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I'm I the only one that got hit by a sour welcome?

Emilia

By Emilia
in General Boating

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Catrin Proficient

Catrin

Posted
Posted

We found there is an awful atmosphere in boating. Most boaters don't say hi, instead they look with a sour look if at all. Obvious hellos get no response. People from marinas and moorings hate constant cruisers and viceversa. Constant cruisers don't like each other. You are being looked up if your boat is "crap" and the same when your boat is "nice" or expensive. There is jealousy in the air. About what? I don't know. If a boat is struggling doing any kind of maniouvre, instead of help or understanding you are more likely to get patronising attittudes. I have seen this plenty of times. Who on earth struggles purposely? Grief + struggle is of no help. A helping hand is though. Same here in the forum. I see dozens of unhelpful or arrogant replies all the time. Why?

 

What I didn't say, when completely side tracked by 'Pooh Sticks', is that I really don't recognise this. Yes, there is the odd arse out there, (one less than used to be there when he decided to go back to the church), but on the whole, no, I really don't see this. Perhaps I am blithely going around with my scruffy boat and being cheerful and having fun, and not noticing all the people glowering and glaring at me, but if I am, then at least I'm happy.

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Caprifool Rising Star

Caprifool

Posted
Posted

When I am a grump, it's normally because I'm miserable for some reason. So if I encounter another grump, I try to remember that and empathise rather than criticise. I imagine my smile does some good, deep inside. Even if I don't get one back.

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BlueStringPudding Veteran II

BlueStringPudding

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Posted (edited)

There are some people who would find fault if you offered them free beer. But in my experience, most boaters are a cheerful lot, and on the canals it is normal to exchange waves and greetings with total strangers. It might be different out of season.

 

For the record, I don't find fault in anyone who offers me free beer. cheers.gif

 

 

Incidentally, a few years ago my brother came to visit me on my boat when I was moored in Long Itchington. My brother is 6ft3", built like the proverbial brick outhouse, models his image on Busta Bloodvessel, and is covered in tattoos. After two dog walkers and a passing boater waved and said good morning to him, he told me he was used to people crossing the street to get away from him, and here everyone was not judging him by his appearance. He now lives on a boat in Banbury and loves it.

 

I think you have to either be unlucky or unfortunate enough to dwell on a handful of negative experiences, to consider boaters to be unfriendly or sour in general.

I might be one of them. There is only one sure way for you to find out.

 

:lol::clapping::cheers:

Edited by BlueStringPudding
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Androo Proficient

Androo

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I really didn't understand the reference to Pooh Sticks - not what I grew up with. So I thought that there must be some meaning that I hadn't come across, I checked with sons, they didn't know either. So I looked it up in Urban Dictionary.

 

OMG, thank you, NO.

 

I still don't really understand what this has to do with grumpy boaters, or perhaps.... NO, thank you, NO!

Pooh Sticks as knew them, when I was a lad were: Find a reasonable length stick about 18" long plunge it into a doggy doing (both ends) then carefully pick it up in the middle and chuck it at someone you don't like and hope that they retaliate by picking up the stick and throwing it back!

 

Conclusion clapping.gif Ohh they were Poo Sticks sorry...

 

Silly things you do when you are youngmellow.png

When I am a grump, it's normally because I'm miserable for some reason. So if I encounter another grump, I try to remember that and empathise rather than criticise. I imagine my smile does some good, deep inside. Even if I don't get one back.

Not if you use the smile on your AVATAR laugh.png

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I believe 'pooh sticks' is a fairly recent phrase (secret code) that can be used when you think all is not as it seems.

 

Yes, declaring 'pooh sticks' can be a reference to Tom Richmond's excellent post on how to deal with suspected troll posts.

 

I'll see if I can find it.

 

 

MtB

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Guest

Guest

Posted
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I believe 'pooh sticks' is a fairly recent phrase (secret code) that can be used when you think all is not as it seems.

 

That is my understanding of how its applied in here these days too...

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Richard10002 Veteran II

Richard10002

Posted
Posted

Hi Emilia,

 

Firstly, how on earth do people know whether you are continuous cruisers, or boaters with a home mooring on a long cruise/holiday, or what?

 

Secondly, having been narrowboating for over 2 years, I can't say that I have experienced anything similar to yourself, or it's been so infrequent that I have forgotten.

 

There is no doubt that some people don't wave or say hello - they might be busy, or they might have been waving and saying hello all day, and have given up..... Or they might be miserable or shy.

 

My perception from what you have written is that you might be doing something wrong, or giving off an air that is received badly, or you might be seeing something that isn't there.

 

I still wonder how people might know that you are continuous cruisers?

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churchward Veteran II

churchward

Posted
Posted

There are some people who would find fault if you offered them free beer. But in my experience, most boaters are a cheerful lot, and on the canals it is normal to exchange waves and greetings with total strangers. It might be different out of season.

I have never noticed a difference in behaviour connected to the time of year. Any how what is out of season?

 

I suppose on second thoughts I have seen tempers can fray a little more in hot summer months when waiting for locks in certain places is more common for instance. But on the whole not that much even waiting in line for the locks has been on the whole just fine and have had many enjoyable chats with other boaters in those circumstances.

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Starcoaster Veteran

Starcoaster

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have found 95% of the boaters I have met to be friendly and say hi, often a lot more, sometimes ending up in a boozy night in the pub. This has been the case whether I have been single handing, with others, on my little scruffy Springer, on a brand new all bells and whistles Dutch barge, on a historic boat, or on the average long-ish modern-ish not shiny but relatively well kept boat too. Whether I have been underway, or moored up doing boat work, or sitting on the stern under a parasol working on my laptop.

 

I have experienced a very few instances of asshattery too, such as the blustering twatwaffle who hit my moored boat and then blamed it on me, ending with the ubiquitous "get a job you scruffy mumfunded hippy," (paraphrased) while I was sitting on the boat that I own outright having paid for it myself, being lucky enough to call my stern my office for my paid employ.

I was more bemused than offended, but these very very rare altercations do tend to stick in the mind, sometimes appearing more regular or meaningful in memory than they are in reality.

 

I have to say that if I genuinely found that 95% of my interactions with other boaters were not to my taste, I would be looking inwardly rather than outwardly as to what the issue was, however.

Edited by Starcoaster
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Ark Right Community Regular

Ark Right

Posted
Posted

Hi Forumers,

 

After a while boating, although through clenched teeth, I adopted myself this sour attitude. I became the boater I describe above. I got fed up of being pleasant, polite and getting no response and I became unfriendly myself

 

 

All the best,

Emilia

 

Ah, I don't recognise the boat name (nor does Jim Shead for that matter) but I'm pretty sure I've met you just the once.

 

Glad to hear you are changing back to your old self.

 

cheers.gif

A

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