this post was submitted on 20 May 2026
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Well, I would say the test results were conclusive, if nothing else.

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[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 86 points 7 hours ago (3 children)

According to Fox 4, the driver is being held in Grapevine Jail as of Tuesday afternoon, with violations including:

Having no valid boat registration.

That is both hilarious and stupid. You would have to imagine the definition of a boat would be something that floats, which the Cybertruck clearly isn't in this photo. It's also less water than the truck is rated in the owner's manual to be able to handle.

[–] Damaskox@lemmy.world 1 points 50 minutes ago* (last edited 48 minutes ago)

Well, THAT'S comedy gold for me! laughs out loud

And, well, some laws are kinda stupid. After hearing a few of other examples it doesn't surprise me that you could end up in jail because of this kind of a law.

[–] KayLeadfoot@fedia.io 50 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

This got me thinking, you're right, how can it be a boat if it can't float?

Turns out, everything is bigger in Texas, including the legal definition of what constitutes a boat.

Is it motorized, above 14 feet in length, and afloat, docked, or stored on Texas waters? Then it's a boat that needs to be registered, fam.

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 10 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

I've read that, and I don't think any reasonable person would consider a vehicle being driven on a lake bed to be a vessel.

[–] adespoton@lemmy.ca 23 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

No, but its owner was storing it in a lake, it’s over 14’ long, and has a (non-functional) motor.

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works -3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

This would mean every vehicle used to launch a boat would be considered a boat in it's own right. As well as the trailer.

[–] adespoton@lemmy.ca 22 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I don’t know about you, but I don’t tend to store my truck or trailer in the lake?

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 5 points 5 hours ago

Neither did this guy, at least not intentionally.

It seems like a vehicle being driven in a body of water is considered a vessel, and that's just absurd.

[–] MyTurtleSwimsUpsideDown@fedia.io 9 points 6 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

It's also not submerged, not entirely.

[–] rainwall@piefed.social 11 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (1 children)

Submarines dont have to be underwater to still be submersibles.

Sailors are big fans of the boat floating when they want to get on and off the thing. The alternatives are...not so great.

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Even submersibles float, just underwater.

The whole thing is absurd.

[–] rainwall@piefed.social 3 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Submersibles always float, even when above the water line. They retain their state as submarines regardless of where and whence they float.

Even in dry dock, where they "float" in the air due to steel beams, they are still submarines.

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 6 hours ago

Change it to "no valid submarine registration"