Canoes in tunnels is sheer madness

Published: Thursday, 22 June 2017

I FULLY agree with both Orph Mable and Terry Bramley about the dangers of canoes sharing the tunnels with narrowboats, it is sheer madness, writes T. Lang.

To my mind it is extremely dangerous that the 'powers that be' can believe that a craft so low in the water with a light will be seen by the steerer of a powered narrowboat heading towards them in a tunnel, especially by one of those whose roof is piled up or sprouting a garden, who has difficulty in seeing approaching narrowboats never mind canoes.

Absolutely useless

So if the canoeist has to have a light, does this mean a battery and a fixed light similar to those on narrowboats?  I don't think so. All it will be is a head light of a couple of LEDs, that will be absolutely useless and impossible to be seen by an approaching narrowboat steerer.

And should the canoeist in his or her terror at the likelihood of being crashed into by a 14 ton narrowboat heading towards them under power result to yelling, it will have no effect whatsoever, as the steerer stood on a revving engine will have no chance of hearing anything.

Should admit its mistake

Though it never can, Canal & River Trust should admit its mistake and cancel the use of canoes sharing tunnels with powered boats immediately, before someone is killed, as someone will surely be.