Report Unlicensed Boats!

[Lady Muck]

Merriam-Webster's dictionary definition of crusty is: giving an effect of surly incivility in address or disposition.

 

 

 

Does it for me. Perfectly accurate description of the appearance of many of those boat-dwellers who are not displaying a licence. They may be perfectly nice people who go to church on Sundays, but I wouldn't take the risk of crossing them in person. Would you?

 

 

Are you the security guard who follows me round Lidl every week, watching my every move? By the way, I don't go to church every Sunday, I'm a Buddhist.

[homer2911]

Are you the security guard who follows me round Lidl every week, watching my every move?

 

I'm not, but as a matter of interest, why does he follow you?

[Sir Nibble]

By the way, I don't go to church every Sunday, I'm a Buddhist.

I do, I'm an arsonist.

[Natalie Graham]

You have not the slightest idea of how much enjoyment I get from my ten or twelve weeks spent each year cruising the canals and rivers with my wife and the dog. You are therefore in no position to judge whether I'm getting 'best value' from my licence fee.

 

Others have used terms like 'grass', 'curtain-twitcher' and 'aging, Daily Fail reading overlords' to describe me and others who are frequently annoyed enough by free-loaders to report them.

 

Sticks and stones dear, sticks and stones.

 

 

You are perfectly correct. I have absolutely no idea how you spend your time afloat. That is why I phrased my post in the hypothetical third person.

 

What I will say is that on all the hire boat publicity about enjoying the many pleasures of the inland waterways I have yet to see the opportunity to spot unlicenced boats feature prominently. That does rather suggest that it is not just me who believes there are more pleasurable and rewarding things to do on the canals than looking at boat licences.

 

So, ten to twelve weeks cruising at two or three hours a day. 20 to 30 unlicenced boats an hour. Was it 2000 unlicenced boats someone mentioned earlier? With this new web-page you should have the system cleared of unlicenced boats by the middle of next year at the latest. I'm afraid you are going to have to find other sources of enjoyment anyway. Sorry.

 

Mmm, I wasn't intending to respond. I think it was being addressed as dear that did it.

 

Natalie.

[mayalld]

You are perfectly correct. I have absolutely no idea how you spend your time afloat. That is why I phrased my post in the hypothetical third person.

 

What I will say is that on all the hire boat publicity about enjoying the many pleasures of the inland waterways I have yet to see the opportunity to spot unlicenced boats feature prominently. That does rather suggest that it is not just me who believes there are more pleasurable and rewarding things to do on the canals than looking at boat licences.

 

So, anything that isn't mentioned as one of the pleasures of the inland waterways in hire boat publicity is something that is evidence of people needing to get a life?

 

I don't recall them waxing lyrical on the joys of emptying the bog, or cleaning the windows, or checking the engine oil either.

 

Perhaps it is those who seek to judge the quality of other people's lives based on their own prejudices as to what is and is not a worthwhile use of their time who should get a life?

[Lady Muck]

I do, I'm an arsonist.

 

I'm a junglist as well......

 

 

I'm not, but as a matter of interest, why does he follow you?

 

I suspect he might be judging me by the way I look.

 

Just the same as a certain cab driver, who picked me up, first, when I was on my way back from a meeting, smartly dressed and was as sweet as pie to me, then another time when I was in my usual boat clothes and he was incredibly rude, snapped at me to 'not mark the seats!' and demanded my money before he would unlock the doors to let me get out.

 

I think it's always a good idea to have proper dialogue with someone before you make your mind up about them.

[Natalie Graham]

I don't recall them waxing lyrical on the joys of emptying the bog, or cleaning the windows, or checking the engine oil either.

That could be the reason the boat hire companies do these jobs for their customers, because they recognise that hirers will have far more enjoyable things to do on their holiday than emptying toilets, washing the boat and maintaining the engine. I suppose if anyone did want to hire a boat for a week in order to clean it, empty the toilets, and carry out engine maintainance tasks then there could be hire companies or individuals willing to reach some sort of agreement. I would imagine though that most would consider such a request somewhat odd.

 

I note that you make a comparison between carrying out these activities and looking for unlicenced boats.

 

Natalie.

[mayalld]

That could be the reason the boat hire companies do these jobs for their customers, because they recognise that hirers will have far more enjoyable things to do on their holiday than emptying toilets, washing the boat and maintaining the engine. I suppose if anyone did want to hire a boat for a week in order to clean it, empty the toilets, and carry out engine maintainance tasks then there could be hire companies or individuals willing to reach some sort of agreement. I would imagine though that most would consider such a request somewhat odd.

 

I note that you make a comparison between carrying out these activities and looking for unlicenced boats.

 

Natalie.

 

There are hire companies that come out and check the oil for you?

 

However, many of us are boat owners, and all these little tasks are part of the routine of running a boat.

 

Likewise, keeping a log of our journeys, into which I note interesting events during the day.

[Natalie Graham]

There are hire companies that come out and check the oil for you?

 

However, many of us are boat owners, and all these little tasks are part of the routine of running a boat.

 

Likewise, keeping a log of our journeys, into which I note interesting events during the day.

A scenario: Hire boater goes to pick up boat,

 

Hire Boater B: Has the boat been cleaned?

 

Hire Company: No, You have to do that.

 

HB: But the toilet's been pumped out hasn't it?

 

HC: No, You have to do that too.

 

HB: The engine's ok though isn't it? I mean it has enough oil and everything, hasn't it?

 

HC: Dunno, we haven't checked.

 

I doubt there's a company who will go out and check the oil every day, although I am sure plenty would if offered a large enough fee. I suspect though that if they simply sat back and set up a web-site asking for volunteers to go out and look for any of their customers whose oil needed checking, those customers would not be best pleased. Strangely though there is an organisation whose do send people out to check for unlicenced boats. Surely they would not expect to rely on private individuals to do their work for them, would they?

 

Can I ask, what is in your log of interesting events which occur during the day? Maybe you could look back through a few random pages and tell us how prominently sightings of unlicenced boats feature. I am sure that like most people you have found far more interesting events to record.

 

Natalie.

[mayalld]

Can I ask, what is in your log of interesting events which occur during the day? Maybe you could look back through a few random pages and tell us how prominently sightings of unlicenced boats feature. I am sure that like most people you have found far more interesting events to record.

 

Natalie.

 

The log contains details of interesting scenery, interesting boats, fueling and servicing, queues encountered at locks, our "black book" (into which the names of boats that have behaved in a particularly prattish way are recorded), defective equipment found, pub reviews, beer stains, tea stans, oily thumbprints and freeloaders noticed.

[Jason Wilson and Family]

Perhaps it is those who seek to judge the quality of other people's lives based on their own prejudices as to what is and is not a worthwhile use of their time who should get a life?

You'd know all about judging people based on your own prejudices so I suppose I'll have to take your word for it.

 

Just the same as a certain cab driver, who picked me up, first, when I was on my way back from a meeting, smartly dressed and was as sweet as pie to me, then another time when I was in my usual boat clothes and he was incredibly rude, snapped at me to 'not mark the seats!' and demanded my money before he would unlock the doors to let me get out.

Those sorts of people are the scum of the earth. I have the unfortunate distinction of having slipped into that level before, I'm sure I missed meeting some very interesting and kind people that way..

Edited October 28, 2008 by Jason Wilson and Family

[homer2911]

Mmm, I wasn't intending to respond. I think it was being addressed as dear that did it.

 

Natalie.

 

 

Ooh! Touchy.

[homer2911]

Nathalie said:

 

I think it's always a good idea to have proper dialogue with someone before you make your mind up about them.

 

 

I think you are in danger of making a career out of missing the point.

 

If someone looks like a crusty (and I think everyone, even a crusty, will know exactly what I mean by that description, so lets be honest about it and not split hairs), then I would not feel comfortable about challenging them on the lack of a licence. It's all about appearances.

 

Obviously, there are perfectly nice people who just look like a crusty, and you may well be one of them, but it is a fact of life that first impressions of someone will govern one's initial attitude towards them. I'm with the taxi driver who was nice to you when you were dressed up, but not so nice when you were dressed in older clothes and thus likely to dirty his upholstery.

 

You're walking down the road and suddenly there's a group of youths walking towards you, all with their hoods up on a warm sunny day. Nervous? Why? Because they are more likely to be a threat than a man in a business suit. They may be on their way to help little old ladies with their shopping, but you've already made a character judgement about them. And if you haven't, you're either very careless about your own safety, or just plain stupid.

[Natalie Graham]

Nathalie said:

 

I think it's always a good idea to have proper dialogue with someone before you make your mind up about them.

If you mean me, I don't think I did.

 

Natalie.

[greywolf]

Nathalie said:

 

I think it's always a good idea to have proper dialogue with someone before you make your mind up about them.

 

 

I think you are in danger of making a career out of missing the point.

 

If someone looks like a crusty (and I think everyone, even a crusty, will know exactly what I mean by that description, so lets be honest about it and not split hairs), then I would not feel comfortable about challenging them on the lack of a licence. It's all about appearances.

 

Obviously, there are perfectly nice people who just look like a crusty, and you may well be one of them, but it is a fact of life that first impressions of someone will govern one's initial attitude towards them. I'm with the taxi driver who was nice to you when you were dressed up, but not so nice when you were dressed in older clothes and thus likely to dirty his upholstery.

 

You're walking down the road and suddenly there's a group of youths walking towards you, all with their hoods up on a warm sunny day. Nervous? Why? Because they are more likely to be a threat than a man in a business suit. They may be on their way to help little old ladies with their shopping, but you've already made a character judgement about them. And if you haven't, you're either very careless about your own safety, or just plain stupid.

 

You throw out terms emotive terms such a crusty so a to dehumanize people who you can then abuse without feeling sorry for.It is a slippery slope.

[Lady Muck]

Nathalie said:

 

I think it's always a good idea to have proper dialogue with someone before you make your mind up about them.

 

 

I think you are in danger of making a career out of missing the point.

 

If someone looks like a crusty (and I think everyone, even a crusty, will know exactly what I mean by that description, so lets be honest about it and not split hairs), then I would not feel comfortable about challenging them on the lack of a licence. It's all about appearances.

 

Obviously, there are perfectly nice people who just look like a crusty, and you may well be one of them, but it is a fact of life that first impressions of someone will govern one's initial attitude towards them. I'm with the taxi driver who was nice to you when you were dressed up, but not so nice when you were dressed in older clothes and thus likely to dirty his upholstery.

 

You're walking down the road and suddenly there's a group of youths walking towards you, all with their hoods up on a warm sunny day. Nervous? Why? Because they are more likely to be a threat than a man in a business suit. They may be on their way to help little old ladies with their shopping, but you've already made a character judgement about them. And if you haven't, you're either very careless about your own safety, or just plain stupid.

 

Errm, my clothes weren't dirty. I was allowed to put my bags on the seat when I was dressed smartly - when I was dressed in my boat gear, same bags were suddenly unclean.

 

Yes I have confronted gangs of teenagers before, they were in the process of vandalising our shower blocks. Nothing scary happened. But I didn't shout and lose my rag. They were actually shocked and they stopped. The school were informed as were the police, they were known to the cops already. I also stopped a bloke from flytipping furniture on the marsh. I asked him how he would feel if I went and dumped all my crap in his garden. I made him put it back in his car and told him where the tip was.

 

I just get fed up with the fear and disrespect in our society, the probelms we have are all our own doing. It stems from a reluctance to talk to others. It breeds distrust. It's how wars start. I am not scared of my fellow human being and I'm not scared of having words if they do something I'm not happy about, call me foolhardy if you wish. I'm prepared to die for what I believe in but I haven't died yet!

 

If you confront anyone about their license in a frictional way, then I'm sure you'll get the same back. If you talk to someone with an unlicensed boat in a respectful way, you may well be able to find out why they are unlicensed without being beaten up. (!)

 

I think we're all guilty of being judgemental, none of us are immune, but it's something I am really trying to work at.

 

It drives me mad - stuff such as narrowminded world writing off entire bits of canal because there are 'bandits'.

 

Kids have thrown stones at boats since boats have existed I reckon. We copied the Pirate Club ( my partner skippers for them) and simply don hard hats and a golf umbrella should this happen. We had a gang of bored kids get on our boat in Enfield last month and it took us an age to get them off. Does that mean I should never visit the Stort and Lee? Those boaters who race through central London in one day flat. It's a shame - they are missing out on so many places to tie up and explore just because they are scared. So sad.

 

Sorry about the serious derail.

Edited October 28, 2008 by Lady Muck

[Jason Wilson and Family]

the problems we have are all our own doing. It stems from a reluctance to talk to others. It breeds distrust.

 

Exactly, it seems like all the people here who want to see people without licences sent off to BW are either too cowardly or just can't be arsed to go and ask about the license.

 

If it bothers them so much they could easily solve the problem by walking a stretch of canal getting to know the boaters licensed or otherwise and trying to help out the ones without a licence.

 

In this time of financial trouble people here in the US have been pointing fingers at the folks who got trapped in a bad mortgage. I saw the other day that someone had bought one of the foreclosed homes and gave it back to the previous owner. If everyone who could afford to do that did it we'd have no problem. Of course people would try to abuse it but if we knew about our neighbours you'd know who was struggling and who was looking for a handout.

 

As it stands now how do you think struggling boaters feel when someone reports them for the 5th time in as many days? Do you think it makes them more likely to pay for something they can't afford right away or do you think it makes them more likely to say "sod them all, I'm not paying"?

 

We had a gang of bored kids get on our boat in Enfield last month and it took us an age to get them off. Does that mean I should never visit the Stort and Lee?

 

Nope just means you need to put electrified poultry netting on your roof. that'll teach 'em.

[Tomska]

Nathalie said:

 

I think it's always a good idea to have proper dialogue with someone before you make your mind up about them.

 

 

I think you are in danger of making a career out of missing the point.

 

If someone looks like a crusty (and I think everyone, even a crusty, will know exactly what I mean by that description, so lets be honest about it and not split hairs), then I would not feel comfortable about challenging them on the lack of a licence. It's all about appearances.

 

Obviously, there are perfectly nice people who just look like a crusty, and you may well be one of them, but it is a fact of life that first impressions of someone will govern one's initial attitude towards them. I'm with the taxi driver who was nice to you when you were dressed up, but not so nice when you were dressed in older clothes and thus likely to dirty his upholstery.

 

You're walking down the road and suddenly there's a group of youths walking towards you, all with their hoods up on a warm sunny day. Nervous? Why? Because they are more likely to be a threat than a man in a business suit. They may be on their way to help little old ladies with their shopping, but you've already made a character judgement about them. And if you haven't, you're either very careless about your own safety, or just plain stupid.

 

Or just not prejudiced.

 

Lots of kids round my way go round with their hoods up. Nobody bats an eyelid.

 

This isn't about kids in hoods, or about "crusties". It's about your personal fears and prejudices.

[US Marines]

Or just not prejudiced.

 

Lots of kids round my way go round with their hoods up. Nobody bats an eyelid.

 

This isn't about kids in hoods, or about "crusties". It's about your personal fears and prejudices.

 

Well said - and about BWs active encouragement for us all to develop them....

[NB Teila]

The log contains details of interesting scenery, interesting boats, fueling and servicing, queues encountered at locks, our "black book" (into which the names of boats that have behaved in a particularly prattish way are recorded), defective equipment found, pub reviews, beer stains, tea stans, oily thumbprints and freeloaders noticed.

 

 

Do you have a book for your little mishaps?

[mayalld]

Do you have a book for your little mishaps?

 

Indeed I do.

 

It remains, of course, unsullied by ink!

[grahoom]

Indeed I do.

 

It remains, of course, unsullied by ink!

 

have you been using a pencil?

[mayalld]

Exactly, it seems like all the people here who want to see people without licences sent off to BW are either too cowardly or just can't be arsed to go and ask about the license.

 

If it bothers them so much they could easily solve the problem by walking a stretch of canal getting to know the boaters licensed or otherwise and trying to help out the ones without a licence.

 

In this time of financial trouble people here in the US have been pointing fingers at the folks who got trapped in a bad mortgage. I saw the other day that someone had bought one of the foreclosed homes and gave it back to the previous owner. If everyone who could afford to do that did it we'd have no problem. Of course people would try to abuse it but if we knew about our neighbours you'd know who was struggling and who was looking for a handout.

 

As it stands now how do you think struggling boaters feel when someone reports them for the 5th time in as many days? Do you think it makes them more likely to pay for something they can't afford right away or do you think it makes them more likely to say "sod them all, I'm not paying"?

 

I could go along with the idea of a fund into which boaters could contribute, out of which the trustees could fund the licences of those who can't pay. Indeed, I would probably contribute to such a fund.

 

You repeatedly suggest that we should go and ask about the licence, but we know already (because carlt holds this view) that some boaters believe that their licencing status is between them and BW and nobody else's business.

 

So, no, I really don't think that asking the owner of an unlicenced boat will achieve much, except a breach of the peace.

 

As to how somebody feels having been reported 5 times in 5 days, what makes you imagine that anybody would know how many times they had been reported?

[NB Teila]

Indeed I do.

 

It remains, of course, unsullied by ink!

 

 

You use a pencil?

[carlt]

You use a pencil?

No, he's still only allowed a crayon!

 

(Only kidding! Couldn't resist)