Unclear on the Concept

I've thought about going to New Braunfels before to float down the river, but I understand it's a pretty rowdy crowd down there. It's been described as "an alcohol-fueled floating frat party with public nudity, sex, fights and loud music." So I've opted not to go even though floating the river sounds like a fun thing to do. The City of New Braunfels has had problems for years picking up the cans and other trash tossed by floaters. In May of last year, the city crews picked up 12,000 pounds of litter.

But since then, the city has passed a can ban. You can still drink beer on the river, but you can't have disposable containers. And it works. This May, they picked up only 1,800 pounds of litter. But the floating frat partiers aren't happy. Shane Wolf runs a tube rental company. He says people are calling and saying, "You can't drink in New Braunfels, so why am I coming?" I may be a little unclear on the concept, but if all you want to do is drink, can't you do that on your own back porch or anywhere else? Why ruin the river for families and the rest of us who would just like to float down the river and enjoy the view?

By the way -- if you partiers weren't such pigs, there probably would have been no can ban. You abuse a privilege, you lose the privilege.

"'Can ban' sets river tourism adrift." The Dallas Morning News; July 5, 2012; p. 3A.