Canal Crossroads - who has 'Right of Way'?

[Wanderer Vagabond]

Just a piece of general musing as I wander around the BCN but as I travelled around the Soho Loop and back onto the New Main Line it did occur to me as I approached Rotton Park Junction, who actually has any 'Right of Way' at this junction. The two photos below might clarify my query:-

 

 

 

As you approach this 'crossroads' either on the Old Main Line (Soho Loop) or the New Main Line it looks like the piece of canal that you are on is the one going straight on and, particularly on the Soho Loop, if you were a bit unwary you might not realise that you are about to hit the New Main Line and go straight across it (the top picture shows the view from the Soho Loop and you cross the NML between the two visible bridges). The reason I ask is that in the past I have gaily chugged up the New Main Line without any great thought of anyone blasting straight across the cut here but having gone around the Soho Loop it now looks possible that someone might (mental note for future reference). I'm not trying to make any specific point or suggesting that 'something must be done' just curious if there have been any collisions or near misses here. Logically I would expect the New Main Line to have some sort of priority but on the other hand it is the boat on the New Main Line that has better realisation that there is a junction since they can see the finger post, it's invisible to anyone on the Soho Loop until it's too late.

[mrsmelly]

Probabably similar to a road junction where of course no one ever has Right of way.

 

Tim

[Kendal]

The boat that gets there first! Not trying to be flippant but I suggest slowing down as you approach any junction and sounding your horn, if you do meet another boat the usual protocol would be to let the boat that is more committed go first.

 

ETA: same as a bridge 'ole I guess. There's no stated 'right of way' it's down to common sense and reasonableness depending on the circumstances

Edited March 6, 2015 by Kendal

[Martin Megson]

I would treat it as I do any junction. Approach slowly and proceed if it's clear.

[Laurence Hogg]

The old law on the BCN was the main line had priority but nowadays this is just folk lore. What you should do is slow right down and sound a long warning as the junctions are blind.

[cuthound]

Maybe you could ask CRT to paint Give Way lines on the water

[Tom and Bex]

I would say the New Main Line has priority but as you say it also has slightly better visibility of emerging boats (but not much better).

 

Having said that I had a very near miss there a couple of years ago when a trip boat that should have known better came out of the junction at speed just as I was passing on the NML. I sounded my horn and and if I hadn't taken rapid avoiding action he would have gone straight into the side of me at some speed. No apology either!

Edited March 6, 2015 by Tom and Bex

[Paul C]

We tend to sound the horn at junctions, even where we're going straight on. And slow down too, of course. Often we've had, not so much near misses, but to find a boat waiting at the other/unsighted part of the junction. I suppose they could have sounded their horn but it was poor volume (or sounded it exactly the same time as ours, which is louder) but I suspect on a number of occasions they didn't. BUT because we did, they've realised another boat is there and have taken action by slowing/stopping. So its definitely worth sounding the horn, even if it appears that nobody else bothers. Maybe some boaters are embarrased of doing it?

[NB Lola]

So you all know, I have right of way!

[mrsmelly]

We tend to sound the horn at junctions, even where we're going straight on. And slow down too, of course. Often we've had, not so much near misses, but to find a boat waiting at the other/unsighted part of the junction. I suppose they could have sounded their horn but it was poor volume (or sounded it exactly the same time as ours, which is louder) but I suspect on a number of occasions they didn't. BUT because we did, they've realised another boat is there and have taken action by slowing/stopping. So its definitely worth sounding the horn, even if it appears that nobody else bothers. Maybe some boaters are embarrased of doing it?

 

I find that the main problem with boat signals is that far too many people do not know even the few most basic ones which I find appaling but hey ho. A few weeks ago a boater on a narrowboat rang our office to complain that the boat I had been driving on approach to them had " blasted the horn several times " When office staff asked me if I knew what it was I explained the said boat had reversed off a mooring directly in front of me when I was on a lock approach and basicaly didnt know I was there and was stationary so I gave at the time 5 short blasts as I didnt know what he was going to do next!!

Now the awful truth of the matter is that most of you boaters who read this and some of you who consider yourselves experienced will probably have to google what I meant with five short blasts!!

 

 

Tim

[Naughty Cal]

I don't know what your intentions are.

[Alan de Enfield]

The col-regs have the answer

 

[mrsmelly]

I don't know what your intentions are.

 

You have to know where you go on your boat or you would get squished by stuff

 

Tim

[Guest]

Greenie for Cuthound.

[Arthur Marshall]

As a partially deaf boater standing on top of an aircooled Lister, i seldom hear other boats' horns. i suspect I'm not the only one either! I just go slow where it looks dodgy and be prepared to hurl into into backwards if I need to.

[bizzard]

But surely lines painted on the water would keep on moving about and gradually get diluted and tint the water yellow. I think they'd be very confusing. Safer with a copper on point duty in swimminig trunks and a beacon on his head.

[Paul C]

But surely lines painted on the water would keep on moving about and gradually get diluted and tint the water yellow. I think they'd be very confusing. Safer with a copper on point duty in swimminig trunks and a beacon on his head.

 

Not true - finish lines in Olympics rowing matches on the telly are able to stay fixed, even in quite choppy water. And "Olympics record" and "world record" lines in swimming pools at Olympics events move, but stay straight and clearly visible.

[Rob-M]

I generally slow down as I come out of the end of the Icknield Loop on to the main line and give a blast on the horn. I've only met one boat, well two, as it was a loaded pair going like the clappers. As they didn't hear my horn and I was committed by the time I saw them I just wound up the throttle and was surprised at how quickly I could turn out of the junction.

[craftycarper]

Not me mines made of plastic

[Pete of Ebor]

I think that no-one should have 'right of way', not as most road based drivers would understand it. If you are on a 'main line' approaching a junction, you shoud be prepared for the possibility of a boat coming out in front of you mainly because at some junctions the towpath bridge actually obscures the view of the 'main line' from the steerer approaching from the side arm. You (the steerer) could be 70' back from the junction with your stem post poking out into the main line still with no idea whether anything is approaching. The top picture is a perfect example of this - you may not be able to see anything on the Main Line until you're half way accross !

 

 

Shields up !

Tin hat on !

popcorn opened !

... and yes, I would sound my horn, but it's probably more than 70 feet away and around a corner from the other steerer who has a diesel engine under his feet...

[Guest]

How busy is this particular junction?

 

Is a collision likely?, unless you just take a bit of care?

[Rob-M]

How busy is this particular junction?

Is a collision likely?, unless you just take a bit of care?

It was busy last weekend as the trip boat was running up to the junction to wind due to the stoppage the other way. There aren't many that venture round the Soho Loop though.

[Paul C]

How busy is this particular junction?

 

Is a collision likely?, unless you just take a bit of care?

 

I sometimes do junctions on country roads late at night at full speed, because they're not busy.

[Speedwheel]

Just go through as fast as you possibly can. The quicker you get through, the less time you have to be involved in a collision.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

The col-regs have the answer

 

It would seem that Alan has the answer according to COLREGS but I'm not sure that I'd press the point. From Alan's diagram boats emerging from Soho Loop have 'Right of Way' over traffic coming from Brum City Centre but should give way to traffic coming from Smethwick direction. Boats from Brum on New Main Line have 'Right of Way' to traffic emerging from Icknield Loop but have 'to give way to boats boats emerging from Soho Loop, boats coming from Smethwick have 'Right of Way' over boats emerging from Soho Loop but must give way to boats coming from Icknield Loop and finally boats coming out of Icknield Loop have 'Right of Way' over boats coming from Smethwick but must give way to boats coming out from Brum, I hope you've been taking notes .

 

In fairness to COLREGS they also say that you should do everything you can to avoid collisions. I think in future I'll just be a bit more careful travelling up New Main Line and not assume that everything will give way to the main line. What triggered my original musing was, in the event of a T-Bone collision (which is what you would probably get here) causing substantial damage (unlike the usual glancing collisions that frequently occur) who would the insurance company hold to be responsible?

Edited March 6, 2015 by Wanderer Vagabond