Crossing lock gates

[kcb]

Hi, noobie to the forum here. About at the point of buying my first narrowboat but there is a problem.

 

I spend as much time as I can walking and cycling the towpaths near me. My problem has been with crossing lock gates. I have always had a problem with heights and am finding walking across the gates a bit scarey. I know it is all in the mind because I have no problem crossing the top gate with a full lock, but the same gate is a lot more difficult with an empty lock. Bottom gates with an empty lock I find horrible on narow canals and I have not managed to cross the bottom gates of an empty wide lock yet.

 

I think I could just about manage to get a boat through locks as I am but I would not enjoy it. Wanted to know peoples experiences of this problem. Anyone had it and overcome it or does it stay the same or even get worse? Hoping for good news or ideas. Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ray T]

Hello and welcome. Not being facetious, but would it help not to look down when crossing the gates and hold on to the rail?

[Robbo]

It tends to feel different when your working the lock.

[RLWP]

It's not unusual, if you find the bottom gates on an empty lock scary, use the top gate

 

Richard

[kcb]

Wow that was quick. Thanks. I was hoping it would get better with experience and with some purpose as in working the lock. The not looking down is a fair point and I do try that but I have to look where my feet will go especially where mitred bottom gates meet and that is where the problems start. Trust me, I do hold onto the rail!

[RLWP]

Don't worry about it, or feel ashamed. You may find your confidence will grow with familiarity

 

Richard

[furnessvale]

Wow that was quick. Thanks. I was hoping it would get better with experience and with some purpose as in working the lock. The not looking down is a fair point and I do try that but I have to look where my feet will go especially where mitred bottom gates meet and that is where the problems start. Trust me, I do hold onto the rail!

Make sure you look down when crossing a single top gate, there is a gap at the end of the footboard!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[alan_fincher]

It's not unusual, if you find the bottom gates on an empty lock scary, use the top gate

 

Richard

 

Unless, of course, you are on one of those navigations like the Lee, or several of the Norther canals where there is no walkway or handrails on the top gates, and the only ones you can safely cross are the bottom ones.

 

(That has brought into my head a picture of son David doing one of his "tightrope walks" across the top gates of such locks, with nothing more than the thickness of the gate to stand on! - always scary to a nervous onlooker, though he has been told only to do it for full locks, so the worst that can happen is he gets wet! )

Edited March 20, 2016 by alan_fincher

[Guest]

Make sure you look down when crossing a single top gate, there is a gap at the end of the footboard!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Yes. Our little dog Dennis didn't spot that at Sutton stop in the dark.

 

He dried out nicely in 'the greyhound' in front of the fire though.

[system 4-50]

It took me a while before I became happy to jump from a closed mitre half gate across to the other open half gate but now I can't understand what the problem was.

My biggest injury in recent years was when I fell off my feet! Level ground, no drop involved.

Your problem is that you are thinking too much. Just do it, quickly (but carefully).

[Captain Pegg]

It took me a while before I became happy to jump from a closed mitre half gate across to the other open half gate but now I can't understand what the problem was.

My biggest injury in recent years was when I fell off my feet! Level ground, no drop involved.

Your problem is that you are thinking too much. Just do it, quickly (but carefully).

I always find it helps to think about things where personal wellbeing is involved. Hence I have no intention of ever crossing from a closed to an open half mitre gate even though I know many folk do. I can't see that the benefit is in anyway proportionate to the risk. And I am not too fond of heights either.

 

For the OP I would suggest wearing an inflatable life jacket and getting used to crossing the top gates in a deliberate way rather than quickly. Make sure you have a grip of the rail before putting a foot on the board and when on the gate keep three points in contact with something wherever possible e.g. both feet on the footboard when transferring hands between rails or around paddle gear; or both hands on the rails while transferring feet across footboards. Take care to prevent the life jacket snagging on paddle gear though; that's the down side of wearing one.

 

JP

Edited March 20, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[NickF]

Many locks have a bridge below them you could use, if not then walk round and use the top gates, may be try to look on the high water level side rather than into the empty lock, after all if you fall that is where you are going. I must admit I am always a bit nervous of top gates when filling an empty lock. I wouldn't fancy falling in there when all the paddles are flowing full speed.

 

Oh no, now I have blown it, I have probably made the OP afraid of top gates as well as bottom ones!

 

Seriously though when you have a job to do like working the lock you will find it easier.

[Nightwatch]

I have judged the distance of the gap and imagined the gap on the ground. Amazingly I can very easily step across the 'gap'. No problem.

 

When the 'gap' is between two lock gates, well that's a little more difficult. When you get older the mind thinks about consequences of an accident.

 

I'm determined to give it a go sometime.

 

Martyn

[koukouvagia]

That's the way to do it

[system 4-50]

On clear level ground. Stand still. Consider putting one foot forward and transferring your weight. You're over 60 years old. A fall will probably break some bones, you won't bounce like you did when you were young. Think about it very hard. Its hazardous. Keep concentrating and you will find that you dare not move. And yet you do it easily all the time.

Crossing lock gates is no different.

Except when they are moving, wet, slippery, damaged, or invisible because it is dark.

Find a place to practice & just do it over & over again. After 200 times it will become "normal".

That's the way to do it

With one hand ready to grab the rail on the far side! Having checked that the rail looks attached! But he's still thinking too hard as judged by the steam coming out of his head.

Edited March 21, 2016 by system 4-50

[bizzard]

Foreman on a building site asked one of his workers to measure the length of a tall pole sticking up. When the foreman came out again the worker had lowered it and laid it on the ground to measure. 'What have you taken it down for,!! yelled the foreman' Well soir, said the worker, you did say you wanted me to measure the length not the height.

[TheBiscuits]

It's probably worth trying to cross one when there is a boat in the lock.

 

Your brain will process the scale differently, and there will be an intermediate level between the gate beam and the water level to draw the eye.

 

Don't forget that most people have this issue at some level. Nearly everyone can walk unaided across a 12-inch beam on the floor, but very few would ever try it 50 feet off the ground.

 

The ones that don't bother tend to build skyscrapers

[jake_crew]

I think grippy shoes will help with your confidence in this situation.

 

Trainers - esp cheap ones - are not always grippy on wet or slimy surfaces. My heavy (safety) shoes are fine on oily surfaces, but lethal in the wet.

 

Could try to always cross over using the top gates ? And look towards the pound above ?

 

That and lightly hang onto the hand rail as you walk across.

[Ray T]

That's the way to do it

 

Must admit I've done that many a time.

 

Slightly during my apprenticeship with the G.P.O. as it was at the time, when climbing ladders I was taught the "rule of 3" i.e. two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot in contact with the ladder at all times. I try to do this when crossing lock gate but often don't!

Edited March 21, 2016 by Ray T

[adam1uk]

That's the way to do it

 

That's how I never do it! I try to maintain three points of contact -- so it's a step across, not a jump. And if the gates don't have something to hold on to, I won't even step across the gap.

[koukouvagia]

 

That's how I never do it! I try to maintain three points of contact -- so it's a step across, not a jump. And if the gates don't have something to hold on to, I won't even step across the gap.

I have to admit that photo was taken nearly 30 years ago. OH would never do that now!

 

BTW I would have used an irony emoticon if I could have found one.

Edited March 21, 2016 by koukouvagia

[Bearsteen]

I only cross using the wide gate with handrail or via a bridge. I don't care if I'm laughed at I don't want to freeze up halfway across and have to be rescued. I'm fine as long as there is a rail to hang onto but I always use the bridge if there is one

[BruceinSanity]

OH has severe vertigo (can't stand on a chair) but over time has got used to crossing gates and even steps across an open top gate if all is in good nick. She still has problems with bottom gates at deep locks but copes mostly. There's usually a footbridge across the tail of those, anyway.

 

Take it steady and keep one hand for yourself. Find a way of stowing your windlass (in your belt, over your shoulder under the top layer, whatever) to have both hands free.

[Laurie Booth]

Hi, noobie to the forum here. About at the point of buying my first narrowboat but there is a problem.

 

I spend as much time as I can walking and cycling the towpaths near me. My problem has been with crossing lock gates. I have always had a problem with heights and am finding walking across the gates a bit scarey. I know it is all in the mind because I have no problem crossing the top gate with a full lock, but the same gate is a lot more difficult with an empty lock. Bottom gates with an empty lock I find horrible on narow canals and I have not managed to cross the bottom gates of an empty wide lock yet.

 

I think I could just about manage to get a boat through locks as I am but I would not enjoy it. Wanted to know peoples experiences of this problem. Anyone had it and overcome it or does it stay the same or even get worse? Hoping for good news or ideas. Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have the same problem.

[PaulG]

I have the same problem.

And me...