Lock etiquette

[No Regrets]

Re: Oh, yes, absolutely,

The newly formed Birchwood owners club (Affiliated to the YBW forum: Thames division) is coming round to see you later.... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[oldgit]

Re: Oh, yes, absolutely,

Was not having a go and you ,should have attached my post to the original poster,feel certain you have never ever raised your voice above a gentle murmour....ever.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[No Regrets]

Re: Oh, yes, absolutely,

Not you Oldgit....the clearly anti-Birchwood post that Apollo slipped in before.

We have a flotilla of '25's ready to sprinkle rock salt all over his steel bathtub.

By the morning, Stelios will think it's one of his 'Easyboat' fleet.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[apollo]

Re: Oh, yes, absolutely,

"Steel", no not me.

Blimey I will hide behind my net curtains!

 

[No Regrets]

Re: Oh, yes, absolutely,

FOR SALE:

4 bags 'ACME' brand industrial strength 'Rustall' marine grade rock salt. Bought for aborted project, suit Thames resident with long driveway.

£20 a bag, will deliver directly to your river frontage.

Contact Birchwood owners club (Thames division) c/o YBW forum.



/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[sidney]

Re: You are unlikely to encounter much traffic

We appreciate the etiquette advice especially as we recently had an incident which caused us some bemusement. A lock was closed as we approached so we held back for a while and then decided to moor since we received no signal from the lock keeper. The gates eventually opened but from our position we could not see through into the lock. The lock keeper just stood by the open gates looking at us. We had assumed that a vessel needed to come out so waited patiently. After about 5 mins the keeper shouted at us asking whether we were going in. At no time did he give us any signal to indicate what we should do. We are relatively new to boating but found this behaviour quite strange and wondered whether we should have done anything differently.

 

[boatone]

Re: You are unlikely to encounter much traffic

Very unusual - which lock?

 

[DogsBody]

Re: You are unlikely to encounter much traffic

That is unusual, normally you would wait for the keeper to motion to you to come in or call if close enough, some locks you can't see into from the waiting area, so not a good idea to move off until called.

Of course, if you can clearly see the lock is empty then get moving.

 

[TrueBlue]

I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

I've noticed in the last two years or so, that clear instructions from lockies is on the decline. Quite often they are the first to say - "stupid boater", or the like if you move too early. For most locks - at least at the downstream end you have no clear line of sight from the layby. The boater has no idea if the lock is being emptied or filled just for him or whether there is traffic coming the other way.

To put the other point of view, I've been up lockside (chatting to the operator) and notice him giving clear signals to boats - from which there is no response - skipper is having a pee or a drag. You can't expect the poor chap to stand there waving and waving and waving....

So I always make a point of acknowledging his wave (if I'm the first in the queue). At least it's polite!

I get the feeling that staff have become more defensive in recent years, possibly due to an incident where a well known keeper had a few words with some idiot boater, richly deserved by all accounts, and ended up with a "disciplinary" action. Thus they are mostly keeping their heads down in case it affects their pension.

That's a possible reason why many now don't bother to load their lock, but just operate a first come first served basis. There was a certain skill required for the former, and I miss it.

I also feel that in these PC days where everything is dumbed down that the esprit de corps has disappeared. The abandonment of the No.1's uniform last year was perhaps a final nail in the coffin. Being a lockkeeper is becoming just a job - no longer a way of life.

Shame

Another point of etiquette to add -

If a lockkeeper waves you in, or puts a finger on his nose and his other hand to the right or left (meaning put your sharp end to the right or left side of the chamber), do acknowledge the message with a cheery wave.

On leaving always thank him, to acknowledge his efforts.

Remember always that one day there may be no attended lock service and you'll have to deal with the lock and other stroppy, lazy boaters yourself....

 

[Brayman]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

[ QUOTE ]
Another point of etiquette to add -

If a lockkeeper waves you in, or puts a finger on his nose and his other hand to the right or left (meaning put your sharp end to the right or left side of the chamber), do acknowledge the message with a cheery wave.


[/ QUOTE ]
It's a good idea to acknowledge with a wave from the hand also pointing to the side he has indicated, he then knows you have understood his request.

 

[rr_123]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

[ QUOTE ]
...
That's a possible reason why many now don't bother to load their lock...


[/ QUOTE ]

Is that why I was ignored steaming up to Bell Weir last season.

I thought it was just me; the lockie (probably the summer assistant, perhaps miffed that instead of a sun-tan by the end of the season all he'd managed to achieve was a fine coating of rust) closed the gate with me about 150 yards away, and proceded to fill the lock with just one boat in it. Opened the upstream gate when it was full, and knocked off.

Passing the time of day yesterday, expressed the opinion that it was surprising that there weren't more boats out on such a glorious day, and got the gruff reply that "people have got to work". Perhaps I interrupted his siesta by audaciously passing though in the middle of the afternoon.

I shall still stick to doing what I'm told in locks and being jolly. It is, as True Blue says, part of the experience, not an inconvenience sent to try our patience. Don't like it, get a different hobby. Feel the same about boats that feel the need for speed on the river, but shan't start on that ... for now /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[DogsBody]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

[ QUOTE ]
I've noticed in the last two years or so, that clear instructions from lockies is on the decline. Quite often they are the first to say - "stupid boater", or the like if you move too early. For most locks - at least at the downstream end you have no clear line of sight from the layby. The boater has no idea if the lock is being emptied or filled just for him or whether there is traffic coming the other way.

To put the other point of view, I've been up lockside (chatting to the operator) and notice him giving clear signals to boats - from which there is no response - skipper is having a pee or a drag. You can't expect the poor chap to stand there waving and waving and waving....

So I always make a point of acknowledging his wave (if I'm the first in the queue). At least it's polite!

[/ QUOTE ]

Not entirely sure what you are disagreeing with? If you can't see into the lock it can be dangerous to move off without the keeper calling / waving you in as you could hit something that is coming out of the lock (from last weekend's trip Boulters particularly spring to mind).

In most cases where the layby is such that you can't see into the lock I tend to find the keeper wanders over and either waves / calls. Always worth a thumbs up when he does though, so he knows you've seen him. Surprising how often when not first in the queue, you have to point out to the boat in front that the keeper is calling them though.

Agree that less often are they inclined to try and squeeze the last boat in like they did in years gone by. Many don't even bother to suggest which side to moor as you enter but if they do I always point to that side to show I've seen their request.

Darren.

 

[ianc1200]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

There are certain lock keepers who haven't the time to wave you in as they have very important business on their mobile phone! (I'm not thinking of Caversham......)

IanC

 

[No Regrets]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

Oh, the aesthetically challenged Woman......Absolutely pathetic. Always gibbering on the mobile /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[DogsBody]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

[ QUOTE ]
There are certain lock keepers who haven't the time to wave you in as they have very important business on their mobile phone! (I'm not thinking of Caversham......)

IanC

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah I see, last time I went through a lock where the keeper was busy talking on his phone, he apologised to me on the way out for not having time to chat to me.

 

[Chris_d]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

haven't a clue who you mean, yes /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif but I know that feeling of having to wave one's self in...

 

[ianc1200]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

Have to say actually she's very nice to talk to when you get a chance!

IanC

 

[Richard Shead]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

Not defending any of them but if you actually sit on the lock / by the lock and I give Teddington as an example the phone never stops ringing!

 

[No Regrets]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

Rightly, or wrongly, I expect to be dealt with in a professional manner, in the same way as the 'lockies' should expect me to treat them, and their lock.

On the whole, the service is great, but the mobile phone thing happened a few times at Caversham, and the phone call lasted longer than our boat took to enter and exit....

FFS, is that acceptable? It was unlikely to be a business call /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[teddington_lock]

Re: I\'m sorry, but would disagree -

[ QUOTE ]
Not defending any of them but if you actually sit on the lock / by the lock and I give Teddington as an example the phone never stops ringing!

[/ QUOTE ]

We do handle an extraordinary volume of calls at Teddington ....

In the summer i can literally go the whole morning with a phone glued to my head ...

What time is the tide ?
When can i leave to go the Brentford / Limehouse / St Kats / South Dock ?
Water levels ?
When is this / that happening ?
Is so and so on duty ?
Help , i'm stuck in XYZ lock how do i get out ( usually around 2am ) ....
What time is high water at Gravesend ?
What time do i need to leave to get under Hammersmith Bridge ?
How much is a visitors licence for XYZ sized boat ?
Really , that much ?
How much for a two week ?
Really , that much ?
How much for a month ?
Really , that much ? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

etc etc etc ad infinitum ....

Trouble is a lot of the calls involve us working out times for a particular day which may be well in advance ... so we are on each call for a while ...

I have had times when a single call has taken up more time that it takes to lock someone through , but always try to acknowledge everyone and at the very least give them a nod and a smile.

Most boaters are very good at acknowledging waves to either left or right , the ones that really get us at Teddington are the ones that come round the end of the weir , so we go out and get the lock ready , fill it up ..... they cruise down the cut at 1 knot , and then just as we are opening the gates , and they are just past the bridge , they turn round and cruise off /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif without even acknowledging us !