same old same old

[madcat]

Am I alone in thinking that boaters are by and large a miserable grumpy judgemental lot,I don't find the canals particularly fun places anymore.The forum is still the same old bunch of miseries as well with a few notable exeptions and a quick trawl through hasn't done much to improve my mood.I did like the thread on Easter at the port though.So will cruise off back to uk hippy and hang out there with some cheerier folks.

calls and Iam

[carlt]

To be fair this is a forum that is primarily for enthusiasts of a pastime that attracts people from all walks of life, political persuasion and religious belief.

 

I'm sure the EDL forum (if there is one) is going to have as little conflict as UK Hippy because all the members are of the same political or idealogical persuasion.

 

The opinions and language, in UK Hippy are just as strong and forthright as here but there is nobody there to disagree.

 

For example, from one thread:

 

Is he a c**t or certifiably insane?

 

f**kwits!!! see - i am swearing - i hate swearing.....

 

F**king morons

 

What an absolute tosser, it beggars belief that people can be so out of touch.

 

Chuck a Daily Mail reader into the ring and they'll either be moderated out of existence or a CWDF style fight will break out.

 

You cannot compare a forum where mutual back scratching is the order of the day to one frequented by all sections of society.

Edited May 6, 2011 by carlt

[Paringa]

Madcat - Love the pic!

[muddywaters]

To be fair this is a forum that is primarily for enthusiasts of a pastime that attracts people from all walks of life, political persuasion and religious belief.

 

I'm sure the EDL forum (if there is one) is going to have as little conflict as UK Hippy because all the members are of the same political or idealogical persuasion.

 

The opinions and language, in UK Hippy are just as strong and forthright as here but there is nobody there to disagree.

 

For example, from one thread:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chuck a Daily Mail reader into the ring and they'll either be moderated out of existence or a CWDF style fight will break out.

 

You cannot compare a forum where mutual back scratching is the order of the day to one frequented by all sections of society.

It's called having different opinions and debate.

OK sometimes debate ends in a massive argument but that happens on 99% of forums, imagine how boring life would be if we all agreed on everything.

As for grumpy people on the canals, well I have come across very few of them on my cruises all on hire boats.

OK yes may have come across the occasional grumpy person as you would anywhere, but the vast majority have been friendly helpful and given advice freely.

Advice which we appreciate BTW because although we consider ourselves to be fairly experienced we do know that we still have a lot to learn.

[David Schweizer]

Am I alone in thinking that boaters are by and large a miserable grumpy judgemental lot,I don't find the canals particularly fun places anymore.The forum is still the same old bunch of miseries as well with a few notable exeptions and a quick trawl through hasn't done much to improve my mood.I did like the thread on Easter at the port though.So will cruise off back to uk hippy and hang out there with some cheerier folks.

calls and Iam

Perhaps not alone, but in a similar minority to the miserable and grumpy boaters.

 

It may be a location thing, but cruising around the Midlands we find that most boaters are friendly and helpful, the few grumpy ones we have seen tend to be older couples who are no longer enjoying living on a boat in such a confined space with their other half.

[canaldrifter]

It's called having different opinions and debate.

OK sometimes debate ends in a massive argument but that happens on 99% of forums, imagine how boring life would be if we all agreed on everything.

As for grumpy people on the canals, well I have come across very few of them on my cruises all on hire boats.

OK yes may have come across the occasional grumpy person as you would anywhere, but the vast majority have been friendly helpful and given advice freely.

Advice which we appreciate BTW because although we consider ourselves to be fairly experienced we do know that we still have a lot to learn.

 

I think a lot of the time folks forget that cyber space isn't real. I've met some pretty abusive posters in my time, face-to-face, and they've turned out to be the mildest and pleasantest mannered people in real life.

 

I guess sometime, some psychologist is going to do a study on forum/newsgroup behaviour. It might be interesting.

 

Of course, some of us are out-and-out bastards in real life too.....

 

(Don't bother, Dave, Chris.... I've got you both on killfile. I won't see it.)

 

Tone

[grahoom]

Am I alone in thinking that boaters are by and large a miserable grumpy judgemental lot,I don't find the canals particularly fun places anymore.The forum is still the same old bunch of miseries as well with a few notable exeptions and a quick trawl through hasn't done much to improve my mood.I did like the thread on Easter at the port though.So will cruise off back to uk hippy and hang out there with some cheerier folks.

calls and Iam

 

Sounds like you're letting people on this forum and out in the real world get to you. Instead of looking at the negatives take a positive view point and look at the wealth of knowledge that is passed around on the forum and avoid the "political" threads. As carlT has said, this forum has a mixed bag of posters from all walks of life and as such clashes will occur when discussing things that are opinion based.

 

If you're trying to improve your mood by coming on this forum, I'd suggest looking at other methods of mood alteration.

 

"Don't take life too seriously; you'll never get out of it alive."

[mayalld]

I think a lot of the time folks forget that cyber space isn't real. I've met some pretty abusive posters in my time, face-to-face, and they've turned out to be the mildest and pleasantest mannered people in real life.

 

I guess sometime, some psychologist is going to do a study on forum/newsgroup behaviour. It might be interesting.

 

Of course, some of us are out-and-out bastards in real life too.....

 

(Don't bother, Dave, Chris.... I've got you both on killfile. I won't see it.)

 

Tone

 

Well, leaving aside the monumental arrogance of assuming that anybody actually cares who is in your killfile...

 

One can only hope that in real life YOU are a different character to the character that you present here.

[Hairy-Neil]

Perhaps not alone, but in a similar minority to the miserable and grumpy boaters.

 

It may be a location thing, but cruising around the Midlands we find that most boaters are friendly and helpful, the few grumpy ones we have seen tend to be older couples who are no longer enjoying living on a boat in such a confined space with their other half.

 

I find house based older couples often follow the golden rule, Every Man Needs a Shed. not usually possible on the water....

[David Schweizer]

I think a lot of the time folks forget that cyber space isn't real. I've met some pretty abusive posters in my time, face-to-face, and they've turned out to be the mildest and pleasantest mannered people in real life.

 

I guess sometime, some psychologist is going to do a study on forum/newsgroup behaviour. It might be interesting.

 

Of course, some of us are out-and-out bastards in real life too.....

(Don't bother, Dave, Chris.... I've got you both on killfile. I won't see it.)

 

Tone

 

You are not going to get away with that so easily. At 8.46am Dave Mayall replied:-

 

Well, leaving aside the monumental arrogance of assuming that anybody actually cares who is in your killfile...

 

One can only hope that in real life YOU are a different character to the character that you present here.

 

Let me also assure you that I would not relax my approach towards your arrogance and rudeness, unless you proved to be very different from the persona you project on this forum.

 

Well that will probably put me on your killfile as well!

Edited May 6, 2011 by David Schweizer

[alan_fincher]

To be fair this is a forum that is primarily for enthusiasts of a pastime that attracts people from all walks of life, political persuasion and religious belief.

 

I'm sure the EDL forum (if there is one) is going to have as little conflict as UK Hippy because all the members are of the same political or idealogical persuasion.

 

The opinions and language, in UK Hippy are just as strong and forthright as here but there is nobody there to disagree.

 

For example, from one thread:

 

.......................

 

Chuck a Daily Mail reader into the ring and they'll either be moderated out of existence or a CWDF style fight will break out.

 

You cannot compare a forum where mutual back scratching is the order of the day to one frequented by all sections of society.

 

Yes, but are you really giving us typical quotes from those other forums......

 

Or have you deliberately gone "cherry picking" from a thread about pump-out versus cassette ?

Edited May 6, 2011 by alan_fincher

[carlt]

 

Or have you deliberately gone "cherry picking" from a thread about pump-out versus cassette ?

It's from the "Does my bender need a Galvanic Isolator" thread.

[Secret Garden]

I find house based older couples often follow the golden rule, Every Man Needs a Shed. not usually possible on the water....

Easy for me, engine room is floating shed where the only rules are my rules, so I have to sacrifice the bedroom & bathroom...

[sueb]

Am I alone in thinking that boaters are by and large a miserable grumpy judgemental lot,I don't find the canals particularly fun places anymore.The forum is still the same old bunch of miseries as well with a few notable exeptions and a quick trawl through hasn't done much to improve my mood.I did like the thread on Easter at the port though.So will cruise off back to uk hippy and hang out there with some cheerier folks.

calls and Iam

You've met my hubby

Sue

[Ange]

Perhaps not alone, but in a similar minority to the miserable and grumpy boaters.

 

It may be a location thing, but cruising around the Midlands we find that most boaters are friendly and helpful, the few grumpy ones we have seen tend to be older couples who are no longer enjoying living on a boat in such a confined space with their other half.

 

We've been oop north for the past two years and have found fellow boaters very friendly and helpful with no snooty shiny boaters. Also no one has threatened to lynch us for admitting to being CCers!

 

We're about to descend to the Midlands - happy to hear that in the main we're going to find the same - I'm looking forward to being 2-3 hours away from family that must be visited every 3-4 months rather than 5-6 hours away!!

[Weyland Yutani]

Well, leaving aside the monumental arrogance of assuming that anybody actually cares who is in your killfile...

 

One can only hope that in real life YOU are a different character to the character that you present here.

 

But is your boat Mr Jinks we passed at Fenny Compton in the last couple of weeks? Brass name plaque on the side?

[LoneWolf]

But is your boat Mr Jinks we passed at Fenny Compton in the last couple of weeks? Brass name plaque on the side?

 

There is another Mr Jinks - he was a lovely happy helpful friendly chap when i met him.

 

for clarity: i have not met Dave

[Weyland Yutani]

There is another Mr Jinks - he was a lovely happy helpful friendly chap when i met him.

 

for clarity: i have not met Dave

 

Yeah this chap gave us a happy smile and a hello when we passed. Beautiful boat also.

[Chertsey]

A forum provides a relatively safe place to have an argument or a rant for people who would perhaps be too shy or restrained to do it in the real world.. out there, they are probably the silent miseries. Sometimes I'm angry or grumpy and sometimes I like an argument or a rant (equally in the real world too) but sometimes I'm all sweetness and light, and I think I'm basically a nice person. Things that would be forgotten in real life are preserved forever on the internet - and it's never the good things that people search out and bring up, somehow.

 

Most (as in perhaps a fraction over 50%) of the people I meet boating are pleasant and friendly, and many pleasant passing conversations can be had safe in the knowledge that you don't have to get to know these people any better (because statistically, they're far more likely to be slightly racist and to read the Daily Mail, than to be fellow Guardian reading woolly liberal hippy types) and there's a lot to be said for such brief, shallow encounters as the oil for the cogs of society, which perhaps is running low in non-boating life where casual interactions are fewer and fewer (because of shopping in supermarkets rather than corner shops; spending the evening in front of a DVD instead of at the cinema or with supermarket beer instead of going to the pub). In boating these little daily interactions still happen but perhaps we need to relearn how to behave towards strangers. There is a far greater tendency now to see others primarily as a threat. We have become used, through online shopping, forums, news sources etc to having everything tailored to our particular desires and world view and less willing to accept others as they are.

 

This isn't a rant, but it is turning into rather a ramble... trying to pull together some threads of thought I've been mulling over.

[boatyboy]

Am I alone in thinking that boaters are by and large a miserable grumpy judgemental lot,I don't find the canals particularly fun places anymore.The forum is still the same old bunch of miseries as well with a few notable exeptions and a quick trawl through hasn't done much to improve my mood.I did like the thread on Easter at the port though.So will cruise off back to uk hippy and hang out there with some cheerier folks.

calls and Iam

What is he on about.He sounds like Victor meldrew.We have been cruising non stop for over three years,and have made many new friends over that period all over the system. And still in contact with those we met at the start.We are by no means miserable.My wife seems to wave to everyone,sometimes to much.

Some people do have a grey cloud over there heads,and always look on the glum side.

Edited May 7, 2011 by boatyboy

[madcat]

Yes i think that some of the people I encounter probably do get a bleep on their threat radar because all though I am a cheerfull friendly soul for the most part and properly brought up I may not look particularly promising on first viewing.Halsall also looks plain and a bit forbidding and over the years I have collected my fair share of snide or even downright unpleasant comments varying from accusations of avoiding paying my way to cultivation of illegal herbs with grumbles about the size of the boat being thrown in for good measure.On the up side I meet lots of good people and have many friends where I moor in the Midlands,in fact I can highly recommend any of the events that are put on round the BCN and would love to see some of you there.Its use it or lose it round our end so come and cruise and stay a while.

Funnily enough Iam not a traditional liberal in any way but I take a very pragmatic approach to life and believe in being mindful of the needs of others.To all I would say if you want the rights you must fully embrace the responsibilities that go along with them.

The best grumpy comment I got was a chap in late middle age who told me my husband should not let me out on my own on such a big boat!!

 

Now folks lets all have beer or a cup of tea and chill and be happy

[by'eck]

Maybe I'm be too judgmental & consequently one of the very folk that madcat refers too, but I am horrified by the lack of technical nowse many narrowboaters have. Obviously allowances can & should be made for folk entirely new to the concept of canal cruising as long as they are willing to jump on a steep learning curve, but I am referring to those who have been doing it for several years.

 

Coming from a sailing environment most skippers at least know how to do basic servicing of the engine, change a raw water impeller, the difference between volts, amps & watts & certainly how to keep their batteries fully charged. Maybe the tougher environment out on the ocean waves with no-one immediately around is an incentive to acquire this knowledge in advance, but I think much of it should be known to folk on the canals who may find themselves without an engine on a fast flowing river or with no battery power to start the engine whilst miles from help.

Edited May 7, 2011 by richardhula

[Chertsey]

Yes i think that some of the people I encounter probably do get a bleep on their threat radar because all though I am a cheerfull friendly soul for the most part and properly brought up I may not look particularly promising on first viewing.Halsall also looks plain and a bit forbidding and over the years I have collected my fair share of snide or even downright unpleasant comments varying from accusations of avoiding paying my way to cultivation of illegal herbs with grumbles about the size of the boat being thrown in for good measure.On the up side I meet lots of good people and have many friends where I moor in the Midlands,in fact I can highly recommend any of the events that are put on round the BCN and would love to see some of you there.Its use it or lose it round our end so come and cruise and stay a while.

Funnily enough Iam not a traditional liberal in any way but I take a very pragmatic approach to life and believe in being mindful of the needs of others.To all I would say if you want the rights you must fully embrace the responsibilities that go along with them.

The best grumpy comment I got was a chap in late middle age who told me my husband should not let me out on my own on such a big boat!!

 

Now folks lets all have beer or a cup of tea and chill and be happy

I'm jealous. So far I have had no disparaging comments about the size or state of the boat (very unprepossessing at present).

 

I can't wait to meet Halsall and your good self one day soon.

[LoneWolf]

A forum provides a relatively safe place to have an argument or a rant for people who would perhaps be too shy or restrained to do it in the real world.. out there, they are probably the silent miseries. Sometimes I'm angry or grumpy and sometimes I like an argument or a rant (equally in the real world too) but sometimes I'm all sweetness and light, and I think I'm basically a nice person. Things that would be forgotten in real life are preserved forever on the internet - and it's never the good things that people search out and bring up, somehow.

 

Most (as in perhaps a fraction over 50%) of the people I meet boating are pleasant and friendly, and many pleasant passing conversations can be had safe in the knowledge that you don't have to get to know these people any better (because statistically, they're far more likely to be slightly racist and to read the Daily Mail, than to be fellow Guardian reading woolly liberal hippy types) and there's a lot to be said for such brief, shallow encounters as the oil for the cogs of society, which perhaps is running low in non-boating life where casual interactions are fewer and fewer (because of shopping in supermarkets rather than corner shops; spending the evening in front of a DVD instead of at the cinema or with supermarket beer instead of going to the pub). In boating these little daily interactions still happen but perhaps we need to relearn how to behave towards strangers. There is a far greater tendency now to see others primarily as a threat. We have become used, through online shopping, forums, news sources etc to having everything tailored to our particular desires and world view and less willing to accept others as they are.

 

This isn't a rant, but it is turning into rather a ramble... trying to pull together some threads of thought I've been mulling over.

 

oh good post.

 

I've been thinking about this a lot recently. When i first moved onto the boat & went from london to leeds pretty much all of the people i met every day for 3 months were strangers and it was very instructive. I think there's a lot of truth in relearning, or at least considering, how we interact with strangers.

I've often spend a whole afternoon or evening with someone i've just met - i may see them again or i may not. But this is i think a good way of interacting with people - with no expectations of any future interactions.

 

Actually, thinking about it this may be a specific example of the 'dont treat impermanent things as if they were permanent' buddhist teaching.

 

Boating does present many challenges (or opportunities for spiritual growth if you prefer) especially when meeting strangers at locks & they're the sort of boaters who 'help' unexpectedly.

 

I have a local area at the moment which is also interesting because there is a much higher likelhood of meeting strangers again. Recently i met someone i'd been a bit short with a couple of weeks before (unexpected help & i was in a grumpy mood anyway) and took the opportunity to apologise

 

I'm not sure what my point is.

[Guest]

(unexpected help

 

I must say I always ask if a boater needs help before I jump in, not doing so to me risks offending them particularly if they have a particular way of doing things and a well meaning person jumping in can mess it up for them.

 

In cases where I've seen a boater has been obviously struggling I have only had an offer of help declined once - that was one of my fellow Mercia moorers (not on here AFAIK) was struggling to pull his boat against the pontoon against a fairly stiff wind.

 

As I passed I called out 'do you need a hand with that' - 'no thanks' he just about managed to say as he was straining himself that much he looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel... fairy nuff.