drink/boating petition

[carlt]

I should probably not feel morally superior for such people but sympathy for them but this is unlikely if they cause me problems on the cut.

I certainly recognise that dilemma.

[Naughty Cal]

Completely misread again. Whilst I am at the doctor's sorting out my superiority problem you could attend a reading clinic. I claimed to feel superior to those who cannnot enjoy boating without a drink not everyone who does so and then steers their boat.

Carl has a point in that I should probably not feel morally superior for such people but sympathy for them but this is unlikely if they cause me problems on the cut.

 

Sympathy for people who enjoy themselves?

 

No one is saying that you have to have a drink to enjoy boating. Im sure everybody can enjoy boating without a drink, some of us find it all the more enjoyable for the beer. I enjoy pulling up at a riverside pub for lunch and a pint before heading off to find a spot for the evening. Even more enjoyable when the sun is shining.

 

Why does people drinking "on the cut" cause you a problem?

[AlanH]

Sympathy for people who enjoy themselves?

 

No one is saying that you have to have a drink to enjoy boating. Im sure everybody can enjoy boating without a drink, some of us find it all the more enjoyable for the beer. I enjoy pulling up at a riverside pub for lunch and a pint before heading off to find a spot for the evening. Even more enjoyable when the sun is shining.

 

Why does people drinking "on the cut" cause you a problem?

I even underlined the cannot but you still choose to ignore it.

Edited June 25, 2009 by AlanH

[Naughty Cal]

I even underlined the cannot but you still choose to ignore it.

 

Im sure there a very few who cannot enjoy boating without a drink.

[AlanH]

Im sure there a very few who cannot enjoy boating without a drink.

Then I feel superior to or sympathy for very few.

[mayalld]

Where did I express a desire to interfere with other people's business? I don't give a toss about these regulations. They are unenforceable on the canals and they will not affect me. I am morally superior to anyone who cannot enjoy boating without a mind altering drug.

 

• Firstly, they are perfectly enforceable, and any police force that needs to boost their stats could simply work out where boaters have a lunchtime pint, and pop over and breathalise them as the cast off.
  
• Secondly, you are only morally superior if you define enjoying a drink as being immoral, so it is dependent on your value system. If your value system defines being insufferably smug and patronising about that other people drink as immoral, you lose.
  

[journeyperson]

This is all very interesting but it is fast approaching mid-day. On my boat or off, it's time for a beer .

[mayalld]

I even underlined the cannot but you still choose to ignore it.

 

Indeed you did.

 

Those who CANNOT are, by definition alcoholics.

 

So, you sit there smugly looking down on the sick.

 

A can enjoy boating without having a drink, and often do. I also enjoy boating with a drink, and often do.

 

I make a decision according to whether I fancy a drink, which dictates whether a drink will make the day better or not. I don't make the decision according to what smug holier than thou people pronounce about moral superiority.

 

I am never drunk when steering, and I am very unlikely to be over the limit. A combination of the time of day when one might reasonably open the first can, the elapsed time from then to mooring up time, the rate of consumption and my physique. makes it very unlikely that I could exceed the limit, so on that level, this doesn't really affect me.

 

Interesting calculator

 

Blood alcohol calculator

[Naughty Cal]

Interesting calculator

 

Blood alcohol calculator

 

I was on the limit. Quick coffe should sort it out

[Tony Brooks]

Indeed you did.

 

Those who CANNOT are, by definition alcoholics.

 

So, you sit there smugly looking down on the sick.

 

A can enjoy boating without having a drink, and often do. I also enjoy boating with a drink, and often do.

 

I make a decision according to whether I fancy a drink, which dictates whether a drink will make the day better or not. I don't make the decision according to what smug holier than thou people pronounce about moral superiority.

 

I am never drunk when steering, and I am very unlikely to be over the limit. A combination of the time of day when one might reasonably open the first can, the elapsed time from then to mooring up time, the rate of consumption and my physique. makes it very unlikely that I could exceed the limit, so on that level, this doesn't really affect me.

 

Interesting calculator

 

Blood alcohol calculator

 

 

Just did my calculation for my typical "drinking" summer evening & find I would be under the limit, however I know my chances of falling in would be many times the normal. I suppose this just shows how arbitrary the limits are or how inaccurate the calculator.

[Naughty Cal]

Just did my calculation for my typical "drinking" summer evening & find I would be under the limit, however I know my chances of falling in would be many times the normal. I suppose this just shows how arbitrary the limits are or how inaccurate the calculator.

 

Or that you should sit down to drink

[Chris Pink]

Just did my calculation for my typical "drinking" summer evening & find I would be under the limit, however I know my chances of falling in would be many times the normal. I suppose this just shows how arbitrary the limits are or how inaccurate the calculator.

 

I tend to agree with this.

 

Whereas it is true that under normal circumstances a moderate amount of alcohol, or cannabis, or cocaine will not materially affect one's ability to steer a boat the real danger comes when something unexpected happens. it is at these moments that accurate and decisive action can make the difference between a disaster and one that is averted.

 

People must make their own judgements on their behaviour.

 

I certainly would not steer my boat after even a moderate amount of alcohol as I know that errors of judgement can easily escalate into 'situations'. I would also have impaired my ability to help someone else in difficulty.

 

It is true that inland boating is in general very safe but that is no reason to play fast and loose with basic common sense.

 

I would not like to be in a lock with someone operating it who had been drinking as, again, I know how fast dangerous situations can develop - and not necessarily under my control - a child falling in for instance.

[AlanH]

Indeed you did.

 

Those who CANNOT are, by definition alcoholics.

Not at all there are those who see drinking as an essential part of boating as proved by previous posts but don't necessarily see it as a daily necessity elsewhere.

[Naughty Cal]

Not at all there are those who see drinking as an essential part of boating as proved by previous posts but don't necessarily see it as a daily necessity elsewhere.

 

There are also those that dont but try and enforce their own regime on others.

[mayalld]

Not at all there are those who see drinking as an essential part of boating as proved by previous posts but don't necessarily see it as a daily necessity elsewhere.

 

I certainly don't see it a necessity

 

I certainly see it as a further enhancement to the experience.

[AlanH]

I certainly don't see it a necessity

 

I certainly see it as a further enhancement to the experience.

As long as you don't inconvenience me or others I don't care what you do. I also wouldn't care if drinking alcohol was prohibited along with consuming all the other drugs available. I'm not promoting a limit, I just don't give a toss if one is applied.

[mayalld]

As long as you don't inconvenience me or others I don't care what you do. I also wouldn't care if drinking alcohol was prohibited along with consuming all the other drugs available. I'm not promoting a limit, I just don't give a toss if one is applied.

 

OK, I can guarantee that I won't inconvenience you, because I won't have so much alcohol that it affects me adversely.

 

It is interesting that just because it won't affect you, you don't give a toss.

 

And when they came for the boozers, I said nothing because I wasn't a boozer......

 

I do hope that when they try to ban pontificating about what other people do, you won't be too dissapointed by the support you get.

[WotEver]

Firstly, they are perfectly enforceable, and any police force that needs to boost their stats could simply work out where boaters have a lunchtime pint, and pop over and breathalise them as the cast off.

 

Does it mention anywhere in the act what the actual penalty will be if found to be one of the inferior transgressors?

 

I suppose I could go and read the details myself but after ploughing through 100 posts I really can't be @rsed.

 

T

[mayalld]

Does it mention anywhere in the act what the actual penalty will be if found to be one of the inferior transgressors?

 

I suppose I could go and read the details myself but after ploughing through 100 posts I really can't be @rsed.

 

T

 

Yes;

 

82 Penalty

A person guilty of an offence under this Part shall be liable—

 

a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both, or

 

on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.

Edited June 25, 2009 by mayalld

[WotEver]

Thank you, kind sir

 

a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.

 

The maximum being?

[mayalld]

Thank you, kind sir

 

 

 

The maximum being?

 

£5,000

[Athy]

At least you wouldn't lose your licence.

[mayalld]

At least you wouldn't lose your licence.

 

No, but you could lose your liberty, and you would get a criminal record.

[Athy]

No, but you could lose your liberty, and you would get a criminal record.

 

Yes Dave, I realise that, I just meant that as you don't need a licence to drive a boat, your could not lose it and therefore could be back at the tiller the next day.

I would love to see the police's reaction when they are told to breathalyse boaters on the Middle Levels, or even on that stretch of the Oxford where no road crosses it for six miles.

[CanalWalker]

If you damage your boat while drunk and are prosecuted after being shown to be drunk I doubt you would get much sympathy from your insurance company!