Arthur Marshall

I'd give you odds on 90% of boaters don't dry logs for a year before burning them. Of course they burn better and less smoky if you do. But by the smoke pouring out of wood burning boat chimbleys, pretending that anyone really bothers is daft. And the ash goes in the canal or the hedge. It's amazing how many people on this forum never do anything untoward, ever...

So it is. I hadn't noticed, just caught it in the new posts list. That explains why racists are allowed to inhabit it and spout their drivel. I appreciate the correction. As I don't fish, no longer cycle, and walk as little as possible, it's obviously no place for the likes of me. Anyway, the above contributor excepted, I don't like the company much.

Idiot.

Absolutely. Trotsky was Jewish, so that proves it. And that Jesus? Talk about a snowflake. And you couldn't get more left wing than that Hitler bloke, ran that Socialist party back in the day, so that proves it even more. How did we get into this ignorant nonsense from throwing bikes into a canal? Political drivel belongs in the section reserved for such stupidities, not general boating. Or the sport of bike chucking.

I expect an allegation of sexual assault against a high ranking politician in China has about as much chance of success as it would in the UK. Or, in fact, virtually any allegation of sexual assault or rape in the UK. I don't think nationality makes much difference.

There's no reason for them to check at any other time. You're not "getting away" with anything, really. If not having one invalidates your insurance, so what? Be interesting to know how many people here have ever made an insurance claim. The BSC is worthless as far as safety is concerned and insurance should be a matter of personal choice, though you can make an argument for 3rd party.

Not if it gets tested before then. So if it's being properly maintained, annd no noncompliant alterations have been made, no retest is required. And a test cannot be cancelled, because how can it be if it's not inspected?

If it's on a private canal, does it need a BSS? There's no reason to get it retested after the refit, either. The BSS, as said above, and like a car's MOT, reflects how it is on the day. You don't get a new MOT when you change the tyres, nor a new BSS if you change the stove. And, as everyone knows, it's largely a bureaucratic con and a total waste of money.

There's two issues here, I think. One is simply that people can't always live where they would like to, either on land or water, but this is a fairly large island and there's room enough for everyone with a bit of adaptability. The other is the housing situation, and that's a political problem and should be dealt with on that level. The trouble with that is that it is seen very differently by the two main parties, one being more interested in landowners and landlords, and the other in the insecurity of modern accommodation. Both approaches are valid, and either could solve the problems if they would compromise. Neither will. There always have been and always will be people living under the radar on boats (happily done it myself on "leisure" mooring). I still fail to see why, if you've paid for a place to moor your boat, you can't live on it. If there are no facilities you do without, same as you do on land. Then the squatting boats can find farm or EOG moorings somewhere, pay their whack (housing benefit if nec) and not get hassled. And CRT get their mooring fees from those who don't want to CC, get rid of the few who still game the system, real CCers whiz round, and everyone's happy.