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Staffs and Worces canal angler


Timx

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Currently on staffs and worcs canal, just a warning really, when I approached bridge 99, there was a guy standing on towpath, with  rod over water, idly dangling his line. Staff terrier at his side. I slowed down as I approached, and gave him a friendly nod and smile.

He started saying something, at first I couldn't hear over the engine noise etc, so just said yeah and smiled, but then he started giving me loads that I could hear.,Somethinglike "it's February and you still go up and down on your meaningless journeys you fcing fkers etc, then a continuous diatribe. So thinking he was nuts I just carried on, but he continued then to follow me, walking past the boat and carrying on, he stopped at Radford bridge, looking at me approach, but as I did he carried on just round the corner before he stopped again to face me, and started another diatribe , I should get a job, get a house ,stop faking wasting time etc.

I carried on ignoring him and continued a bit further to where I had planned to stop outside Stafford boat club. He also stopped there in front of my boat, and stayed there for at least an hour until I left boat to go out.I noticed another boat go past and him shouting something to him also.This man wasn't pissed or look like he was on drugs,he looks like he has a real problem with boats moving.He wasn't set up on the bank fishing, he was just standing and walking with his rod and line in water. 

So just a warning if you see a man around thirty years of age ,with a staffy around that area, be prepared for some abuse, I can't imagine it's a one off.

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I got accused of being an unemployed canal gypsy ( and I think that was the politest bit) by a fishist who was sitting on the mooring stump at Stockton. I told him after 38 years of full time employment , in the public service I was used to people like him and entitled to enjoy my boat and house and retirement... he still didn't understand...then he threatened violence

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8 minutes ago, Timx said:

Ha yeah, but I didn't think explaining the facts or a counter argument would of enriched my day further

Sometimes it's just not worth it but tempting none the less to step ashore ask him what his problem is.

The dog though marks him out as a bit of a potential head case and although staffys are normally quite ok they can be altered with some poor ownership skills to become a prop for someone who is short in brain cells but fancies themselves as a 'bit hard'.

Without the dog I would wager he would pee himself if challenged but with it best avoided IMHO.

Edited by MJG
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14 minutes ago, luggsy said:

You should have asked to see is fishing permit 

Never occurred to me, lol, I only mention it, as I think he will continue to abuse boaters, as he seemed full of hate.

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If he was directly abusive or threatened violence, I would definitely put a call in to the police on 101.  It means there is a record and if more reports come in, the police may do a few extra patrols.  I had a particularly nasty incident with an angler on the Stourbridge Canal a few years back.  He was very threatening and clearly not bothered about things turning physical.  Now I wasn't particularly scared of him (I was a fair bit bigger) but it was nearing mooring up time and a moored narrowboat makes a very easy target for vandalism.  Also, I was concerned by how he might be towards other boaters.  My partner and I ended up at Dudley police station that evening, giving statements.

Edited by Dave_P
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1 hour ago, BruceinSanity said:

I certainly wouldn't want to confront him. I guess it's behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace – is it worth a call to 101?

Well I informed the managers and moorers at the staffs boat club and the commodore said he would keep an eye on the situation, 

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I just point to my ears and say I am deaf "...can't  hear you - sorry..." - it seems to work.

(well I can hear them talking to be honest, but not what they are actually saying - its an age related thing)

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31 minutes ago, Horace42 said:

I just point to my ears and say I am deaf "...can't  hear you - sorry..." - it seems to work.

(well I can hear them talking to be honest, but not what they are actually saying - its an age related thing)

Ditto.

Hearing aids are incredibly uncomfortable, and besides, my engine is very quiet.:D

 

Frank 

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2 hours ago, Horace42 said:

I just point to my ears and say I am deaf "...can't  hear you - sorry..." - it seems to work.

(well I can hear them talking to be honest, but not what they are actually saying - its an age related thing)

I pretend to be Swedish and say " You Like Abba Ya" seems to leave them a bit confused.

:)

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I'd imagine this poor sod has anger issues with most of society and on that day it was boaters.

I also imagine he chooses situations where witnesses are thin on the ground and the object of his tirade is physically removed from him to avoid direct confrontation within a few seconds.

It feeds some need within him to feel a man as he's probably lacking in many other ways too. 

Those who do know him will have long recognised him as an inadequate bully and never believe anything he says as he has to exaggerate and lie to appear hard (which in his head is important).  I tend to talk calmly as if in a casual conversation, and answer as if inconsequential questions had been posed.

Phones with a camera are a god send in case things turn badly stupid, that and the fact there is a few feet of water between you.

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Hopefully it’s a one-off and the guy was having a really bad day. (Obviously no justification for his actions)

if not, that area is usually busy with boats as it’s on the four counties, so he will have plenty of people to rant at. 

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2 hours ago, MHS said:

Yes, it’s clearly been raining as there’s droplets of water on the lens. 

Nah, those water droplets are on the window so he's probably standing by the stove whilst taking the pictures.  That just goes to show that he's a proper winter cruiser - his missus is at the helm!  :D

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Ha, last one was taken from inside the boat after had moored up and he stopped there also. Didn't seem to be doing any serious fishing. I had been boating in a snow storm, and canal froze over that night. I availed myself of the lovely beer in Stafford boat club, don't know how long the fisherman fished in frozen canal.

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