Time to Stop Routine Patrol of Beaches by Full Size Vehicles

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 vehicles are needed to answer the emergency.

There is one reason I can think of in which full-size vehicles would be preferable to ATV’s. Full-size vehicles have air conditioning which would make patrolling summer beaches more pleasant than on ATV’s. However, that is not reason enough to risk the lives of beachgoers. Frankly, I would hate to think that was the reason a full-size vehicle was being used by the officer patrolling last week.

It is almost inevitable that a lawsuit will be filed against the county in the wake of last week’s tragedy. It is also probable that county taxpayers will be on the hook to pay off any damages awarded.

As has been heard on the news and in Bailey’s statement about his bill, this is not the first time a full-size has been involved in an incident with a beachgoer on local beaches. It should be the last.

Saturday Cartoon 3-16-24

It's pronounced Or-ree!!!

This first edition offers some insights into this weekly article and provides a brief history of Horry County. Our readers can expect an array of subjects, topics, and stories, both current and past, that have opinion, fact, and some stories passed down over time with no collaboration aka Horry County lure. No subject will be off-limits, and the goal is to be entertaining, informative, thought provoking, and simply a fun read. Horry County: Pronounced (OR-ree), was occupied primarily by the Chicora Indian before English settlement in the early 1700’s. Not named Horry County until 1801, initial settlement was in 1732 by English settlers that made their way up the Waccamaw River from Georgetown to settle on a high bluff area overlooking the river where history claims the group of explores killed a bear eventually naming the area Kings Town in honor of the English King to later be named Conway. Located in the easternmost region of the State, from settlement through the early 19

Rankin Out of Touch

Luke Rankin is out of Touch with Voters Horry County Senator Luke Rankin put himself in a political box last week that he will find it difficult to get out of as reelection time rolls around. With reform of the process which elects judges in the state being a hot topic among the voters and other elected officials, Rankin chose last week to voice support, in an hour-long speech on the Senate floor last week, for the current process. As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Vice Chairman of the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, Rankin has a lot of say in who becomes judges in South Carolina. He probably can’t be blamed for wanting to keep that power in his hands. However, 695,791 voters in the recent South Carolina Presidential Primary election answered a question included on the ballot of whether the current process of electing judges in the state should be reformed. Over 91 percent, 634,345 to be exact, said YES. When 9 out of every 10 voters disagree with the position of

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