New Braunfels Tubing Restrictions Will Stand
 

:eyes

Judge refuses to throw out limits on cooler size, beer bongs, etc
By Jim Forsyth
Thursday, May 10, 2007

Excessive drinking and exotic drinks like 'beer bongs' and 'cooler shots' will remain prohibited for tubers and rafters on the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers in New Braunfels, a judge ruled today.

1200 WOAI's Michael Board reports Visiting Judge Ron Carr dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group called STOP, or Stop These Ordinances Please, which claimed the restrictions would damage their business. The controversial restrictions, passed in several stages over the winters, also limit the size of alcohol coolers tubers can take with them, and impose new restrictions on drunken behavior.

New Braunfels City Attorney William McKamie said he's not surprised the lawsuit was thrown out.

"They are going to have to tell us under oath that they need people to have beer bongs in New Braunfels to stay in business," McKamie said.

David Earl, who represents STOP, says he will file a new lawsuit to block the restrictions.

"This is a shame, because people have a right to enjoy the river, and the city is trying to impede on that right."

The ordinances are the result of years of complaints from New Braunfels residents, especially in the posh River Road neighborhood, of lewd, drunken, and disorderly behavior by tubers and rafters. Earl says currently laws now on the books are adequate to deal with those problems.

"Everybody loves to tube down the river, an enjoyment that's been going on for decades and has been done responsibly for decades," Earl said. "What the city is upset about is a few people who do it irresponsibly."

Earl said his new lawsuit will spell out the losses his clients will face under the restrictions.

The new laws have divided the New Braunfels community, with a recall effort against Councilman Ken Valentine, who sponsored them, on the ballot this Saturday.

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Why can't people enjoy the river without being wasted? :shrug

I used to snorkel the river, the amount of beer cans in that river is astonishing and sad.

I can see you don't like it MB, but a message needs to be sent to the few who ruin it for the masses. otherwise, in 20 years that river will be untubable (is that a word?), and then where will the local businesses be?

Course that's all just my opinion.

It's not that I want to be wasted tubing down the river but come on... those people who want all these changes are retired people who want to sit by the river without any noise, people, nothing... why should they ruin young people's fun? :shrug No music no beer no nothing... It's not like this hasn't been going on for ever... they knew how it was before they moved there...

I guess. I'm a young guy, though, and anytime I've been to the river I've had a great time. The only exceptions were when my wife and I are harrassed by drunken idiots. So, i guess I'm just bias based on experience.

Well, they're not banning tubers.

what the heck does beer bongs, etc. have to do with enjoying the river?

that's like AT&T banning beer sales at the arena interferring with me enjoying a Spurs game.

the cooler size is amazing, i think it's limit to like only one to hold a 6 pack. people like to drink, tube, and socialize, thats the way it is, do they have to get wasted no. where the beer bongs and all the came from just for the river, who knows.



well i guess business will be booming more up the river now

I'm sure quite a few people would make that arguement. :eyes :lol

yeah sure.
Like it's going to hurt business that much.
Like 'beer bongs' and 'cooler shots' have been around for decades.
Give me a break.

no one really cares about beer bongs and jello shots, people arent getting upset about that

it's the cooler size and parts of the river where alcohol will be prohibited

smoking is diff, most people hate smoke and dont go to bars, rest, or buildings because of it, if a bar is now smoke free people will go. ban alcohol and see what happens or regulate how many drinks or size of the glass in restuarants and bars, then you might have something



i believe the size is only for a six pack for the comal and a twelve pack for the guadalupe.

so packing water and beer isnt going to happen unless you bring like 5 coolers.

but people will always find away to drink. take liquor in water bottles, mix a punch and fill a cooler, this could go on and on

:lol Yeah that would be something... :laugh

Yep... and at Brack... :lol

I have a feeling that the tubing business will be picking up at Concan (Frio River).

This is only going to affect the responsible tubers really, no more room for a decent amount of beer, water and fruit. The trouble makers are going to get wasted pre-tubing or find a way around having to tube sober.

the party will just move more up stream, if they want to get so wasted with bongs and end in new braunfels, cause thats only place these ordinances are. yeah the cooler size is stupid, i dont mind banning beer bongs and stuff like that, you dont need that anyway. now you cant bring beer and water now you have to have 4 diff ice chest for stuff. even if the person doesnt bring alcohol, i mean a cooler to hold a six pack on the comal and a 12 pack on the quadalupe that isnt big enough for anything for a large group or family

I am counting back to remember.... I believe it has been 17 years since I have gone tubing. Back then it was just mainly beer and a lot of folks smokin' :hat

Yeah, but how effective we will see.. I'll still bet people will get wasted some how and work around the ordinance only leaving everyone else with the inconvenience. I go to the river probably 8 times a year with various groups of family members, friends, co workers and never seen a fight or excessive hooligans making trouble.. Only time I ever seen arrest is when it came to people smoking pot or underage drinkers

lol okay I'll admit to that behavior but havent seen it that often and really havent seen anything get out of hand. I need to go the river with you and your buddies sometime :P