Truck through ice tonite-Fair Haven

[treeman]

I mentioned on a past fishing report about open water 3/4 mile out from Bouvier creek to the left of the Fair Haven access site. When I drove past the access site tonite there were emergency vehicles there so I stopped to ask what happened. There were flashing emergency lights out on the lake right where the open water is. It seems someone drove a pickup truck into one of the open water patches.

WARNING!!! In the area I just mentioned there was a large patch of open water until about one week ago. An ice bridge formed over the middle, leaving 2 smaller patches. These smaller patches have been slowly getting smaller for the last few days. They are surrounded by 12 inches of good ice. Avoid the area with vehicles and be very careful on foot or snowmobiles. My buddies and I predicted that someone would put a vehicle in there this weekend. It happened sooner than we expected.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

[dieseldude]

Sheesh, was the water deep there? I dont care how thick the ice is, i will never put my truck on the ice. Too scarey!

[smallies and bucks]

I can't believe people will drive their vehicles on the ice. As soon as your car or truck hits the ice you have no insurance on it. Sounds like a pretty expensive chance for some fish.

[jpollman]

Got that right Smallies and bucks. I've heard that your insurance STOPS AT THE SHORELINE basically. If you put it in the water, you're NOT covered. And if that's not bad enough, I believe that the DEQ will hit you with HEAVY fines for the environmental damage too. I'll NEVER put my vehicle on the ice !

[Joe_G]

The water depth at that location is 6 feet. I'm just guessing, but I'd put survivability at 50 or 60 percent........

[east bay ed]

i don't agree with the insurance myth. my truck has full coverage on or off the ice. i talked to my agent and he admitted that i was covered on the ice up to $12,000.00 for removal plus the value of the truck.
a friend of mine deep sixed his truck a few years ago and his insurance paid up to $10,000.00 for removal ( 3 months later) and repaired the truck. also the dnr has usually waived all fines (inland water only, great lakes are federal water) if you make a effert to get the vehicle out.
two years ago a guy hit a shanty hole and blew out a tire and smashed his rear quarter panel again the insurance co. paid out to get it fixed. lastly a customer of mine called his insurance agent and he too was covered.
i don't know if they always have covered cars and trucks on the ice or if this is something new in the last five years or so.
if you only have pl&pd, you won't be covered. but you aren't really covered with pl&pd anyways so i guess it doesn't matter.
that said i don't drive on ice i'm not familiar with.

[slowpoke]

I think it was 2 years ago a new Dodge truck went through the ice at Higgins Lake and the newspaper reported that his insurance paid for it to be recovered and fix. To be safe I think you should call your insurance co. and find out.

[Fishfoote]

My dad used to be an agent with AAA - at least when he worked for them they covered going through the ice.

[Swamp Monster]

East Bay End, Your friends truck sat submereged for three months!!!? And the Insurance company chose to fix it instead of total it? I hope he sold it soon after it was fixed!!
I'll keep my rig on solid ground thank you!

[east bay ed]

insurance co. paid to have it fixed and the interior all replaced. it ran and looked good all the way to the dealership where he traded it in on a new one.

[bigberniegb]

I belong to State Farm Insurance Company .My agent is Steve Dombrowski and his claims agent informed me that in the event that I have a problem on a lake or river my coverage is Yes on comprehensive ,yes on towing or reasonable recovery of vehical ,yes on injury to me but if my friend gets injured his auto insuance will .His insurance can sue me so my bodily coverage will protect me in the event of that happening. Atv's , motorcycles and snowmobiles the coverage is the same as auto except that an insurer needs to buy separate medical insurance but if you allready have Blue Cross or Blue Care network you might check with them to find out if your covered incase of an injury to you or your fishing companion. Thats the official lango . Now the sensefull lango .The ice thickness varries and I don't want to risk life I have a responsibility to the one who put me here!



:D

[MONACO]

Hey guys, i'm new to the forum and enjoy the info.
On the topic of trucks or cars on the ice, i'm not the authority on the subject but, i don't think they should be aloud on the ice.
Maybe the ice would last longer & in better condition if the cars & trucks weren't cracking the hell out of it as soon as its think enough to wreck it . But i'm not going to stop or tell u not to. It's just my thought. mybe the fish would stick around to.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Treeman, did they go thru in the open water areas near your shanty? Was out there Monday with Joe G. and saw open water.

[Melon]

Yeah, MONACO I agree. You wont catch me with my truck on the ice.

[east bay ed]

on hubbard i can tell you that most of the guys drive cars and trucks out on the ice. i don't know that it damages the ice all that much but we looked into the pollution you would get if one goes under. fact was if we were concerned about that we would have to ban all those old outboard motors that people use in the summer. turns out they pollute the water worse then when a car goes in.
personal choice who drives on ice and who doesn't.
either way use your head and be careful.
that said i will drive out this evening.

[Steely-Head]

I have no sympathy for jack*****es who drive out on the ice and go through. Then the media covers it, and they always, ALWAYS portray icefishermen as irresponsible idiots, which this loser obviously was. I just gives us a bad name.

[hypox]

Man you guys are a tough crowd. What the heck is wrong with driving on 2+ feet of ice if you know the lake and have been watching it for most of the freeze?:rolleyes:

[treeman]

Walleye Mike-- It was exactly in the open water near my shanty. I watched Gabriel Marine pull it out today. The hooked it up to a winch and pulled it out on steel ramps. It was a 1999 or 2000 black dodge pickup. Very interesting process but not one I wish to see repeated. As I understand it nobody was injured in the incident. Be safe. I will be out Saturday. Will be moving the tan shanty. Stop and say hi if you are in the area.

[sfw1960]

hypox...
I don't see anything wrong with YOUR truck going thru , and YOU paying any fines YOU may incur....
However MY truck -- ain't happenin'.....:cool:
I just don't think it was meant to be....

[hypox]

well, maybe we shouldn't allow people do drive on the roads when there's ice. Or maybe even snow. You know there are alot more accidents when the roads are bad. Look at the amount of people going thru the ice compared to the amount slamming into stuff from bad roads. You know I've never been in an accident, so I think anyone that has been should stay off the road. Quit risking my life.

[Thunderhead]

You guys wanna know the truth?
OK, Here it is. 60 inches of ice or 6 inches. ***** happens.
I've been driving on the ice on borrowed time. Might be safe where you are toay, might not be tommorow.

Bottom line: Do ya feel Lucky?

[catfishtom210]

Here is my say: (However I had my wisdom teeth pulled today so if I say something stupid....that might be why, or it could be the Vicodin....can you say Brett Favre?...or it might just be me being my normal self!)

As with most things it is something that can and is done safely but depends on the conditions and the person. Hell, in Minnesota they have cabins and trailers on the ice and not only drive on it but drive on roads plowed through the snow on the ice! Obviosuly we don't get that kind of ice here but this year is as close as it's been for a long time.

Before ATVs, guys used to strip down old trucks and run them with no doors, etc. I was "taxied" out on Lake Erie last time it was this thick, maybe 5 years ago, by an old pickup and felt safe. The same year however they pulled a truck or two from the channel mouth there.

The only time I've driven on the ice (except for parking on ice in a marina) was on Saginaw Bay about 15 years ago. There was a parking lot on the ice where we got on and we went out about two miles. There were guys out even further. The ice was 2+ feet thick (I have a pic of my big boy buddy using our hand auger with the crook in the handle damn near on the ice). We stayed late and when we left there were no cars around. It was pre-GPS for me and we could not find where we had gotten on the ice. We were smart enough to stop, get out and walk until we found it as it had been a warm day. We eventually did and made it home. Later, two things happened that made me think I won't drive on ice again. A week after, a guy was pulling a shanty off the same ice, crossed an expansion crack pile and slipped into the water through the chips and drowned. Two weeks later, that same car I drove out died, would not start, and had to be towed!

Then there's the human factor.....guys who are risk-takers, guys who are idiots, guys who thinky they're bullet proof, guys who are careful.....you've fished, hunted or been around each type. The usual remedy if there's a problem is to move away. This isn't as easy on the hardwater as it is in a boat or car or on foot so it is different here. It is scary when you're near someone who is driving around as if they're trying to find the weakl spots!

I guess the bottom line for me is, it is legal and at times done "safely" but you won't find me doing it! I'll rely on the one jackass power system I'ved used for years to pull my stuff....me! Good luck fishing this weekend!

Tom