Post by Telemachus on Jul 2, 2021 15:28:09 GMT
As regular readers will know, I am not a great fan of Volockies because half the fun of boating is operating locks. We don’t really want people operating our locks simply because it removes some of the fun. However I am quite happy to have the odd gate opened / closed / locks prepared etc, as happened today as we descended most of the Wilmcote flight. The volockies were polite, friendly and helpful without trying to take control.
All that changed as we approached the bottom. Arrived at last but one lock to find bottom gate left open by boat ahead, which was in the pound to enter the bottom lock whose top gate was just being opened. A boat was waiting to enter the bottom lock. A volockie was visible on the bottom lock. The bottom lock had to empty and fill before the upcoming boat would be ready for next lock. Our lock had to be filled and emptied for us to pass through, which takes the same amount of time. The bywashes were running strongly, something that the volocky at the top had commented on - “there’s loads of water coming down today, you won’t have a problem with low pounds”.
So I decided I’d close the gate and cycle the lock. There was a boat hot on our heels behind us. I closed the gate and was aware that the volockie at the bottom lock was waving and shouting at me. I ignored him and proceeded to close the gate and just managed to open the top paddles before he arrived at the gate and presumably would have opened it again. He shouted at me to leave the lock empty. I said “No.” He came up to me, and rather angrily said “I told you to leave the bottom gate open”. I said “you are not in charge, there is plenty of time to cycle the lock before the upcoming boat will be ready to enter it, and there is a lot of water coming down the bywashes so saving water isn’t an issue.” He said “I’ve been working this flight for 10 years <something else blah blah blah>“. I said “I’ve been boating for 50 years”. He said “Well you wouldn’t think it”. which seemed quite rude. I said “what is your name, I want to make a complaint about your rudeness”. He refused to give his name and wasn’t wearing a name badge. He stormed off to the bottom lock.
Needless to say the lock was cycled and we passed the upcoming boat in the pound with no delays to either party as per normal practice. I was fuming a bit and decided to identify this guy by photographing him, so I got my phone. As I approached him again and pulled my phone out, he turned away and there followed a somewhat comical attempt for me to take a photo of his face whilst he was ducking and weaving at avoid being photographed. Ok maybe I “got in his face” a bit but anyway, having got a bit too close he swiped at me with his windlass and hit me on the shoulder with it. I was not impressed, but I had the photo anyway.
Somewhat shocked at being assaulted by a volocky’s windlass (even though to be honest I don’t think it was entirely intentional) I phoned CRT and told my tale. I was called back by a nice guy from Hatton who took notes, was sympathetic and apologetic and said that volockies should of course be wearing name badges. But anyway, he seemed to know who I was talking about and promised to ”have a word”. I forbore to mention that really I should call the police and report an assault.
Bottom line of what this was all about was that the Volocky wanted to be in control, and when I refused to be controlled by him for no good reason other than he wanted to tell me what to do and waste time just for the sake of it, it all escalated and ended up with him hitting me with his windlass.
So this is why, whilst plenty of volockies are perfectly pleasant and helpful, I dislike the principal because there will always be the little Hitler who is only there because they enjoy bossing other people about. It sucks all the fun out of boating, and my heart sinks when I see that volockies are on a flight (which is a shame, because there are plenty of perfectly fine ones).
All that changed as we approached the bottom. Arrived at last but one lock to find bottom gate left open by boat ahead, which was in the pound to enter the bottom lock whose top gate was just being opened. A boat was waiting to enter the bottom lock. A volockie was visible on the bottom lock. The bottom lock had to empty and fill before the upcoming boat would be ready for next lock. Our lock had to be filled and emptied for us to pass through, which takes the same amount of time. The bywashes were running strongly, something that the volocky at the top had commented on - “there’s loads of water coming down today, you won’t have a problem with low pounds”.
So I decided I’d close the gate and cycle the lock. There was a boat hot on our heels behind us. I closed the gate and was aware that the volockie at the bottom lock was waving and shouting at me. I ignored him and proceeded to close the gate and just managed to open the top paddles before he arrived at the gate and presumably would have opened it again. He shouted at me to leave the lock empty. I said “No.” He came up to me, and rather angrily said “I told you to leave the bottom gate open”. I said “you are not in charge, there is plenty of time to cycle the lock before the upcoming boat will be ready to enter it, and there is a lot of water coming down the bywashes so saving water isn’t an issue.” He said “I’ve been working this flight for 10 years <something else blah blah blah>“. I said “I’ve been boating for 50 years”. He said “Well you wouldn’t think it”. which seemed quite rude. I said “what is your name, I want to make a complaint about your rudeness”. He refused to give his name and wasn’t wearing a name badge. He stormed off to the bottom lock.
Needless to say the lock was cycled and we passed the upcoming boat in the pound with no delays to either party as per normal practice. I was fuming a bit and decided to identify this guy by photographing him, so I got my phone. As I approached him again and pulled my phone out, he turned away and there followed a somewhat comical attempt for me to take a photo of his face whilst he was ducking and weaving at avoid being photographed. Ok maybe I “got in his face” a bit but anyway, having got a bit too close he swiped at me with his windlass and hit me on the shoulder with it. I was not impressed, but I had the photo anyway.
Somewhat shocked at being assaulted by a volocky’s windlass (even though to be honest I don’t think it was entirely intentional) I phoned CRT and told my tale. I was called back by a nice guy from Hatton who took notes, was sympathetic and apologetic and said that volockies should of course be wearing name badges. But anyway, he seemed to know who I was talking about and promised to ”have a word”. I forbore to mention that really I should call the police and report an assault.
Bottom line of what this was all about was that the Volocky wanted to be in control, and when I refused to be controlled by him for no good reason other than he wanted to tell me what to do and waste time just for the sake of it, it all escalated and ended up with him hitting me with his windlass.
So this is why, whilst plenty of volockies are perfectly pleasant and helpful, I dislike the principal because there will always be the little Hitler who is only there because they enjoy bossing other people about. It sucks all the fun out of boating, and my heart sinks when I see that volockies are on a flight (which is a shame, because there are plenty of perfectly fine ones).