As mentioned, Rafters/rafting companies. Both will run over you in a hole, but the commercial companies are almost always running to a time schedule, and so are somewhat less tolorant at times of being held up by someone hogging a play spot. I go by what I call the Marta Bus rule - I yield to anything bigger than I am. Been run over once, didn't need a second time to learn the lesson. Had no idea anyone else was around and was deep in a blind hole. Never saw it coming until there was a shadow, and then tried to roll up underneath a raft while being pummeled by paddles from above and by rocks from below on the Ocoee. Posting a lookout on a blind hole is a great idea if you are not paddling solo.

Another one you want to avoid at all costs except from watching from a safe spot is Jet boats. Avoid like small airplanes avoid heavy metal and fast movers. You will lose in any confrontation, even if they also lose. These are mostly only seen on western US rivers, but craziness can be found anywhere.

Wild life - Unless fishing for supper, I try to let all be so I can keep enjoying seeing them on other trips. Snakes - if they will leave me alone, I will leave them alone.

Fishermen - local ettiquette varies, but most kayakers do best by going to farside of river if possible to pass by and quietly nod or wave, unless they attempt to strike up friendly conversation. Have had extremes responses to my presence from them offering me a free beer, to being shot at with rifle pistol, and shotgun. Luckily those shooting were mostly very drunk and poor shots as I would have never missed from those ranges. Carried a vacuum wrapped pistol for a few years on certain creeks, but never used it. One old man did sober up, piss in his pants, and find religion when I pointed it at him and told him I wasn't drunk.

4 wheelers washing off mud in middle of stream. Usually best to treat as fishermen, and to withhold all laughter until well out of range downstream if they are stuck and flooded out. On occasion, I have stopped to loan them a rope if they were related to someone I knew, and even dived down while in my wetsuit to attach it if I liked them.

inner tubers - I've found them on/in the water as cold as 32F air temperature, and on all sections of the Chattooga from Overflow creek to Tugalo lake. It takes all kinds and if we are lucky they won't be around long enough to reproduce those genes into the population. Having said that, I once upon a time innertubed, but only until the Coke company came out with Coke rafts for the Chattahoochee Raft race. Chattooga had a bad reputation for being the cause of death listed for several tubers in past. Their being dumb, drunk, hypothermic, and non swimmers was rarely mentioned.

People pannning for gold. Some people play golf, other folks spend their time chasing dreams panning. Am told it can be addictive. One fellow I knew named Nugget Nixon, almost lost his job, before finding out fly fisher folks had salted his stream with brass filings. Beware of board meetings of Klondike Enterprises if this fellow is around. They motto is \"Gold is where you find it\"

Sand hogs - these folks vary as much as their equipment. They suck up river sand, usually for resale, or concrete mixing jobs. Only seen it in the south. If doing so illegally, they may be unfriendly to being seen. Tend to be noisy, stir up the water into great turbidity, and can erode banks if discharge is aimed poorly. also can carve out deep holes that are unexpected until you try to stand up there.

Horseback riders and their horses. Nothing like walking up the middle of a cool shallow shady mountain stream to soak you horse's feet in the middle of a summer scorcher, until you find that big deep hole left by a sand hog, unseen because of the muddy water. Been there, there done that, and on a short horse to boot. Do not recommend spooking horses as even the small ones like my Morgan weigh 900 pounds plus and don't always listen to or obey their riders. See Marta bus rule. If they leave behind anything, remember its all biodegradable and rich in nutrients.

Movie companies - remember they are probably as glad to see you as you are to see them. Probably best to treat like drunk and potentially armed fishermen. Not all movies are as bad as \"Deliverance\" or \"Whisky Runners\" and hopefully they will be gone soon as spending time anywhere is expensive to them.

Baptists baptising. May have been a southern phenomina, but used to see this year round on the Chattooga and other southern streams. I paddled for two years without a wet suit and you do have to have a strong faith and desire. Best to be polite, quiet, and pass wide.

Skinny dippers. Have yet to hear any complaints except from those on the banks. We used to enjoy the potholes in Bull Sluice at low water in the spring and summer. Artist Robert Singleton made a beautifully art show using moonlight in five falls.

Weddings - have seen 6 weddings on and in the water. Ours was on the banks of Warwoman creek flowing into the Chattooga, but only for the setting of Warwoman Dell, as we didn't think our families or the priest were up to the rock at Sockemdog. We did take most of them down Section IV the next day, and our honeymoon was on the Colorado with a Moki-Mac raft trip for support.

Loggers - best not to argue with a chainsaw. Report violations AFTER you get back.

USFS personel and Game and Fish Biologists. Some can be really nice, Some can be helpfull. Beware of motorcycle cop mentalities from those who carry ticket books. Most don't paddle anything, and are up the creek without a paddle to begin with. Don't laugh too hard if they ask you to come to the bank to receive a ticket/citation. Get them mad enough and they will chase you for years. Taunting them repeatedly from middle of stream is not wise if you think they stand a chance of meeting you at the takeout, unless you have prior arrangements for sucessfully hiding among others or alternate takeout spots. Hiding from Dillard Barron the game warden was good practice for this. Most game and fish trout biologists have a good sense of humor, but don't test them when they are holding shock poles or they may be the ones laughing when they give you a tickle. Certain plant biologists have been known to lose their sense of humor when practical jokes are played in their water sheds containing endangered wild begoinias.