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Bridge Etiquette


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Is it my imagination or has there been a marked shift in bridge etiquette the last year or two ?

 

Always struck me that generally if you had stopped to operate a lift or swing bridge, were there other boats immediately behind or approaching, you waited for them to go through as well before resetting the bridge. Over time you don't lose out as you benefit yourself when someone does the same for you. Recently however I seem to see more and more people who, having operated the bridge, jump on their boat from the offside leaving the following or last boat to reset it. At some bridges this isn't so simple, particularly if you are solo.

 

Anyone else noticed, or is it just me ?

 

Mike.

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Hi,

 

We saw this a lot ,this passed week on the K and A. At one point we got to the bridge when someone was just opening it. We did not push through and waited for the sign for us to proceed. But non was coming. The other boat unteathered and came through. since the landing stage was on our right this is where we were holding the boat just a few feet from it. He then proceeded to come straight for us with no where for us to go. He then decided that we could not move and went further on leaving his crew mate behind on the bridge.

 

It would have made so much sense if they allowed us to go through and then did the bridge hop and had plenty of room for the pick up!!!! I must admit this incident was with a hire boat, but surely it's common sense and curtisy. (spelt wrong I know :lol: )

 

Later that morning we did get caught, we opened a swing bridge and let 3 boats come through. The last skipper said to me that he had good news, there was no one behind him! :lol: That's the way it goes if your in a rush............. it usually works out in the end though.

 

Also another time a trip boat was following us, Mr P got off to do the swing bridge. We had no probs with letting the trip boat go through first. The problem was he did not allow enough time for Mr P to open the bridge. The boats bow just missed the swing bridge as it was opened.

 

Hay ho, we had a good time anyway.

 

Take care

Mrs p

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On our recent six week trip we found no lack of courtesy at moveable bridges but, another story and off topic, some poor behavour on "who's bridge".

 

However, on the Llangollen we saw in the distance an "up" bridge with an oncoming boat which had passed through. My "bridge winder", after being landed with some difficulty on the off side discovered a small notice on the winding gear "out of order, do not lower"!

 

Such is the fun of canals. :lol:

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This sounds just like todays busy life. People spend so much time stressed to the hilt, and don't have enough time to wind down. I mean a week of downtime before taking a boat out?

 

Like some people won't rush off on hoilday as soon as work is out.

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Our main attraction to the canal network was the fact it's such a slower pace of life. Living on the canal to us means we don't have to get anywhere quickly for any reason, a far cry from living on land. We've been off the water for a couple of years now, and it seems that the rat race might be creeping into the canal network. Hope not though, maybe we should all drop to 3mph or slower to make a point :lol:

 

And of course save some fuel, I forgot to add :lol:

Edited by Julynian
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There should not be any firm regulations for all this, it comes down to common sense, very often it is not practical to moor and allow boats to pass and it is frequently better for the last boat through to shut the bridge..

 

The important thing is to communicate with the other boats.

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I was taken aback a year or two back on the Upper Peak Forest (near John's old mooring) to have a swing bring shut in our faces! The crew member of the other boat could clearly see us approaching but shut it anyway, although we were less than 100 yards away.

 

We caught them up a couple of bridges later and I followed the other boat through a few feet behind it so that the crew member had no chance to shut the bridge! We opened the next bridge for them to show them how it should be done! :lol:

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It could be due to people that are boating to a deadline

There seems to be a lot of people who've set themselves an ambitious target for the day and have completely missed the point of the canals.

 

 

Surely the point of the canals was to move the maximum load in the minimum time and boating to a deadline was exactly what was required. If you didn't set yourself an ambitious target and achieve it you failed and went hungry.

 

We are in danger of forgetting the reason the canals were built, and it was not for us to amble along with a glass of Merlot in hand and moan! :lol:

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Surely the point of the canals was to move the maximum load in the minimum time and boating to a deadline was exactly what was required. If you didn't set yourself an ambitious target and achieve it you failed and went hungry.

 

We are in danger of forgetting the reason the canals were built, and it was not for us to amble along with a glass of Merlot in hand and moan! :lol:

 

But there not used for that now :lol: although I think a small amount of goods are being transported by boat, but a tiny porportion of the network. And I prefer beer :lol:

Edited by Julynian
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We were on the llangollen canal last week and followed a boat through a lift bridge. As his steerer had pulled over to wait, I said I'd get the next lock ready for them, which we did and allowed them to pass us at the lock. I think its just good manners. My mother alway made me stand up for ladies and adults on the bus, or i'd get a clip round the ear. :lol:

 

We also met a hire boat at Middlewich who started emptying the lock (which was set for us) as we approached from about 30yards, I gave a couple of toots on the horn to indicate our presense. I understand that they may have just left the hire base and it was their first lock. What surprised me was that one of the crew was a member of staff from the hire company. :lol: You can't expect new boaters to understand all the etiquette if the hire company don't inform them in the first place.

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There should not be any firm regulations for all this, it comes down to common sense, very often it is not practical to moor and allow boats to pass and it is frequently better for the last boat through to shut the bridge..

 

The important thing is to communicate with the other boats.

 

As I was once told ' The only thing wrong with common sense is that it isn't very common these days'

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Got waved through a fixed bridge today by a boater coming the other way. I was nearer to the bridge and travelling slowly past moored craft and, consequently, took a bit longer than the other boater expected.

 

As our stern's passed and I leaned over to thank the steerer, he complained that I was going so slowly that he could have got through the bridge first and that I should have let him have right of way at the bridge !

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Is it my imagination or has there been a marked shift in bridge etiquette the last year or two ?

 

Always struck me that generally if you had stopped to operate a lift or swing bridge, were there other boats immediately behind or approaching, you waited for them to go through as well before resetting the bridge. Over time you don't lose out as you benefit yourself when someone does the same for you. Recently however I seem to see more and more people who, having operated the bridge, jump on their boat from the offside leaving the following or last boat to reset it. At some bridges this isn't so simple, particularly if you are solo.

 

Anyone else noticed, or is it just me ?

 

Mike.

The rule on the Leeds & Liverpool canal is "if you open it..You close it" should be the same on all the other canals too..!

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Guest melodyman
The rule on the Leeds & Liverpool canal is "if you open it..You close it" should be the same on all the other canals too..!

What on earth.

So you expect someone else to open the bridge and wait till you float on by so they can close it after you?

LOL.

I wont tell you what I really think.

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What on earth.

So you expect someone else to open the bridge and wait till you float on by so they can close it after you?

LOL.

I wont tell you what I really think.

NO I dont expect anyone to open a bridge for me...HOWEVER if they have already opened it for their own boat then I would expect them to hold it open until my boat has passed through NOT SHUT IT IN MY FACE..!!

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NO I dont expect anyone to open a bridge for me...HOWEVER if they have already opened it for their own boat then I would expect them to hold it open until my boat has passed through NOT SHUT IT IN MY FACE..!!

 

Quite so.

 

However, I am puzzled having seen the complaints about boaters opening a bridge and leaving it for a following boater to close.

 

That doesn't seem discourteous, and in some places (such as the lift bridges on the UPF) is the only practical solution.

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Our main attraction to the canal network was the fact it's such a slower pace of life. Living on the canal to us means we don't have to get anywhere quickly for any reason,

 

Sorry there are a lot of professionals out there not only carrying but also delivering boats to whom a lost 10 mins in the morning means another hour plus in the evening.

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