Think first - and if you cant think then talk

[WJM]

I had an interesting experience recently. I came to the top of Denham Deep Lock and found the lock full except for a foot or two that had drained. So I opened the paddles, levelled it and proceeded to lock down. While I was doing that I noticed that boat had arrived below and was waiting to go up. Perfect I thought, I can probably save myself a long ladder climb, they will probably open up for me. But no, the couple on board seemed determined to stay onboard and let me work the lock entirely on my own. How rude I thought. As I opened up I could see them positioning to enter the lock. Too rude I thought. So I stopped in the lock mouth and closed up. At that point one of the crew finally jumped onto the bank and came up and reopened the gate. "You took our lock" he shouted at me. "We saw you opening the top paddles when we were in full view".

 

See, if they had put their brains in gear before putting their obtuse nature in motion they could have had a much better day. Or at very least if they had come up onto the lock to 'give out' to me they would have discovered their misunderstanding.

 

Think first, talk second, be a prat third!

 

 

 

[colmac]

Having experienced this situation myself I can sympathise. I invariably adopt a policy on non-confrontation these days after 32 yrs as a police officer, now retired, I no longer wish to argue. Besides, the vast majority of people we meet on the cut are just nice people doing something they like. But, engaging brain before mouth is a good idea.

[by'eck]

Having also been in this situation as a single hander, it seems common policy for the "injured" party to just wallow in their gripe and offer no assistance, although seemingly shooting themselves in the foot.

 

If their perception is that you have delayed their passage surely it could be offset by assisting you. If nothing else it saves them opening a gate and gives you the opportunity to explain your actions and hopefully clear the air.

[colmac]

Hi Ecky Thump. Digressing slightly but moored near you at the Alvecote Historic boat rally a few weeks ago and was much impressed by your boat.Happy boating and hope you don't encounter too many numpties.

[Burgiesburnin]

Its inevitable that you will often meet people on the cut that you left dry land to get away from, that's just how it works.

[KarlosMacronius]

Don't understand it myself. You arrive at a lock and someone's doing something you go and offer help (often its not needed or you get there too late anyway) but you have a chat and get news from the other end of the cut.... (or rather you send the misses cuz she's 'ships ambassador' and finds talking to people easier.)

 

They were going up though so its probably the London effect.

[Athy]

Hi Ecky Thump. Digressing slightly but moored near you at the Alvecote Historic boat rally a few weeks ago and was much impressed by your boat.Happy boating and hope you don't encounter too many numpties.

I thought I recognised your boat's name (I noticed it because I once taught a boy with that rather unusual surname). We were moored at t'other end from mr. Thump, just beyond the Narrowcraft basin.

I second your emotion regarding his boat - indeed, for the spotter of lovely boats there was much on offer that weekend.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Athy

[Sanddancer]

I had an interesting experience recently. I came to the top of Denham Deep Lock and found the lock full except for a foot or two that had drained. So I opened the paddles, levelled it and proceeded to lock down. While I was doing that I noticed that boat had arrived below and was waiting to go up. Perfect I thought, I can probably save myself a long ladder climb, they will probably open up for me. But no, the couple on board seemed determined to stay onboard and let me work the lock entirely on my own. How rude I thought. As I opened up I could see them positioning to enter the lock. Too rude I thought. So I stopped in the lock mouth and closed up. At that point one of the crew finally jumped onto the bank and came up and reopened the gate. "You took our lock" he shouted at me. "We saw you opening the top paddles when we were in full view".

 

See, if they had put their brains in gear before putting their obtuse nature in motion they could have had a much better day. Or at very least if they had come up onto the lock to 'give out' to me they would have discovered their misunderstanding.

 

Think first, talk second, be a prat third!

 

 

 

So many of these TYPES on the cut with their "TIME SHARE" boats

[carlt]

So many of these TYPES on the cut with their "TIME SHARE" boats

A comment that demonstrates your particular prejudice, not any particular boating sector's habits.

 

You can delete "TIME SHARE" and replace it with "Hire", "Private", "Ex-working", "Wooden", "Tupperware", "Canoe", "Tin Bath" or any other "TYPE" that you may dislike.

[Athy]

A comment that demonstrates your particular prejudice, not any particular boating sector's habits.

 

You can delete "TIME SHARE" and replace it with "Hire", "Private", "Ex-working", "Wooden", "Tupperware", "Canoe", "Tin Bath" or any other "TYPE" that you may dislike.

Good idea. I would replace it with "boring" on the grounds that distinctive and interesting boats tend to be owned and crewed by people who are more interesting to meet.

I know that boredom is in the (closed?) eyes of the beholder. One particular make springs to mind, and no, it's not Springer, it's far more fratefully middle-clarse than those.

[Graham Davis]

So many of these TYPES on the cut with their "TIME SHARE" boats

 

1/ How do you know it was a timeshare boat?

2/ Do you even know what boat it was?

3/ Are you prejudiced against everyone?

4/ Are you perfect?

[Athy]

Surely your third premise would be unlikely unless everybody else had a time share boat.

[blackrose]

I had an interesting experience recently. I came to the top of Denham Deep Lock and found the lock full except for a foot or two that had drained. So I opened the paddles, levelled it and proceeded to lock down. While I was doing that I noticed that boat had arrived below and was waiting to go up. Perfect I thought, I can probably save myself a long ladder climb, they will probably open up for me. But no, the couple on board seemed determined to stay onboard and let me work the lock entirely on my own. How rude I thought. As I opened up I could see them positioning to enter the lock. Too rude I thought. So I stopped in the lock mouth and closed up. At that point one of the crew finally jumped onto the bank and came up and reopened the gate. "You took our lock" he shouted at me. "We saw you opening the top paddles when we were in full view".

 

See, if they had put their brains in gear before putting their obtuse nature in motion they could have had a much better day. Or at very least if they had come up onto the lock to 'give out' to me they would have discovered their misunderstanding.

 

Think first, talk second, be a prat third!

 

 

 

 

I take it you didn't bother to explain that the lock was already full and just needed to be topped up?

[MtB]

 

I take it you didn't bother to explain that the lock was already full and just needed to be topped up?

 

I also take it the other boat didn't surmise this from the speed with which he entered to lock after opening the top paddles...

 

 

MtB

[Idunhoe]

To Graham Davis, I will confess to being prejudiced against everyone.........everyone that is who shows a complete lack of common sense and manners.

[LoneWolf]

I had an interesting experience recently. I came to the top of Denham Deep Lock and found the lock full except for a foot or two that had drained. So I opened the paddles, levelled it and proceeded to lock down. While I was doing that I noticed that boat had arrived below and was waiting to go up. Perfect I thought, I can probably save myself a long ladder climb, they will probably open up for me. But no, the couple on board seemed determined to stay onboard and let me work the lock entirely on my own. How rude I thought. As I opened up I could see them positioning to enter the lock. Too rude I thought. So I stopped in the lock mouth and closed up. At that point one of the crew finally jumped onto the bank and came up and reopened the gate. "You took our lock" he shouted at me. "We saw you opening the top paddles when we were in full view".

 

See, if they had put their brains in gear before putting their obtuse nature in motion they could have had a much better day. Or at very least if they had come up onto the lock to 'give out' to me they would have discovered their misunderstanding.

 

Think first, talk second, be a prat third!

 

 

 

 

so you saw a boat waiting to come in and yet you stopped and shut the gates?

 

Far more prattish than them not helping you imo - well done!

 

but then i don't consider it rude if someone doesn't 'help' me either

Edited September 17, 2014 by LoneWolf

[David Mack]

I had an interesting experience recently. I came to the top of Denham Deep Lock and found the lock full except for a foot or two that had drained. So I opened the paddles, levelled it and proceeded to lock down. While I was doing that I noticed that boat had arrived below and was waiting to go up. Perfect I thought, I can probably save myself a long ladder climb, they will probably open up for me. But no, the couple on board seemed determined to stay onboard and let me work the lock entirely on my own. How rude I thought. As I opened up I could see them positioning to enter the lock. Too rude I thought. So I stopped in the lock mouth and closed up. At that point one of the crew finally jumped onto the bank and came up and reopened the gate. "You took our lock" he shouted at me. "We saw you opening the top paddles when we were in full view".

 

On arrival the lock had paddles and gates closed at both ends and was nearly full. I don't suppose either of you could tell which boat arrived first, but you had crew on the lockside when they didn't. So in what sense was it their lock?

[WJM]

 

I take it you didn't bother to explain that the lock was already full and just needed to be topped up?

I did, but only after they had bothered to get off their boat and come near enough to talk to.

 

On arrival the lock had paddles and gates closed at both ends and was nearly full. I don't suppose either of you could tell which boat arrived first, but you had crew on the lockside when they didn't. So in what sense was it their lock?

If the lock was empty, or even near empty, I would have considered it 'theirs'.

[nb Innisfree]

It's the old blame game in action again. Not taking responsibilty for your actions in life will result in backward progress, the karma scales just keep balancing.

[Machpoint005]

WJM's actions were, in my view, entirely reasonable.

 

On approaching a closed lock gate, he investigated, and found the lock nearly full with all paddles down. He topped up the lock and used it.

If the crew at the bottom were in such a blazing hurry, why hadn't they drawn a paddle at the bottom end?

 

On the other hand ---

 

It was obviously 'their' canal, so WJM had no right to use it without consultation. There are folk like that around everywhere. Often seen driving BMWs on the M6 (there's prejudice for you!).

[Hawkmoth]

I really hate it when I'm working a lock and the folk on the lock mooring at the other end just sit there and don't attempt to help or talk. It's rude in my opinion. Mind I do try to hold my tongue, you never know there might be perfectly good reason they didn't help.

Bob

[WJM]

I have to report that it was a shiny boat ;-)

 

But in their defence, it was 'he' who came forward to open the especially massive lock gate while 'she' steered the boat!

[mayalld]

I really hate it when I'm working a lock and the folk on the lock mooring at the other end just sit there and don't attempt to help or talk. It's rude in my opinion. Mind I do try to hold my tongue, you never know there might be perfectly good reason they didn't help.

Bob

Indeed so.

 

I had a run in with somebody at Bosley recently when he closed the gates on me for not helping "it doesn't take two of you to stand there. She can hold the centre rope whilst you help".

 

Well actually, sunshine, "she" has just completed a course of chemo and isn't supposed to be doing anything with ropes and stuff, so if there is a boat coming out of the lock, I need to be holding the ropes.

 

Whilst I would agree that the accusation of stealing a lock was out of order, closing gates to spite people is also out of order.

[Dyertribe]

Happened to us once when we were hiring, lock in out favour so we entered and proceeded to descend the lock when an irate posh woman started harranging us for not waiting whilst they emptied the (boat free) lock so they could use it before us!

We was hiring so bound to be in the wrong and we had Welsh accents so we were bound to be common!

[Daiboy]

Well, look on the bright side. I'm single handed and recently (about 6 weeks ago) came up the GU from Hunton Bridge 162 and waited in lock 71 for another boat I could see in the near distance. The man at the tiller thanked me for waiting. It turned out that it was a boat from the Reach Out Projects based at Nash Mills taking a group of newbies out for a trip. It was great as their crew did all the next 4 locks for me and all I had to do was wait and enter and leave locks.

 

Be nice and it may bring benefits.