No consideration for others

THE attitude by some boaters on the waterways has worsened considerably over the past few years, with some having no consideration for others, as our contributor Peter Ponting confirms:

I know that this subject has been aired many times, but it has got worse.

Pulled out

Since we joined the Trent & Mersey at Preston Brook, we have had our mooring pins completely pulled out five times, and we are only at Northwich. This is despite knocking them virtually underground.

And it is not the hire boaters that are doing it, but private boaters.

Spilt in her lap

Last night we returned to the boat near Anderton, to find a neighbour hitting our mooring pins into the ground. When asked what he was doing, he explained that a boat had gone past really fast, his wife, who was drinking a coffee, had it spilt in her lap. And that when he went out to complain, noticed the front of our boat had drifted across the canal and that both pins had been fully pulled out of the ground.

Two nights ago we moored near Acton, and nobody slowed down. A hire boat moored near us and proceeded to pin his centre rope. As he was walking towards the bow to secure that, a boat came past and pulled the centre pin out.

Knock-on effect

I do not know the answer to this problem, and perhaps it will get to such a stage that nobody will use mooring pins, which will cause a knock-on effect at recognised moorings.

As I am writing a boat Sunshine Bliss has just passed with Motown music blaring, and we are once again bouncing and pulling on our ropes.