rebellion
Active Member
May I first pre-empt this rant by saying that passenger boats in Teddington area their dues, companies like Turks' launches have almost infinate patience when it comes to kids, and are always very clear with their intentions, usuing Horn signals wherever appropriate. So to be clear, this is not directed at usual passenger boats moored in the Teddington Reach.
There was however an incident today at my rowing club that was harrowing enough to warrant an incident report and a few runners to be sent to Teddington Lock to put in complaints there.
Anyone who regularly uses the Teddington reach has probably noticed the sheer mutitude of boating clubs(be it Kayaking, sailing, rowing etc.), so I wasn't surprised or worried when I headed back down to our club with my rowing crew and the Sailing club and Kayaking club opposite us had 70+ boats out and about on the river. Obviously, the navigation is fairly difficult, but that comes with the territory. However halfway through navigating these boats I looked up to see a rather large passenger boat with no name, (later identified as "The Kingsbury") bearing down on not just us, but the young kids in the sailing boats and Kayaks. At this point I tell my thankfully experienced crews to row for the bank, while the Safety boats of the other clubs radio across to each other and pull as many of their kids towards the bank, whilst one of the other safety boats drive on up to the boat (who is still 200-300m away) to ask him to slow down.
I've seen this club execute this very efficiently whenever other passenger boats come through, and even for smaller motor boats they create a corridor for them to navigate down.
The Passenger boat totally ignores the safety boat who is shoating at him to slow down from now beneath the passenger boat's bow, and continues to drive at the children, ranting and raving about how these people never learn and that he's been doing this 55 years etc. etc. etc. and he eventually throws his boat into full astern, coming to a stop about 15metres of the last little clump of children. At this point even passers-by were screaming at him to slow down, and thankfully someone (possibly a mother of one of the sailors) is taking pictures.
Luckily, no-one was hurt during this incident, but it's easy to see how one person doing the wrong thing can endanger lives. I commended the safety boats of the sailing club for their actions, and made sure that this incident was reported down at the lock, along with the relevant authorities.
There was however an incident today at my rowing club that was harrowing enough to warrant an incident report and a few runners to be sent to Teddington Lock to put in complaints there.
Anyone who regularly uses the Teddington reach has probably noticed the sheer mutitude of boating clubs(be it Kayaking, sailing, rowing etc.), so I wasn't surprised or worried when I headed back down to our club with my rowing crew and the Sailing club and Kayaking club opposite us had 70+ boats out and about on the river. Obviously, the navigation is fairly difficult, but that comes with the territory. However halfway through navigating these boats I looked up to see a rather large passenger boat with no name, (later identified as "The Kingsbury") bearing down on not just us, but the young kids in the sailing boats and Kayaks. At this point I tell my thankfully experienced crews to row for the bank, while the Safety boats of the other clubs radio across to each other and pull as many of their kids towards the bank, whilst one of the other safety boats drive on up to the boat (who is still 200-300m away) to ask him to slow down.
I've seen this club execute this very efficiently whenever other passenger boats come through, and even for smaller motor boats they create a corridor for them to navigate down.
The Passenger boat totally ignores the safety boat who is shoating at him to slow down from now beneath the passenger boat's bow, and continues to drive at the children, ranting and raving about how these people never learn and that he's been doing this 55 years etc. etc. etc. and he eventually throws his boat into full astern, coming to a stop about 15metres of the last little clump of children. At this point even passers-by were screaming at him to slow down, and thankfully someone (possibly a mother of one of the sailors) is taking pictures.
Luckily, no-one was hurt during this incident, but it's easy to see how one person doing the wrong thing can endanger lives. I commended the safety boats of the sailing club for their actions, and made sure that this incident was reported down at the lock, along with the relevant authorities.
there is one with a very similar name , of which i told the chap who asked me about it today.
