Can anyone work out the psychology?

[LimL]

Windsor to Henley and back over the bank holiday weekend. Moorings busy but otherwise no particular queues. But what do boaters have in their heads when they approach a lock lay-by and then moor up to wait right near the start of the lay-by? And not just hire boats, many who you would think would know better, with their own expensive craft!
Are they in a panic to tie up to the first fixed object they see?
Don't they anticipate that within a few minutes there are likely to be several more boats behind them, all blowing about in the wind?
Or don't they care?

Answers on a postcard please!

 

[Hadenough]

I would guess that they want to be last into the lock. But anyway what is the problem? Do you like queuing? Just slot in in front of them.

 

[LimL]

I would guess that they want to be last into the lock. But anyway what is the problem? Do you like queuing? Just slot in in front of them.

I did see someone do this once ( the cries of horror still ring in my ears) and have been tempted. But to commit possibly the most heinous crime on the river (or possibly anywhere in English society!) - queue jumping - seems to be going a bit too far!

 

[byron]

They are just thoughtless, inconsiderate or possibly totally inexperienced.

 

[oldgit]

Without wishing to be contentious,perhaps they do not want to go through on this particular lock in and want to have a relaxing break/cup of cha or are...

A. In absolutely no hurry at all
B.Waiting for another boat to catch them up
C Let some Thames Grand Prix lock racer get well in front and to resume their relaxed cruise without music and/or wash.
D.Seen the antics of a particular boat in a previous lock and do not wish to endure it again .
X Have cut somebody up and do not wish to go into a lock with them in case a free and full exchange of views takes place..
Z. Waiting for the umpteem canal boats to fill up their 1000 gallon water tanks and allow me to go over and fill mine.
OG may or may not have experienced all/any of these.
Have frequently waited at the far end of the lock moorings to allow other more keen boaters to get past me and waved them on to go in front, more annoying is folks stopping the boat in the middle or not moving up as the que shortens ?

 

[Big John]

They are just thoughtless, inconsiderate or possibly totally inexperienced.

+1

 

[mlines]

Or at Hambeldon or Hurley - stopping for an icecream

 

[Newbroom]

Dont mind people stopping at the back as OG says but dont glare at me because I go past and moor at the front of the lay by.

 

[Actionmat]

OG summed it up nicely. However, I often pull in front of a boat but wave them in with a cheery 'you were here first'(assuming they are queuing and not just using the lay-by for a lunchbreak)
I wouldn't do that on the road, but its the river and as I often say to myself 'If I was in a rush, I wouldn't be on the Thames'

 

[TrueBlue]

I've always assumed it was a combination of:-

• Picking up bollards once the boat is parallel to the layby ('cos thereafter the bow tends to drift out)
• Folks don't like to moor too near the front of the layby as it requires more effort to get the boat out into the centre of the stream
• OR any of the previous posts

 

[CX54WEK]

It is the same mentality that makes people stop in the middle of the lock also with no thought for what might be going on behind them.

We put it down to sheer terror and just grabbing the first thing that they see to secure the boat to!

 

[Actionmat]

We put it down to sheer terror and just grabbing the first thing that they see to secure the boat to!

So that's why Oldgit cruises the Thames in a mankini? Thanks, mystery solved

 

[oldgit]

cruises the Thames in a mankini?

Personal appearances and house calls by arrangement, see my "business card" card tucked into the display at any local phone booth ...

 

[Cashbuyer]

And in a self service lock they stand and watch you work the whole effinf thing without even a thank you.
Learnt my lesson there - now I shout down the lock and get them involved. The attitude is amazing...

 

[CX54WEK]

And in a self service lock they stand and watch you work the whole effinf thing without even a thank you.
Learnt my lesson there - now I shout down the lock and get them involved. The attitude is amazing...

Even worse around here they stand and watch as you do manual self service locks by yourself

 

[oldgit]

Even worse around here they stand and watch as you do manual self service locks by yourself

You really need to explain slowly and carefully to them that locks in the actual real world are powered by sweat and tears not by standing your G & T on top of the cabinet while one pushes a button !
....and the tactic of waiting until after 1pm for a lock keeper to turn up and operate the lock,will result in a very long wait indeed,

 

[Riverleak]

I go straight past them to the end of the layby nearest the lock, and then go in ahead of them. The lock laybys have signs that say, " when there is space ahead, please move along", and I've had lockeepers encourage this.

 

[oldgit]

...and nice and close to the boat in front please, you do not need a gap big enough to get a battleship in ?

 

[CX54WEK]

...and nice and close to the boat in front please, you do not need a gap big enough to get a battleship in ?

I thought those 26ft gaps between moored boats were left for us to squeeze our 25ft boat into?

 

[LimL]

I'm pleased to have started a thread that nearly everyone seems to be able to agree on!!! But regarding the "when there is space ahead, please move along..." notices, I feel that there are not as many of these as there used to be? Or maybe just my eyesight