and effort with dragging my stuff out to the lake and back. That afternoon I had a few free hours from work - changed out of a suit real quick and just wanted to try some fishing for the afternoon. I didnt have all my warm gear along because I just planned to fish from the car. Didnt realize my van was going to perform so poorly - but sure wasnt going to just go home after taking the time to get out there.

I think this is my last and final point - and the real reason for posting this thread in the first place....

I had 5 or 6 guys pass me and wave nicely. I had one guy react like it was the end of the world. It just seems like sometimes there are a few out there who are looking to make something out of nothing - or lose their patience too quick or lose their manners somehow. I have had bad days too - and I know that happens. But there have been other examples this fishing season that have been similar - snowmobilers running over tipups, guys

setting up right next to you when there is open ground all over the place, trash left all over the ice, stolen equipment etc...I guess this was just something that put me over the edge

In and of itself - it probably wasnt a big deal - and I take my blame for my part - and next time will throw a shovel in the car! I just hope the next time/situation - someone else can just take a deep breath and relax a little.

[eyebjim]

I had some knuckle head give me heck one day for parking my permy in the middle of the "road". The best part? I made the "road" to my permy, it dont go anywhere ,but to my permy.LOL.

How dare you!

[Zoob]

My opinion...if you have to ask, you were probably in the wrong.

If you are unable to not drive off of the path, than don't go out. Either park on shore and walk out or, what I would do is grab a shovel and make yourself a little parking space next to the path. It wouldn't take but a couple of minutes.

Now the big truck didn't need to lay into you. But what he did, did make you think about your action (or laziness ).

Baloney. There's no roads on a lake. Just because his vehicle might get stuck off a predetermined trail is no *reason* to not go out ice-fishing.

[bikeoutback]

I had some knuckle head give me heck one day for parking my permy in the middle of the "road". The best part? I made the "road" to my permy, it dont go anywhere ,but to my permy.LOL.

Now That's Funny - I don't Care Who You Are

[folke2000]

I think most missed the part of "So, anyway a few people had drove by the path and when they got to me they just drove around and kept going." So there was a drivable path around Hoffer (especially if you are driving a 4x4). Public water is just that, PUBLIC. It sounds like Hoffer is just trying to fish with the available equipment (vehicle) he has, and trying to learn what he could do to be more courteous by posting this thread in the first place.

This attitude of if you don't have a 4x4 just walk, or stay home is ridiculous. In the past, I have offered to pull others' sleds etc. out and give them a ride during early or late season on my atv. Some people just don't have the wherewithall to have all the toys, but still should be encouraged to fish. I have met some really nice people this way. The guy in the truck needs to relax. Afterall, aren't we all in this together?

Folke

[rickl1968]

The way i see it is, that you would have had to pull off the main path to turn around, so why block easy access for any others to go fishing. Others may have looked out onto the lake, seeing the van on the path and decide not to go onto the lake in fear of getting stuck.

[charliepete]

I'm not busting your seeds but heres my two cents... Follow the golden rule. Do to others what you would want done to you... Would you like it if a minivan was parked in your way? The guy in the truck was wrong for overreacting but what if that guy was in a minivan and couldnt get around you. They'd be stuck behind you. They came out to have a good time and catch some fish just like you. No one owns the lake but it is common courtesy to not park on a well traveled path. Plowed or not.

+1 I couldn't have said it better myself.

[DTro]

Opinions were asked for, and opinion were given.

We all know that on most lakes there is usually predetermined route in which vehicle traffic will migrate on when the snow piles up. If there is a trail, it in only human nature for one guy to follow it, then the next and then the next, so on and so forth.

I don’t think anyone ever suggested that someone should not go fishing because they cannot drive on the lake, that is absurd. That is what snowmobiles and legs are for.

The point is that if someone hadn’t had broke that trail (road) would you have been able to drive there in the first place? No, so with that in mind, shouldn’t you then have the respect to at least keep that path free? Of course nobody owns the lake or the area occupied by the trail, but to me it’s just common sense that if it appears to be heavily used trail, then don’t block it.

Just a couple of weekends ago I was up North on a lake that had just received a nice amount of snow. I got into a previous trail that led to a permanent. I followed that out, but I knew I was going to have to chance getting stuck and get off of it eventually, because there was no way I was going to take a chance of him driving out to his house and me sitting on his trail that he broke previously. I would’ve felt pretty bad if he had to go around and got stuck. To me that just isn’t “cool”.

[SkunkedAgain]

Great points DTRO. I agree 100%. A few folks have mentioned it already, but others haven't read it well enough. The original poster asked about etiquette, not what is legal. Etiquette is about thinking of others while legality is about what you can and can't do.

The minivan driver did nothing wrong and asserted his right to be out fishing. Great. Speaking to etiquette, he put his own fishing desires in front of the desires of others to move around on the lake as he did.

I think that the best display of etiquette so far was by the original poster. He asked the question on here and spawned a good discussion. By my simple count of the responses, we've got a good sample of who would have been the "waivers" who drove around and who would have rolled down the window and let off a few choice words. The world is a big place and it's getting smaller every minute.

[Iron Cowboy]

If anyone would like to exercise their right to enjoy the public lakes in the future and don't have the equipment your welcome to use my canoe to take out on Tonka for a relaxing day around the 4th of July

[Iambjm]

Any vehicle with traction control should have a button to turn it off. They are usually marked "TC" or "T/C". I have seen them on the dash(both by the heater controls and by the steering wheel/instrument cluster) and by the shifter in a console shift car.

A friend of mine has a Toyota Tundra with the TC, it is one of the first models they put it on, no switch to turn it off. He got stuck on Mille Lacs with it and the wife had to pull him out with her Jeep.

[Acemac]

No way the only reason their is a road there is because someone made the road driving out no one owns it and its not monitored. hell if you wanted to drill holes in the road its A ok with me. I am so sick of elitist lake jerk-baits.

I am going to start charging a toll of people to drive in my tracks.... LOL wow

[DTro]

I'm pretty sure I cannot disable the TC on my 4 Runner either, unless I'm in 4 LO and lock the differential.

[eyebjim]

This attitude of if you don't have a 4x4 just walk, or stay home is ridiculous. In the past, I have offered to pull others' sleds etc. out and give them a ride during early or late season on my atv. Some people just don't have the wherewithall to have all the toys, but still should be encouraged to fish. I have met some really nice people this way. The guy in the truck needs to relax. Afterall, aren't we all in this together?

Folke

I agree this is a ridiculous attitude to say don't fish however in keeping with what the post is "looking for opinions" it should be fine for people to give their opinion. I always try to get off a trail to fish so I am not getting in someones way. In this case I would have likely made a couple runs with momentum to make a path just off the trail coming back to the trail so I can then go back over my trails and park.

The guy yelling at you about it was completely out of line.

[DTro]

Yep, had I been the "guy in the truck" I probably would've pulled in behind you and shut off the vehicle and came and talked for a while, see how the fishing is, then would've asked if I could make a loop for you to get off the main path and an easy turn around.

So do people feel the same way about a plowed road? Just go ahead set up a wheelhouse right in the middle of it because you can?