Idiots on the cut

[Neil.A]

Bit the bullet on Sunday and decided to fill up with water. It means a 200 metre sprint up to the lock basin to get to the water point. Ties up and starts to fill up. Almost 2 hours and 150 gallons later and its nearly full. Patience is wearing a bit thin now as a battered un-licensed day boat is about to moor up next to me, time is now 16.45hrs

On the bow of this cruiser is a young lad with an air of "care in the community" about him. Armed with a rope ten feet from the towpath he launches himself toward the path, needless to say he didn't make it and ended up in the drink. The two tw@ts that were still in the boat just pissed themselves as this lad was floundering.

Obviously he couldn't swim and 6 feet of swollen canal was now over his head. Anyway I pulled him out and dragged him onto the grass, his associates still in stitches.

I wound up my hose, stowed it and untied to turn round.

To turn the boat upstream means an hour jaunt to a winding hole a mile and a half away, spin the boat round and come back up the cut.

18.15hrs, I’ve just tied to my mooring, gets the dogs off the roof and starts to put up the aerial and tinternet masts.

I notice the same cruiser moored up 50 metres away. The lad that fell in is still fully clothed dripping wet and shivering (this is 90 minutes and its bloody cold). His mates, (one of them a girl) are just sat about with cans of ale smoking fags on the towpath.

I went back to the boat got a towel, an old jumper and some slightly soiled jeans out the ragbag and sent him to the shower block with my key.

 

He came back to give me my key, dressed in the jeans and jumper still wearing his still wet shirt underneath and had his soaking wet jacket over the top.

I give up...

[Barry]

Strewth!!!!!!!!!!!!

[seaandland]

At least well done to you Neil, you can sleep easy in your bed, that kid has a mother somewhere, does she know what he is up to, if he died all his mates would have said,, he was a lovely lad, he did not deserve that, the same few who just stood and laughed,, say no more.

[Chris J W]

I just hope I can act with the same courage and conviction in a similar situation.

[nigel carton]

Neil. good deed for the day! well done and have a beer from me!

[Jason Wilson and Family]

That's your conscience and karma covered, mate. It's in Darwin's hands now.

[AllanW]

That's your conscience and karma covered, mate. It's in Darwin's hands now.

That reminds me... are you aware of the Darwin Awards?

 

http://darwinawards.com/

 

Allan

[Supermalc]

But some people seem to manage.A few years ago, when I got my first buy/sell boat I got a phone call to move it from the slipway at Southrey. Then unlocked of course, and before Roy rented it.A couple of chaps had a small boat to do a survey of some sort.Later in the day I just happened to be there when they got back. I'd had a day at my Norman at Bardney.The chap doing the boating, the helper was wet, and he said he had stepped off the side of the slipway while putting the boat IN. So he'd been wet through all day on the boat in the river, and it was a cold day.I start to get hypothermia now when it drops below 15 :(You still get your 'Blue Peter Badge' though

[StoneHenge]

At least you tried Neil, that's all you can do.

 

Definitely a good deed for the day. Well done.

[Neil.A]

I posted this on another forum I am a regular on, and got this reply:

 

"It makes the ghost of Mr Darwin cry when you save people from their own stupidity. Next time let the idiot drown and steal the corpses wallet."

 

Had me in stitches

[denboy]

It wasnt by chance a wooden broads cruiser ??

[Neil.A]

It wasnt by chance a wooden broads cruiser ??

Do you mean this one!?

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/8342/sta70118smallyx0.jpg

 

This is the one the lad fell off.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2100/sta70119smallkz4.jpg

Ericha leah..or somethig!

Edited July 26, 2007 by Neil.A

[Hekaterine]

Next time let the idiot drown and steal the corpses wallet.

 

It would seem that you are far better endowed with the milk of human kindness than whoever posted this comment, Neil.

[Neil.A]

It would seem that you are far better endowed with the milk of human kindness than whoever posted this comment, Neil.

Still not got the jumper, jeans or towell back! Not that I want them <shudder>

[denboy]

Do you mean this one!?

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/8342/sta70118smallyx0.jpg

 

This is the one the lad fell off.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2100/sta70119smallkz4.jpg

Ericha leah..or somethig!

no not them ones one went past me sun with 3 4 on the roof they soon got of before the bridge ate them

[dccruiser]

Your actions were admirable .....

 

just one thing though .... i take great exception to you refering to the boat as a "day boat" as it looks like a dawnie 25 or 27 ... and having cruised extensively on a well equiped 27 i would consider it anything but.

 

In my understanding a dayboat is small boat with no facilities for overnight accomodation and in most cases without even a cabin door fitted ....

 

Funnily enough its an opinion that hasnt changed since the days i lived aboard a 72' narrowboat , did i possibly miss something from the narrowboat owners manual ? i seem to think i must have as another nb owner thought you were reffering to the wooden broads cruiser.... maybe its a new thing ..... any non steel boat with any other shape is a day boat ...... wonder what that makes carlt 's boats? are they accepted being of the appropriate shape , or are they also dayboats as they are contructed from wood?

 

Rick

[Neil.A]

Your actions were admirable .....

 

just one thing though .... i take great exception to you refering to the boat as a "day boat" as it looks like a dawnie 25 or 27 ... and having cruised extensively on a well equiped 27 i would consider it anything but.

 

In my understanding a dayboat is small boat with no facilities for overnight accomodation and in most cases without even a cabin door fitted ....

 

Funnily enough its an opinion that hasnt changed since the days i lived aboard a 72' narrowboat , did i possibly miss something from the narrowboat owners manual ? i seem to think i must have as another nb owner thought you were reffering to the wooden broads cruiser.... maybe its a new thing ..... any non steel boat with any other shape is a day boat ...... wonder what that makes carlt 's boats? are they accepted being of the appropriate shape , or are they also dayboats as they are contructed from wood?

 

Rick

I think Carlt has an Eboat and a Uboat for different purposes o' course!

No offence intended, I have time for all of the network users. I doubt if you would want to spend more than a day on this one.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2100/sta70119smallkz4.jpg

Unless of course the crew were spending the night in the shower block.

Seriously.....

[dccruiser]

Lol .... probably not! .... no offence taken niel , just a point of order brought about by the new breed of nb owners that only judge boating experience on a glance of the boat you own , then blame the wind on a still day when they get it very wrong!

 

As i said at the beginning of my post admirable actions

 

Rick

[Neil.A]

Lol .... probably not! .... no offence taken niel , just a point of order brought about by the new breed of nb owners that only judge boating experience on a glance of the boat you own , then blame the wind on a still day when they get it very wrong!

 

As i said at the beginning of my post admirable actions

 

Rick

 

I was born and brought up on a rough ol council estate (Inham Nook) not far from where I'm moored. I have no problems with anyone that does not have a problem with me.

Live and let live.

Its about time the squabbling between Cruisers and Narrowboats stopped, we all have the same interests and share the same environment.

As Carl would say: Divide and conquer.

He's dead right.

As for admirable actions, its no more than anyone here would have done. All I did was pull him out by the scruff of his neck, I was on dry land!!!!

Neil

[dccruiser]

I agree with everything you said , two divorces later i have returned to living on a rough ol council estate not dissimilar from the one i grew up on!

 

I commended your actions as there are a lot of people in this world who would still look from a distance but make no attempt to assist , let alone provide clothing or trust someone with a shower key.

 

so once again , no offence taken or meant , it would be a utopia if everyone was regarded as boaters irrespective of what they owned provided they were licenced , courteous and did not endanger themselves or anyone else through irresponsible behaviour.

 

Although my boat is currently stuck in gloucester i will be back on my home mooring in shardlow asap and providing we have a summer will be up the trent to see malc in lincoln , so i will be sure to say hello when i pass you

 

Rick

[Hairy-Neil]

, .......then blame the wind on a still day when they get it very wrong!

 

Or overuse of the bow thruster....

[Machpoint005]

then blame the wind on a still day when they get it very wrong!

 

Or overuse of the bow thruster.

 

Have you come across folk who complain about the wind blowing them astray, but they have half the cratch cover open on a 60ft boat? They might as well throw in jib, flying jib, jib of jibs as well!

 

Ian

[fender]

Have you come across folk who complain about the wind blowing them astray, but they have half the cratch cover open on a 60ft boat? They might as well throw in jib, flying jib, jib of jibs as well!

 

Ian

 

I've met a couple of idiots on the cut (on the river Thames in fact) they were lock keepers, professionals, and what a bunch of idiots they were. Despite their 'professionalism' (having a job) I dont think they were competent, especially with regards to an incident a couple of months ago which took place in front of dozens of people.

 

Having a bow thruster does give a different mind set. It doesnt make one more of a better 'professional.'

[Howard]

It's people like you that have caused me to cease posting on this forum ....

 

Yeah , we're all idiots to you , we're just trying to do our job ....

 

I've seen a whole lot of narrowboaters who don't know their arse from their elbow , and make the most incredible fuck ups , but you guys never post that do you , it's always someone elses fault .

 

I only popped back today to see what has been going on , if anything has changed , but i guess it hasn't ..

 

Will a moderator please delete my account.

 

Thanks .

 

Good luck to everyone who has been friendly and supportive. You're always welcome.

Edited July 27, 2007 by Howard

[Jason Wilson and Family]

Well now... what just happened?

 

Judging by Howards post there is a story behind fenders comments that I'm not aware of. Seeing as fender didn't seem to be targeting lock-keepers in general I'm left a bit confused by Howards response.