CRT Data Checkers/Collectors

[junior]

Junior, you are well placed, with all your travels, do you see much evidence of continuous mooring?

Or indeed non display of licences, both boat and permanent mooring?

 

Bod

No not at all,but i don't look for it and nor is it any of my business who has been where for how long and whether they have a license.

 

In fact I'd go as far as to say that the waterways i see every day are very different to how you'd assume they are if you predominantly spent your time on this forum rather than out on the cut.

[LoneWolf]

No not at all,but i don't look for it and nor is it any of my business who has been where for how long and whether they have a license.

 

In fact I'd go as far as to say that the waterways i see every day are very different to how you'd assume they are if you predominantly spent your time on this forum rather than out on the cut.

 

amen to that

[RLWP]

No not at all,but i don't look for it and nor is it any of my business who has been where for how long and whether they have a license.

 

In fact I'd go as far as to say that the waterways i see every day are very different to how you'd assume they are if you predominantly spent your time on this forum rather than out on the cut.

 

Oh no - you must have been brainwashed by namby pamby left wing liberals on this forum. Open your eyes and see the horrors of the CRT police state before it's too late!!!!!!!!

 

How is Halsall in the rain?

 

Richard

[mark99]

 

Oh no - you must have been brainwashed by namby pamby left wing liberals on this forum.

 

Don't forget the sandals made of lentils.

[Jerra]

 

Don't forget the sandals made of lentils.

Shouldn't they be hugging a tree as well?

[MEPitt]

This is how I see it. The CRT enforcement officers are like traffic wardens, the role appeals to a certain type of person. Also both do an essential job, without traffic wardens it would be chaos on our roads just like the waterways would turn into the wild west if not enforced.

The roles are not popular and never will be due to their authoritarian nature and both are open to abuse by overzealous individuals.

The problem I have heard is a case of inconsistency, some enforcers like me little friend I overheard the other night would react differently to a bloke who has been working on another stretch for the past 20 years and has been a boater himself.

So yes we need enforcement, but for it to be effective it must have the support and trust of the people that use the network and not used as a cash cow to fill the coffers of the trust or for a particular CRT agenda.

[Bettie Boo]

No not at all,but i don't look for it and nor is it any of my business who has been where for how long and whether they have a license.

 

In fact I'd go as far as to say that the waterways i see every day are very different to how you'd assume they are if you predominantly spent your time on this forum rather than out on the cut.

 

Well worth a green thingy

[jenlyn]

 

Oh no - you must have been brainwashed by namby pamby left wing liberals on this forum. Open your eyes and see the horrors of the CRT police state before it's too late!!!!!!!!

 

 

Richard

I think you may be misinterpreting what he meant. (or maybe I did).

 

Anyway, it's not really a fair question for him. Its his business, and would not be sustainable if he announced on a forum that he delivers to a load of constant moaners.

Edited August 24, 2015 by jenlyn

[mayalld]

This is how I see it. The CRT enforcement officers are like traffic wardens, the role appeals to a certain type of person. Also both do an essential job, without traffic wardens it would be chaos on our roads just like the waterways would turn into the wild west if not enforced.

The roles are not popular and never will be due to their authoritarian nature and both are open to abuse by overzealous individuals.

The problem I have heard is a case of inconsistency, some enforcers like me little friend I overheard the other night would react differently to a bloke who has been working on another stretch for the past 20 years and has been a boater himself.

So yes we need enforcement, but for it to be effective it must have the support and trust of the people that use the network and not used as a cash cow to fill the coffers of the trust or for a particular CRT agenda.

 

It is worth noting here that it would appear that CRT (sensibly IMHO) keep a very clear demarkation line between the different divisions.

 

Staff who work in Maintenance have NO ROLE WHATSOEVER in enforcement, which means that those who have a beef with CRT enforcement should be well aware that the guys in the blue shirts are nothing to do with it.

 

I believe that there is a further demarkation between data logging and enforcement. Whilst EOs may do some data logging, data loggers don't do enforcement. They are just recording data and it is up to somebody else to interpret the data that they have logged.

 

That raises some interesting issues on the volunteer question. Whilst it might not be for everybody, is it actually wrong to allow a volunteer who wants to do that job to be a data logger? Such volunteers would have no role in the enforcement process, and it would probably be necessary to have a degree of cross check to ensure that scores weren't being settled.

[FidoDido]

No not at all,but i don't look for it and nor is it any of my business who has been where for how long and whether they have a license.

 

In fact I'd go as far as to say that the waterways i see every day are very different to how you'd assume they are if you predominantly spent your time on this forum rather than out on the cut.

 

Generally agree - spent most of the past 5 months moving between Fradley and Nottingham. I would guess I've seen 10-15 boats who are CC'ers / dumpers. Of those, only 2 or 3 who have continually been at the same spot for over 2 weeks. Not bad, considering I must see about 20-50 boats each day..

[FidoDido]

should add, I've not seen any of these "data checkers" during that time, but I only move about 1-2hrs a day, and then generally in the evenings or early mornings, when they would presumably not be "at work"

[Frabjous Day]

Just travelling north, from London (Kensal Green, currently at Cowroast) over the last 2 weeks... didn't see one "data checker" at all... plenty of volunteers about though.

 

I think that these "data checkers" are necessary and generally benign, as all they do is collect boat numbers and positions. Someone else then decides what to do with the data gathered and then contacts the relevant party or parties as part of the enforcement process. I have found that it's not very difficult to comply with the current CART CC'er ruling/"range" on an annual basis. I sometimes find it difficult to understand what all the fuss is about.

 

However, i do think that it's probably a good idea to keep a "log" of your own movements for reference incase of discrepancy. If your mobile phone has GPS (most do these days) take a photo at every mooring, then email it to yourself, shove the email into a folder and forget it. If your phone does not log your position when taking photos (as with everything these days)... there's an app for that. That way you have a complete log of your movements should you (or CART) need them or the "data checkers" manage to miss you on your travels or your boat name & number were obscured by the bushes they were hiding behind .

Edited August 24, 2015 by Frabjous Day

[Theo]

They don't want to get rid of them. The more difficult they can make it for you to boat, the more chance they have of you selling up. Or only using the bits of canal they want you to.

They can then state that such and such a canal is not being used, and therefore does not justify the need to keep it open for navigation.

 

It is incumbent on us cruisers, either continuous or discontinuous, to "garden" these weedy areas of the system. Don't chug down the middle of the clear water. Put half of your boat's width in the weeds and push on through. This discourages growth and widens the channel. It also goes just a little way to removing some of the growth on your hull.

 

N

[jenlyn]

 

It is incumbent on us cruisers, either continuous or discontinuous, to "garden" these weedy areas of the system. Don't chug down the middle of the clear water. Put half of your boat's width in the weeds and push on through. This discourages growth and widens the channel. It also goes just a little way to removing some of the growth on your hull.

 

N

I'd rather not thanks. I pay enough for blacking already.

[madcat]

I would hope Halsall is busy , rain or shine. Junior won't have time to waste worrying about other peoples boating habits between the twin demands of running a small business and having a life .

 

Dave M makes a good point about the demarcation between different groups of CRT staff. Enforcement and maintainance are different and separate .

 

I can't for the life of me see what job satisfaction there is in being a volunteer data logger . Perhaps if all this data proves that overstaying isn't a problem in most places we might see them re deployed doing useful things like litter picking and veg busting.

 

There are things CRT do that make perfect sense and other things that make me profoundly uneasy.

[matty40s]

 

Just traveled from Foxton to near Fleckney on the Leicester line. They, CRT, need to turn up the heat on their contractors who are NOT getting rid of all the reeds that are taking over the canal.

 

That run is no worse than 5 or 10 years ago - bar the stretch just North of Debdale which is now a SSSI - and not allowed to be touched!!!

[Tuscan]

That run is no worse than 5 or 10 years ago - bar the stretch just North of Debdale which is now a SSSI - and not allowed to be touched!!!

Pretty much an SSI now all the way to Kilby bridge with few opportunities to moor

[Laurie Booth]

I came across a couple last year who were checking locks and swing/lift bridges and logging on their device.

Are you saying that the locks now have to move every 14 days?

[Bod]

No not at all,but i don't look for it and nor is it any of my business who has been where for how long and whether they have a license.

 

In fact I'd go as far as to say that the waterways i see every day are very different to how you'd assume they are if you predominantly spent your time on this forum rather than out on the cut.

This is why I asked for your informed opinion. You are on the move all day every day and as such are much better placed to see exactly what is going on, on your patch, rather than me, who is stuck in Hampshire, caring for elderly and infirm in-laws.

On the licence front, I asked about non display, rather than got or not got, it is still, I believe, a Bylaw offence not to display, a current licence.

My apologies' if I have upset you.

 

Bod

[zenataomm]

Hmm not sure i understand your question fully, possibly because one of us or both of us has misunderstood the other.

 

As somebody pointed out, i was really just asking questions and thinking out loud.

 

Apologies to you chap quite unreservedly.

I don't think I jumped to any conclusions, it must be my addled organs.

I understood you to be criticising Traffic Wardens and Data Loggers for the job they do, blah blah blah ....... my confusion.

 

Lack of body language and tone of voice makes the written word confuddling.

 

No harm done I hope?

[Nightwatch]

Junior used to be in the RAF so must have a sense of humour.

 

Martyn (ex RN)

[TheBiscuits]

Junior used to be in the RAF so must have a sense of humour.

 

Martyn (ex RN)

Now remember chaps, the opponent is the Jerries, the enemy is the Navy! Edited August 25, 2015 by TheBiscuits

[Nightwatch]

You go back further than I then.

 

Now where is that brylcream?

Edited August 25, 2015 by Nightwatch

[TheBiscuits]

You go back further than I then.

 

Now where is that brylcream?

Not me, but an old friend of my father.

 

Always a good quote though.

[DHutch]

. Not a very pleasant lad...

Great shame.

 

 

 

Nobody likes having a run in with a traffic warden.

 

However, generally I do feel we need them in built up placed, while mildly peeved at the time I do not have a long term grudge with the one tick I have got in ten years of motoring.

 

The area has always previously enjoyed a very common sense and relaxed attitude to all things parking and boat/sailing related, but at the same time there where clear signs that the car park in question had upped it game a little, and I did leave a car and dingy trailer over two spaces overnight and then failing to put a ticket on till mid-day the following day. The ticket was applied at something like 11:30 so if I had not been in heavy holiday mode even that would have been avoided.

 

 

Daniel