Hillmorton

[dogless]

At Watford in pouring rain, and Foxton in snow.

But of course the volunteers are focussed on the busiest times, which tend to be in better weather.

Surely the weather's not the volunteers fault too?

Rog

[adam1uk]

3 minutes ago, dogless said:

At Watford in pouring rain, and Foxton in snow.

But of course the volunteers are focussed on the busiest times, which tend to be in better weather.

Surely the weather's not the volunteers fault too?

Rog

They're certainly not focused on the busiest times.  A very good volunteer at Watford told me they had no trouble filling shifts midweek, but no-one wanted to do the weekends -- and the longest serving volunteers had begun pulling rank and claiming the midweek shifts they preferred.  Likewise at the Soulbury Three, it's usually staffed midweek, but when the Wyvern hire boats come through at the weekend there isn't a volunteer to be seen.

[dogless]

The evil swines!

Disgraceful that they don't wish to freely give their help at weekends.

I can see what all the complaints are about now.

Rog

[Nightwatch]

I have never met distasteful volockies. I've met 'over helpful' volockies. Volockies that know far too much about Lock operations, and feel you ought to be taught this knowledge. I've met many very helpful, cheerful and dedicated people who want to 'do their bit' to help. One volockie mentioned to Mrs Nightwatch once f I was okay with the volockies helping as I didn't look too happy. She just said, 'nah! Carryon he's always looks like that.'  This was at a set of Lock oop norf somewhere that were very 'aggressive' when going up hill. Can't remember where. Pub and a cafe at the top. And an unused branch with moorings therein.

[alan_fincher]

33 minutes ago, adam1uk said:

They're certainly not focused on the busiest times.  A very good volunteer at Watford told me they had no trouble filling shifts midweek, but no-one wanted to do the weekends -- and the longest serving volunteers had begun pulling rank and claiming the midweek shifts they preferred.  Likewise at the Soulbury Three, it's usually staffed midweek, but when the Wyvern hire boats come through at the weekend there isn't a volunteer to be seen.

 

29 minutes ago, dogless said:

The evil swines!

Disgraceful that they don't wish to freely give their help at weekends.

I can see what all the complaints are about now.

Rog

 

Yes, but trying to keep it serious Adam's comments do ably demonstrate why the whole concept whilst a great publicity stunt is fairly flawed.

It is impossible to make a case that there is a need for 3 volunteer lock keepers simultaneously at  Stoke Hammond "Three Locks", when they will tell you in the aftern0on that they have only seen 3 boats all day, but that you can regularly go yp and down the much longer flights at (say) Whilton and Braunston, and never see one.

It is driven by where people are prepared to do it, (and when) not by any actual need, or volume of boats passing.

33 minutes ago, adam1uk said:

 

29 minutes ago, dogless said:

 

33 minutes ago, adam1uk said:

 

29 minutes ago, dogless said:

 

Edited August 19, 2018 by alan_fincher
Not able to fully delete curious multiple posts

[billS]

This thread appears to be the only place where  the boating accident and subsequent

 rescue is mentioned. Surely Crt should put something on their website?

[BruceinSanity]

1 hour ago, dogless said:

The evil swines!

Disgraceful that they don't wish to freely give their help at weekends.

I can see what all the complaints are about now.

Rog

Problem is, a lot of them are retired folks who have grandkid sitting duties at the weekend.

[canalboat]

On 19/08/2018 at 10:49, billS said:

This thread appears to be the only place where  the boating accident and subsequent

 rescue is mentioned. Surely Crt should put something on their website?

I'd hope so also - CRT people certainly came in force to take statements etc but then probably publicity people don't do weekends. 

By the way, on the same day, the Volunteer Lock-keepers at Hillmorton raise nearly £600 for MacMillan Nurses so its certainly a good news story. 

I was told this morning that the boater is still in hospital but doing OK with a dislocated shoulder and broken arm.  His friends have now taken his boat to its mooring.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Athy
correction

[mayalld]

11 minutes ago, BruceinSanity said:

Problem is, a lot of them are retired folks who have grandkid sitting duties at the weekend.

It isn't a problem.

 

They are pretty much completely unnecessary, and the fact that they are only to be seen at the times when they are of the least possible use shows that the idea has failed.

[dogless]

Now you can't agree on whether they're not there when you want them, or that they're useless busy bodies that shouldn't be there...do make your minds up!

Any volunteers reading this thread PLEASE note all boaters aren't grumpy complainers.

Thank you for giving up your time, thank you for the help, and if I do not want assistance I will be sure to let you know  

Rog

[canalboat]

1 hour ago, canalboat said:

I'd hope so also - CRT people certainly came in force to take statements etc but then probably publicity people don't do weekends. 

By the way, on the same day, the Volunteer Lock-keepers at Hillmorton raise nearly £600 for MacMillan Nurses so its certainly a good news story. 

I was told this morning that the boater is still in hospital but doing OK with a dislocated shoulder and broken arm.  His friends have now taken his boat to its mooring.

I needed to change the word "from" to the word "for" in what I printed above but I can not now see any way to edit it other than clicking on "quote" and altering it here.. Can one of the ultra intelligent folk on here tell me how to edit please?

[adam1uk]

1 minute ago, canalboat said:

I needed to change the word "from" to the word "for" in what I printed above but I can not now see any way to edit it other than clicking on "quote" and altering it here.. Can one of the ultra intelligent folk on here tell me how to edit please?

I believe you can only edit posts for a limited time after you hit submit -- to prevent history being rewritten.

[Nick D]

On 19/08/2018 at 13:06, dogless said:

Now you can't agree on whether they're not there when you want them, or that they're useless busy bodies that shouldn't be there...do make your minds up!

Any volunteers reading this thread PLEASE note all boaters aren't grumpy complainers.

Thank you for giving up your time, thank you for the help, and if I do not want assistance I will be sure to let you know  

Rog

Thanks for this Rog, I am a volunteer (on the L&L) and was beginning to wonder if I'm wasting my time or not.  As far as I know, I've never helped anyone who didn't want help and judging by the thanks (and occasional gifts) it would seem that my assistance is appreciated.  When I'm not cruising, I try to volunteer at least one day a week including weekends.  I do find the attitude of some people on here towards volunteers quite disappointing though I accept that, as in any walk of life, not all volunteers will behave in the same way. The same goes for boaters!

[billS]

20 minutes ago, Nick D said:

Thanks for this Rog, I am a volunteer (on the L&L) and was beginning to wonder if I'm wasting my time or not.  As far as I know, I've never helped anyone who didn't want help and judging by the thanks (and occasional gifts) it would seem that my assistance is appreciated.  When I'm not cruising, I try to volunteer at least one day a week including weekends.  I do find the attitude of some people on here towards volunteers quite disappointing though I accept that, as in any walk of life, not all volunteers will behave in the same way. The same goes for boaters!

Come on now. Never make the mistake of thinking this forum is representative of canal boater's opinions. It's only representative of a small proportion of forum dwellers opinions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by billS

[Tony Brooks]

29 minutes ago, Nick D said:

Thanks for this Rog, I am a volunteer (on the L&L) and was beginning to wonder if I'm wasting my time or not.  As far as I know, I've never helped anyone who didn't want help and judging by the thanks (and occasional gifts) it would seem that my assistance is appreciated.  When I'm not cruising, I try to volunteer at least one day a week including weekends.  I do find the attitude of some people on here towards volunteers quite disappointing though I accept that, as in any walk of life, not all volunteers will behave in the same way. The same goes for boaters!

Remember the vast majority of vollys are first rate and do a  good job. Its just a few who are not and they are the ones who cause  such topics as this. Basically it seem to me that CaRT maybe do a bit of training  and then say get on with it but do not then monitor the way they interact with boaters on an ongoing basis so they can retrain or weed out those who generate this sort of thread.

 

 

[Ray T]

Whilst having a mooch around Braunston around lunchtime today I got chatting to two volunteers at Braunston bottom lock.

During the time I was there they were polite to boaters traversing the locks and always asked said boaters if they wanted help.

They were also good enough to listen while I explained why All Saints was called "The Cathedral of the Canals."

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Ray T

[rgreg]

Just to add another dimension to this debate, let us not forget the benefits the volunteers get from doing this. I was chatting to one chap last week who was 76 yrs old and he said the exercise and interaction with others did his health the world of good. So he said that not only was he helping others he was helping himself. Now that fits the "wellbeing" message currently being promoted by CRT. 

Much as I am very happy to work locks alone (and do the vast majority), I welcome volunteers.

[dogless]

1 hour ago, Nick D said:

Thanks for this Rog, I am a volunteer (on the L&L) and was beginning to wonder if I'm wasting my time or not.  As far as I know, I've never helped anyone who didn't want help and judging by the thanks (and occasional gifts) it would seem that my assistance is appreciated.  When I'm not cruising, I try to volunteer at least one day a week including weekends.  I do find the attitude of some people on here towards volunteers quite disappointing though I accept that, as in any walk of life, not all volunteers will behave in the same way. The same goes for boaters!

No, thank you.

We did the L&L this year and all the C&RT staff and volunteers we met were great.

Some people just just need to feel 'in charge' and have something to complain about.

Rog

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, dogless said:

No, thank you.

We did the L&L this year and all the C&RT staff and volunteers we met were great.

Some people just just need to feel 'in charge' and have something to complain about.

Rog

I did meet one who could do with a few pointers, He was setting ahead for us, a great help, but before we started filling the lock below so the water was going round the bywash

 

[alan_fincher]

23 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Whilst having a mooch around Braunston around lunchtime today I got chatting to two volunteers at Braunston bottom lock.

The trouble with Braunston volunteers is what your post has just said.

 

I don't doubt they are courteous and follow the guidelines, but if there are two of them on, they are both invariably at the bottom lock.

 

Overall this does very little to help anybody get through the other 5 locks, particularly as the pounds towards the top are regularly a foot or more down below proper level.

 

If their actual sphere of operation included walking the flight, and particularly controlling water levels, then they would be an enormous asset.  Just glued to the bottom lock, with little idea of what is going on at the other five they are adding very little to the smooth operation of the flight, are they?

 

Note:  This is not a criticism of the individuals, (assuming that's what they have been told to do), but does rather make t look like a CRT publicity exercise with little useful overall benefit.

[dogless]

You complain that they're there.

Then complain that they're not everywhere.

Which is it you want, do make your mind up.

Rog

[nicknorman]

2 minutes ago, dogless said:

You complain that they're there.

Then complain that they're not everywhere.

Which is it you want, do make your mind up.

Rog

Clearly they need to be quantumly entangled.

[WotEver]

47 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Clearly they need to be quantumly entangled.

Instant communication. I’m still waiting for the first QE iPhone

[PaulJ]

Last time I actually came across any Braunston vollies was probably last year-I was about half way going up and despite my assurances I would get through the next low pound the two (very cheerful) ladies insisted they ran some water down.

Luck of the draw I guess.

 

[Victor Vectis]

On 17/08/2018 at 08:05, hughc said:

Going down through Stenson on the T&M last year we were told by a volunteer that he wouldn't  raise both bottom paddles because there was an agreement with the live aboards in the layby below the lock. < snip >

Yes!

 

I had a similar discussion about a year ago. I think I posted about it on here.

 

The boat was tied up on the lock landing, waiting to go up and I walked up to the lock to see what was what.

The vlockie raised only one paddle, notch by notch,  and when I asked why not both and quicker I got the same reply about not disturbing the liveaboards moored below the lock.

 

We had a full and frank discussion about this. I said he was not using the lock efficiently. He countered by suggesting I need to be more considerate.

On 17/08/2018 at 08:22, X Alan W said:

< snip >must take an age with only one operating paddle

It did!