Email: Enjoyment of the waterways

I wonder if Geoff Smith gets out much on his narrowboat? If he does, he must have realised by now that the boating community contains the widest possible range of people who generally have only one thing in common, their enjoyment of the waterways.

In all other respects you, I or the next person may have nothing in common whatsoever. The next boater you meet may have views and habits with which not only do you not agree, but horrify and disgust you but he/she is a boater. Generally I have found that boaters are fairly tolerant of the private views and faiths of the next man providing he does not impinge on their ability to hold their own views and faiths.

So what if the person offering to help is a Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Orthodox Jew or whatever, either accept or politely decline the help dependant upon whether it is needed or not.

Recently one of the volunteer crews helping at Hillmorton was reported as having been made up of employees of...horrors!....Barclaycard! So you will see that boating makes it possible for all sorts of people to mix amicably, quite possibly one or two might even have been members of the Salvation Army!

I would offer this advice, do not judge others, should they not hold the same views as you. Let the heathens, gays, hash smokers, Christians or whatever, get on with their own lives and consequences of their habits, being sure in your own mind that they are wrong and you are undoubtedly right!

Just in case anyone is interested, I have no religion and earnestly believe when you die, you die. End of story.

Tony Collins.