Scribbler

I was moored in the wilds on the Thames one summer. I'd had a few beers(just enough to be mellow) and I stepped off my boat on to what looked, in the dusk, to be the river bank. It wasn't - it was undergrowth that filled the gap between the hull and the bank. I slipped down, got squashed and broke two ribs. I couldn't touch the bottom and had to carefully pull myself out by my arms, once the boat had moved away a bit. Very stupid, and I was extremely lucky to get away with it.

Er, turn around and look up, maybe? (just kidding). Now that I know that mention of top locks, bottom locks and other locks is just a distraction to this, (I'm hoping my understanding is correct now, and that only one lock is relevant to this story) I find this mishap to be quite instructive. Clearly, the bottom paddles were fully open (lock emptying and nearly empty) yet opening the top paddles behind Nina's boat caused it to surge ~against~ the stream with sufficient force to cause significant damage. I'm not doubting the story for an instant but (in my inexperience) I would have guessed that the boat would move forwards into the bottom gate in this instance. I know my boat sometimes surges forwards in a lock (going uphill) when the top paddles are opened but that's when the bottom paddles are closed and the water can't flow out of the lock. Has anyone else had a similar unfortunate experience? I will post my own misfortune - which was my own crass stupidity - later.

Surely if you want it to be original then it must come from your own imagination?

Not shooting anyone. Just pointing out that there is much more to this (Anne K's personal motivation) than you revealed or seem prepared to comment on. And you seem to be confusing two separate issues. Are you suggesting that Anne K was operating under the direct instructions of Dame Suzi Leather? Why didn't Dame S.L. simply start the petition herself? My old Aunt Betty sometimes 'calls' for a more generous pension but no one has started an e-petition for her. I'm not commenting further on this as it is getting rather boring. But people can make up their own minds by googling for background information which you have omitted.

Do you even have a boat? As I explained, the originator of the petition is Anne Kasica. Look at the e-petition web site you will see her name under 'Petitioner'. This petition - which most of the boating community who have commented on don't agree with - is just her way of taking an opportunity to find a way of hitting back at the RSPCA. She already tried and failed with a petition specifically against the RSPCA, now she is trying a sneaky and opportunistic way to achieve the same result. I had never heard of her - or of her alleged conviction for letting several horses starve to death and her subsequent prosecution by the RSPCA - until you posted your rather disingenuous call to sign a petition. More information can be found by googling her name, SHG, etc. Googling the name of the petition will reveal that it has been widely publicised on animal rights forums but not on forums which have other charities associated with them.

I am always wary of calls to sign up to some cause or other because, invariably, only one rather biased point of view supported by limited and selective information is put forward. Niko signed up to the JustCanals forum on the 4th of this month and made an identical post - his first one there. Let's look at the background to this petition... If you Google the name of the petitioner - Anne Kasica - you will learn about her 'troubles' with the RSPCA, including an alleged conviction for letting horses starve to death, plus a later(overturned) conviction for cruelty to a horse (also brought by the RSPCA) and her involvement with 'The Self Help Group for Farmers, Pet Owners and Others Experiencing Difficulties with the RSPCA (The SHG)' The call to sign the petition has been widely published on several animal welfare/activist forums but not, it seems on other forums which may have charities associated with their particular interests. I also note that the SHG has previously tried a petition that was specific to the RSPCA (rather than all charities) entitled 'We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to hold a public enquiry into the policies and running of the RSPCA.' It seems to me that Anne Kasica is merely broadening her target from the RSPCA to ALL charities. And, forgive me if I am wrong, but I am tempted to believe that the original poster signed up to this forum not to discuss boating but simply to attempt to publicise Anne Kasica's 'cause'. I have posted a similar exposé on JustCanals.