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Post by naughtyfox on Sept 23, 2020 10:58:30 GMT
Add in the vast fenland wastes Getting on a bus without a mask or hopping on an aeroplane would seem to make that risk much more likely and would be foolhardy in the extreme at the present moment in time. In the vast Fenland wastes you leave Covid-19 on every lock beam / sluice wheel. On an aeroplane if they all catch it, 99.9% won't die. My name is not Naughty-Danger-Fox for nothing. Discarded face masks spotted on the ground today... now, that is disgusting.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 17:39:44 GMT
Well Ricco, I finally got the slow down shout (well, gesture) today.
If I remember correctly it was not long after I turned onto the Oxford canal. Around that junction there are long lines of moored up boats of all kinds, sometimes with boats on both sides, and the wind was picking up as I was going through that section.
I was at just under 1000rpm, about 1.5mph at most, and trying to keep some steerage way on, in order to cope with the wind- so not quite dead slow, but bloody close. Certainly I could not have gone much slower, even without the wind.
I heard a knock from beside me and an old lady appeared in a window, moving her flattened palm up and down in a 'slow down' gesture. I honestly did not know what to say. In a 35mph cross wind, with boats all over the place, and a 10-12ft wide channel to navigate between them, there was literally no other course of action available.
The problem with these troll-like creatures who emerge to shout or gesture at passing boats who are doing tickover speeds is that it validates the speedsters, who then think everyone who shouts at them is a nutter.
The boat that bounced me around the most on the GU was a working boat, doing at least 4 mph and probably even 5 or 6mph, but certainly noticeably faster than most. Maybe it was the sheer mass with its cargo, but the bow wave was big by canal standards. I have heard a few people say that the drivers of classic trad style boats and working boats can be arrogant at times- my lock buddy yesterday said she was shouted at by a trad boat driver in the Atherstone flight, who said working boats were exempt from the normal canal rules.
My lock buddy today, a full time boat mover, also said something similar when I asked him about unpleasant encounters with other boaters.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 17:48:06 GMT
Just been bounced around big time by a 'rib' type boat doing about 30mph, did think about shouting slow down but knew they would take no notice.
To be fair they did have a blue flashing light going..... I'll forgive them this time...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:11:19 GMT
I heard a knock from beside me and an old lady appeared in a window, moving her flattened palm up and down in a 'slow down' gesture. I honestly did not know what to say. In a 35mph cross wind, with boats all over the place, and a 10-12ft wide channel to navigate between them, there was literally no other course of action available. [ I think she may have been telling you to go faster
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:12:45 GMT
Just been bounced around big time by a 'rib' type boat doing about 30mph, did think about shouting slow down but knew they would take no notice.
To be fair they did have a blue flashing light going..... I'll forgive them this time... On the Wey? Or are you back on the Thames. Either way police inflatables should not be racing about. It is not appropriate and causes damage to peoples boats. Assuming you were not between Teddington and Brentford...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:15:04 GMT
Just been bounced around big time by a 'rib' type boat doing about 30mph, did think about shouting slow down but knew they would take no notice.
To be fair they did have a blue flashing light going..... I'll forgive them this time... On the Wey? Or are you back on the Thames. Either way police inflatables should not be racing about. It is not appropriate and causes damage to peoples boats. Assuming you were not between Teddington and Brentford... At Teddington lock cut, awaiting a rather too windy (for my liking) trip tomorrow.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:20:49 GMT
Oh yes there is a police and lifeboat station just above the lock there.
Still they will get complaints from riparian owners along there if they damage boats.
I was discussing this problem with a lock keeper recently and he said they aren't suppose to fly along too fast for obvious reasons. I suppose they get away with it due to the blue light but it's not really appropriate.
Hopefully the wind will drop. Teddington Brentford not too bad really put warm clothes on though.
ETA I would be down that way by now but still got major pain and lack of mobility from this trapped nerve nonsense. It's been a while now...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:23:47 GMT
Oh yes there is a police and lifeboat station just above the lock there. Still they will get complaints from riparian owners along there if they damage boats. I was discussing this problem with a lock keeper recently and he said they aren't suppose to fly along too fast for obvious reasons. I suppose they get away with it due to the blue light but it's not really appropriate. Hopefully the wind will drop. Teddington Brentford not too bad really put warm clothes on though. Bloody freezing today once on the Thames - had woolly hat and gloves on!
eta - when is the MRI scan?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:27:37 GMT
No date yet. When I saw the quack it was a Tuesday she said "two or three weeks" so I guess I'll get a letter next week hopefully.
If it turns out the virus bollocks screws it all up I may shell out for private. Not my scene overall but worth it in some cases.
I don't think the virus bollocks will effect the MRI situation, maybe the x-ray for the lungs but MRI seems to be a different thing.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:30:49 GMT
I heard a knock from beside me and an old lady appeared in a window, moving her flattened palm up and down in a 'slow down' gesture. I honestly did not know what to say. In a 35mph cross wind, with boats all over the place, and a 10-12ft wide channel to navigate between them, there was literally no other course of action available. [ I think she may have been telling you to go faster I will say this for the pro boat mover with whom I went down the braunston flight this morning- he always went slow past moored boats. Make no mistake- this guy was keen. He would wind up and close paddles faster than anyone I've seen, jog ahead and get the next lock ready to minimise delay- basically anything he could reasonably do to speed up our passage through. He went ahead to help oncoming boaters through quicker, and was told off by a woman who was coming up through our next lock when he tried to open the top gate a tad, before her husband was fully across it! What he was actually doing was opening it just fractionally so that it wouldn't get stuck, apparently- but she mistook his help for an attempt to cause the manslaughter of her elderly husband. I said a tearful farewell to my new lock buddy as we left the last lock, and he went off first, but he always kept it slow past the very long lines of moored boats around braunston and then on the Oxford canal. So it seems the pro boat movers also respect the tradition of slowing for moored boats. I'm still not sure if all working boats do though.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:40:40 GMT
I reckon it has changed over the years. It seems to have become less common to slow down.
Maybe it's a bit "old school" but not "traditional" to slow down.
Nothing has changed in the hydrodynamic sense but people on boats may have changed. The combination of those who are intolerant to others in general and those who don't understand the slowing down thing or don't care, and the modern "online canal planner" type of arrangement has changed the game.
Get bigger longer mooring pins .
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Post by metanoia on Sept 26, 2020 18:41:58 GMT
I think she may have been telling you to go faster I will say this for the pro boat mover with whom I went down the braunston flight this morning- he always went slow past moored boats. Make no mistake- this guy was keen. He would wind up and close paddles faster than anyone I've seen, jog ahead and get the next lock ready to minimise delay- basically anything he could reasonably do to speed up our passage through. He went ahead to help oncoming boaters through quicker, and was told off by a woman who was coming up through our next lock when he tried to open the top gate a tad, before her husband was fully across it! What he was actually doing was opening it just fractionally so that it wouldn't get stuck, apparently- but she mistook his help for an attempt to cause the manslaughter of her elderly husband. I said a tearful farewell to my new lock buddy as we left the last lock, and he went off first, but he always kept it slow past the very long lines of moored boats around braunston and then on the Oxford canal. So it seems the pro boat movers also respect the tradition of slowing for moored boats. I'm still not sure if all working boats do though. So - you got lucky again!! Well done - seems you are leading a charmed life! Re: your comments about working boats - the real, genuine, proper working boats will never disturb/displace/offend your boat in any way - they're on your side and want your custom, after all (but seriously, whilst many are on a mission, they are respectful). Sadly, you are currently in the land of the "pretend working boats" aka posers with attitude - had one actually BEND a piling hook once as he hurtled past - with the usual cry ............. Never mind, roll on October. Take care x
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2020 18:43:49 GMT
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Post by metanoia on Sept 26, 2020 18:51:14 GMT
Thanks for the tip. I use chains now - and avoid the pretentious ones as much as possible. Genuine ccer so don't do ebay x
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Post by Trina on Sept 26, 2020 19:02:38 GMT
We got side swiped by a Heritage working boat,I was not amused.Paul then joined the CRT heritage boats some years later.The side swiper was still there...P didn't say a word as he's subtle compared to moi.I would have said something,well quite a lot actually !😆
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