New signs on locks

[BlueStringPudding]

Not seen these before. But they've mysteriously appeared on the lock gates in Stratford:

 

 

I think they stand for: "Don't park a stretch-Lada on the side of a bath"

Edited July 23, 2008 by BlueStringPudding

[denboy]

I presume the upright bit is what the Americans call a faucet :lol:

[FadeToScarlet]

Don't be cill-y. It looks nowt like a Lada.

[alan_fincher]

Around here thay also say "keep clear of cill" (oe something like that).

 

About half the Marsworth filight have been fitted, so presumably there's no need to keep away from the cill in the other locks ?

 

Another total waste of licence payer's money, unfortunately.

 

(Note the positions of the cills are already all marked at the sides of the locks, anyway).

[BlueStringPudding]

Don't be cill-y. It looks nowt like a Lada.

 

My mistake, it's blatantly a stretch-Fiat-Miraferori!

 

My Dad used to have one (Lada and a Fiat Miraferori) - looked remarkably similar! It wasn't the stretch limo style one though!

Edited July 23, 2008 by BlueStringPudding

[magpie patrick]

Around here thay also say "keep clear of cill" (oe something like that).

 

About half the Marsworth filight have been fitted, so presumably there's no need to keep away from the cill in the other locks ?

 

Another total waste of licence payer's money, unfortunately.

 

(Note the positions of the cills are already all marked at the sides of the locks, anyway).

 

For once, I don't agree: twenty odd boats were cilled last year, including two in Bath. OK, perhaps the Stratford wouldn't be the first one to get the signs, Widcombe locks would actually be a better start! Probably one conclusion reached was that a more graphic warning was necessary.

[bargiepat]

H,

I would give them the "thumbs up"

 

They help focus the mind .

 

 

Regards, Patrick.

Edited July 23, 2008 by bargiepat

[cheshire~rose]

My mistake, it's blatantly a stretch-Fiat-Miraferori!

 

My Dad used to have one (Lada and a Fiat Miraferori) - looked remarkably similar! It wasn't the stretch limo style one though!

 

The Mirafiori........ Fiat 131 ...... I used to have one which was written off by a wheelie bin!

 

Perhaps your original caption should have read "No parking for a Fiat Abarth"

 

I think the signs are not a bad thing at all. If it saves an inexperienced boater from tragedy then it has to be worth it!

[Strads]

K they are near us too now...

 

Initial reviewe of the pic was a hydrofoil,,,,

 

but then it would be ala dragster and tail down and nose up.......

 

 

so its DIVE DIVE DIVE !!!

 

K they are near us too now...

 

Initial reviewe of the pic was a hydrofoil,,,,

 

but then it would be ala dragster and tail down and nose up.......

 

 

so its DIVE DIVE DIVE !!!

[Chris J W]

At least they're proper signs that have been screwed on. The ones on the Llangollen are paper in a clear bag that've been gaffer-taped to the beam!

[tidal]

Excuse me, I would be grateful if we could have fewer derogatory comments about Ladas.

 

They should not be the subject or butt of so many jokes as, although not pretty, they are functional and robust vehicles and are a perfectly normal part of the motoring life of many countries to this date.

 

Lada owners are treated in a worse manner than many minority groups and totally without any real justification.

 

I blame Clarkson, and Jasper Carrott.

 

Thank you

 

Tidal

Niva owner

 

Anyway it it OBVIOUSLY a BW workboat ready for auction

 

one day

 

or not as the case may be

[Idunhoe]

Planning applications for 'warning signs' have appeared on all the locks on the Caldon Canal - at least now I know what the signs will look like

[GRPCruiserman]

Submarines Only!!

 

This is blatent discimination!!

 

The boat shown is quite obviously a Steel NarrowBoat. Does this mean that you are ONLY allowed to get a steel NarrowBoat caught on the cill and it is now not permissable to catch a GRP Cruiser, or Wooden Converted Lifeboat, or any other type of craft on the cill?

 

We need to fight for the right to catch ANY type of boat on the cill, otherwise this new BWB inititive should be taken to the European Court of Human Rights under the anti-discrimination laws.

 

They'll be increasing the cost of fuel next to stop people moving about so much...................

 

 

 

 

Planning applications for 'warning signs' have appeared on all the locks on the Caldon Canal - at least now I know what the signs will look like

 

If the locks are listed structures as they are on The Leeds Liverpool, do they not also need listed consent as well?

Edited July 23, 2008 by GRPCruiserman

[NBMike]

The Mirafiori........ Fiat 131 ...... I used to have one which was written off by a wheelie bin! Perhaps your original caption should have read "No parking for a Fiat Abarth"

 

I think the signs are not a bad thing at all. If it saves an inexperienced boater from tragedy then it has to be worth it!

 

What you drove into it - or IT drove into you?

[Keeping Up]

It is also possible to catch the bow fender under the gates when rising, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to catch the bow on top of the gates when descending, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to hang the boat up on the ropes when descending, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to roll the boat over if you tie the centre-line to the new bollards when rising, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to set fire to the boat in the lock if you pour petrol over the floor and drop a lighted match, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to rip your arm off if you open the weedhatch while the engine is running in the lock, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to blow yourself up if you pull the pin out of a hand grenade and then swallow it, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

Only when there are so many signs that there isn't room for a boat the lock will they be happy - or probably they won't they'll need to put up a sign warning you not to use the lock.

 

And a sign warning you not to read all the signs becasue you'l wear your eyes out

[blackrose]

It is also possible to catch the bow fender under the gates when rising, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to catch the bow on top of the gates when descending, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to hang the boat up on the ropes when descending, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to roll the boat over if you tie the centre-line to the new bollards when rising, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to set fire to the boat in the lock if you pour petrol over the floor and drop a lighted match, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to rip your arm off if you open the weedhatch while the engine is running in the lock, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

It is also possible to blow yourself up if you pull the pin out of a hand grenade and then swallow it, perhaps there should be a sign with a picture warning you of that.

 

Only when there are so many signs that there isn't room for a boat the lock will they be happy - or probably they won't they'll need to put up a sign warning you not to use the lock.

 

Except that out of all those possibilities, getting your boat stuck on the cill is the one that tends to happen most often...

 

There are obviously enough new boaters and hirers who don't realise the danger, so in their wisdom and using statistics on deaths, injuries, destruction of property and call outs to help cilled boaters, BW have deemed that a greater awareness of the risk is necessary. I think that's fairly reasonable - I don't see the problem with a sign and think you're exaggerating.

Edited July 23, 2008 by blackrose

[Keeping Up]

Except that out of all those possibilities, getting your boat stuck on the cill is the one that tends to happen most often...

 

There are obviously enough new boaters and hirers who don't realise the danger, so in their wisdom and using statistics on deaths, injuries, destruction of property and call outs to help cilled boaters, BW have deemed that a greater awareness of the risk is necessary. I think that's fairly reasonable - I don't see the problem with a sign and think you're exaggerating.

I've told you a million times, I never exaggerate!

 

Do you seriously believe that a sign will help? I don't

Edited July 23, 2008 by Keeping Up

[blackrose]

I've told you a million times, I never exaggerate!

 

Do you seriously believe that a sign will help? I don't

 

Well if they save one or two lives then perhaps it's worth it?

 

The problem is that whether we like it or not there will always be people who enter into boating on the canals without being interested enough to find out more about it.

 

Some of those will never understand the dangers of a lock until the worst thing happens and it is too late. If they see this sort of sign (which seems to be in the familiar style of a road sign), it might just prompt them to think a bit and avert the danger.

Edited July 23, 2008 by blackrose

[alan_fincher]

Do you seriously believe that a sign will help? I don't

I totally agree Allan,

 

They will make bugger all difference to the incidence of putting boats on cills.

 

When I complained about a rubbing stone that had been excessively built up with shuttered concrete in a Grand Union lock, and which had hung our boat with fairly terrifying consequences, I had to fend off countless statements about rubbing stones being heritage features. My complaints went to regional manager level, and still didn't get the problem fixed, until a local foreman who actually understood canals decided to just do what was clearly necessary.

 

That was just to modify a non-original under water part of a lock.

 

Now they can come along and slap massive bright yellow signs on the balance beams, apparently with no restriction.

 

They look bloody awful, will have cost a lot, and will achieve precisely nowt.

 

Next we will have "Warning, Trip Hazard" signs nailed to all those new square post "bollards" being erected around narrow locks.

[sueb]

The signs seem to be nation wide. It's nice to know BW have the money, but it would be better spent on making sure the locks actually work. How have boaters managed for the last 200/300yrs without these signs? The waterways heritage is being defaced and we are expected to pay.

Sue

[cheshire~rose]

The signs seem to be nation wide. It's nice to know BW have the money, but it would be better spent on making sure the locks actually work. How have boaters managed for the last 200/300yrs without these signs? The waterways heritage is being defaced and we are expected to pay.

Sue

 

Boaters over 100 years ago were born on boats and grew up learning how to stay safe on the canal. The average hire boat user has possibly only had 30 minutes to learn everything there is to know about how to operate their holiday boat.

 

If a few signs save a life then it has to be worth it!

[blackrose]

They look bloody awful, will have cost a lot, and will achieve precisely nowt.

 

This is conjecture of course, since none of us as yet have any evidence as to whether these signs will have any positive effect or not, but it will be interesting to see if BWs cilling accident stats fall in the next few years.

 

When you're driving on an unfamiliar road and you see a road sign with the symbol of a car skidding around some bends, do you slow down or not?

 

I do.

Edited July 23, 2008 by blackrose

[alan_fincher]

If a few signs save a life then it has to be worth it!

How many lives are lost on canals because of putting a back end of a boat on a cill.

 

I'm not saying none have ever been, though I have never heard of it, despite an on-off association with canals going back nearly 40 years.

 

I'm certainly aware of fatalities in locks, but none I can ever recall relating to putting a boat on the cill.

 

When hire boaters are trying to descend their first few "going down" locks, how many are looking behind them to try and read and understand sign's attached to the balance beams of the gates they have already shut.

 

Not many, I'll wager.

 

Alan

 

p.s.

 

When my brother worked for BW as a lengthman, and lived in a lockside cottage, a hire boat started sinking in his lock, because they had been clearing the prop, and left the weed hatch off. The adult in charge, a teacher, dived in, with the intention of swimming underneath, to see why water was getting in - this before the boat was about to settle on the bottom.

 

Apart from nominating him for a Darwin award, do we erect "don't swim under your sinking boat" signs at each lock - his hire company obviously hadn't told him not to.....

 

OK, I'm taking the piss perhaps, but that was actually a near fatality in a lock, however bizarre his behaviour might have been.

[blackrose]

How many lives are lost on canals because of putting a back end of a boat on a cill.

 

I'm not saying none have ever been, though I have never heard of it, despite an on-off association with canals going back nearly 40 years.

 

I'm certainly aware of fatalities in locks, but none I can ever recall relating to putting a boat on the cill.

 

I heard about a group of disabled people on a boat about 5 years ago who all drowned after their boat got stuck on the cill. I'm sure there have been others since then.

[alan_fincher]

I heard about a group of disabled people on a boat about 5 years ago who all drowned after their boat got stuck on the cill. I'm sure there have been others since then.

I think you are quite likely confusing it with the group of disabled people who drowned in a lock because the boat got hung from it's bows ?

 

It seems unlikely there are two lock incidents where a group of disabled people drowned, (I think it was 4 for the "hung at bows" one, but I may be wrong).

 

So far as I'm aware. the cill played no part in that one, in fact had the boat been near the cill, there would have been no tragedy.

 

Other than Marine Accident Investigation Branch reports into tragedies, I'm not sure where such data is available.

 

EDIT

 

This one possibly - the "Drum Major"

 

(link is to an Acrobat document)

 

http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources/Drum%20Major.pdf

 

I'd say there is just as much justification to have signs warning you that it's possible to hang your bows on lower gates.

Edited July 23, 2008 by alan_fincher