Time to Stop Routine Patrol of Beaches by Full Size Vehicles By Dennis Mitchell Last week’s tragedy in which a Horry County Beach Safety truck struck and killed a local beachgoer has prompted state representative William Bailey to call for restrictions on full size public safety vehicles patrolling on local beaches in non-emergency situations. Bailey said he plans to pre-file such a bill before the next legislative session begins in January 2025. Bailey’s proposed bill makes so much sense, people must wonder why it has not been proposed until now. With the severely crowded beaches which are experienced on the Grand Strand during the summer tourist season, vehicles such as ATV’s should be the common patrol type vehicle. These provide excellent range of vision, quick maneuverability and considerably smaller room to operate than full size trucks. In the event of emergency situations, officers on these types of vehicles could clear an area for operation if full size vehi...
