Running lights

[RLWP]

 

On reflection, I was wanting to learn. I was wondering if there was a circumstance cropping up regularly in life that I hadn't noticed, where knowing where the sun is useful. That's all.

 

I'm thinking about why I tend to notice. I guess I like to use the world to tell me stuff, like roughly the time of day or direction I am travelling in. I know my phone can do all of this, it's nice to be connected with nature.

 

Richard

[MtB]

 

I'm thinking about why I tend to notice. I guess I like to use the world to tell me stuff, like roughly the time of day or direction I am travelling in. I know my phone can do all of this, it's nice to be connected with nature.

 

Richard

 

 

Very true. I can see me developing a background awareness of where the sun is all the time from now on. Thank you!

[gazza]

 

 

Very true. I can see me developing a background awareness of where the sun is all the time from now on. Thank you!

The first step to that is looking up from your phone to the sky above.

[cuthound]

I'm intrigued now. Why do you need to work out where the sun is?

So that he doesn't get it confused with the super-bright daytime running lights. Obvious really ☺

[MtB]

The first step to that is looking up from your phone to the sky above.

 

 

That's a bit uncalled for. On the rare occasion I need to know where south is, I use a compass. There is one on my phone.

[junior]

On another topic, is there a trophy for the slowest exit from locks? I ask because recent boating forays have highlighted this phenomenon. On Monday I took Crane, 70' of unconverted Josher, down Hatton with owner Geoff, who obligingly worked locks while I had the boat. Uphill traffic seemed to crawl out of locks and eyed me cautiously because I hung back in the empty lock to pass in the pound, rather than being blown about by wind. I suspect it's me, and other old doodahs......

 

Dave

Boat should be half out the lock while paddles are going down. Then it's full revs please and pick your crew up at the next bridge!

[sunny jim]

 

It's a kind of natural ability I have, I have never really thought about why I can do this. Is it unusual then - are you unable to locate the sun for some reason?

 

Richard

I used to have a friend with a similar ability,though this concerned time of day rather than the position of the sun.

Five minutes before closing time his wallet would make its solitary appearance of an evening.

[RLWP]

Boat should be half out the lock while paddles are going down. Then it's full revs please and pick your crew up at the next bridge!

 

Not if the other boat is faffing about playing macrame with mooring lines. I'm staying put until they move

 

Richard

[gazza]

 

 

That's a bit uncalled for. On the rare occasion I need to know where south is, I use a compass. There is one on my phone.

You missed the humour in my post then?

[Mike Todd]

Told a bloke today his headlight was on it was a block of 6 or 8 LEDs with a huge block of more below, maybe 16 or 20. looked like it came out of halfords designed for a youffs nova. He said it had it on all the time, I then asked if he worked in health and safety and drove a Volvo. He confirmed.

Waiting for him to put the main beam on in a tunnel when a royalty or town is coming the other way

Not necessarily a Volvo as all new cars now need permanent front lights. At least mine do and they are not Volvos!

[system 4-50]

I like to know where the sun is because I'm afraid of it falling on my head...

[except in tunnels]

[roland elsdon]

Changed my mind he was a bright (ha) man reason rammed by hire boat today head on. Clearly she was so busy avoiding the trees on her side and rather than slow down to let us through the gap considered a town class could fit through a five foof wide gap and so steered straight into the bows. Put us hard on the rocky edge of the Oxford with stuff all over the floor, in the cabin, tea spilled etc.

I was not haughty, I was not aloof. I was extremely rude and abusive and I mean everything I said. If she drove like she boats solicitors would follow her around making a fortune.

Putting lasers in our running lights,

[Guest]

I am considering very bright running lights or maybe strobes too. I got rammed by a bloody coal boat the other day; the steerer of which should have known better. No harm done luckily, but could have been a different story. At least he had the good grace to be embarrassed.

[Claude]

Adding to StephenA's post, I would say that a bright light can make it harder for someone to gauge your speed of approach because they don't see an object getting larger and larger, just a dazzling light. This is why, as a motorcyclist, I don't ride with my headlight on unless visibility demands it.

I disagree. As a motorcyclist since 1979 I would always ride with my headlight on whatever the conditions. A properly aligned/adjusted headlamp should not dazzle other road users.

[spadefoot]

Changed my mind he was a bright (ha) man reason rammed by hire boat today head on. Clearly she was so busy avoiding the trees on her side and rather than slow down to let us through the gap considered a town class could fit through a five foof wide gap and so steered straight into the bows. Put us hard on the rocky edge of the Oxford with stuff all over the floor, in the cabin, tea spilled etc.

I was not haughty, I was not aloof. I was extremely rude and abusive and I mean everything I said. If she drove like she boats solicitors would follow her around making a fortune.

Putting lasers in our running lights,

It might have been her first time at helming. Maybe she did slow down, maybe she tried reverse & it all went skewiff. Maybe the size of your massive thrusting bows panicked her. Maybe she was reaching for her Ladybird book of Old Working Boats, desperate to know which esoteric class of motor it was, and accidently moved the tiller the wrong way.

I suppose it's possible that she was very experienced but just rubbish, who knows?

[cuthound]

Changed my mind he was a bright (ha) man reason rammed by hire boat today head on. Clearly she was so busy avoiding the trees on her side and rather than slow down to let us through the gap considered a town class could fit through a five foof wide gap and so steered straight into the bows. Put us hard on the rocky edge of the Oxford with stuff all over the floor, in the cabin, tea spilled etc.

I was not haughty, I was not aloof. I was extremely rude and abusive and I mean everything I said. If she drove like she boats solicitors would follow her around making a fortune.

Putting lasers in our running lights,

Could it have been Timothy West in drag?

[ditchcrawler]

It might have been her first time at helming. Maybe she did slow down, maybe she tried reverse & it all went skewiff. Maybe the size of your massive thrusting bows panicked her. Maybe she was reaching for her Ladybird book of Old Working Boats, desperate to know which esoteric class of motor it was, and accidently moved the tiller the wrong way.

I suppose it's possible that she was very experienced but just rubbish, who knows?

Maybe she just refused to be bullied by a working boat coming down the middle of the cut

[dave moore]

Why bullied? Old boats are often deeper drafted and can't move way over without getting stemmed up. Few modern boaters understand this. I deplore the modern tendency to move over on sighting an oncoming boat, only to plough through crap, shallows and bushes to pass with acres of space between. Better to go head to head then move over slightly, this keeps both boats in deeper water with a gap of a foot or so between. This is for narrow canals, broad canals and rivers are much more tolerant.

[mark99]

I used to have a friend with a similar ability,though this concerned time of day rather than the position of the sun.

Five minutes before closing time his wallet would make its solitary appearance of an evening.

Followed by a plague of moths in the pub shortly after.

[Chertsey]

It might have been her first time at helming. Maybe she did slow down, maybe she tried reverse & it all went skewiff. Maybe the size of your massive thrusting bows panicked her. Maybe she was reaching for her Ladybird book of Old Working Boats, desperate to know which esoteric class of motor it was, and accidently moved the tiller the wrong way.

I suppose it's possible that she was very experienced but just rubbish, who knows?

This seems to be the most common cause of boats that should pass each other easily failing to do so, and yes it does happen because people are intimidated by the big-looking front end of an old boat. But they really shouldn't be. Just keep going and steer! Adjust your speed if necessary - slower OR FASTER to meet in the best place (i.e. avoiding narrows and bridgeholes). Don't try to pass parallel for the whole length of the boat and more, but weave round each other, allowing a deeper drafted boat to keep its deepest bit in the deepest water for as long as possible. Pass close - you don't need more than a foot between the boats - and that way you minimise the chance of ending up on the bottom, or driving the other boat to. Big old boats are deep drafted, but often not for the whole of their length. Indeed, if the bows look scary, then the front's probably drawing only inches. Above all, don't try to stop unless there really is nowhere to steer to; as soon as you go into reverse, you lose much if not all control of the front end and it will swing into the path of the oncoming boat, which will not have slowed down because its owner assumes that you knows how to steer. Wow. The chance to exercise two of my favourite hobby horses in one post.

 

ed for spelling and clarity

Edited June 18, 2016 by Chertsey

[MtB]

Nice to see you back, Chertsey...

 

(Seeing as no-on else has commented so far!)

[Chertsey]

Aw, thanks Mike. Nice to be back. Been away from the boat since October until the week before last and suddenly have the urge to dive right back in! (Not into the canal, I'm sure I need not say).

[RLWP]

Aw, thanks Mike. Nice to be back. Been away from the boat since October until the week before last and suddenly have the urge to dive right back in! (Not into the canal, I'm sure I need not say).

 

Chertsey looked nice last weekend

 

Richard

[ditchcrawler]

Why bullied? Old boats are often deeper drafted and can't move way over without getting stemmed up. Few modern boaters understand this. I deplore the modern tendency to move over on sighting an oncoming boat, only to plough through crap, shallows and bushes to pass with acres of space between. Better to go head to head then move over slightly, this keeps both boats in deeper water with a gap of a foot or so between. This is for narrow canals, broad canals and rivers are much more tolerant.

Quote

 

"rather than slow down to let us through the gap"

[MtB]

Aw, thanks Mike. Nice to be back. Been away from the boat since October until the week before last and suddenly have the urge to dive right back in! (Not into the canal, I'm sure I need not say).

 

See you (and your him indoors) at Braunston praps?