Was I in the wrong?

nickcred

nickcred

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Hi All

Coming through Henley on Saturday afternoon we were headed downstream and approaching the arched bridge. The paddle steamer was in front around 30 ft and was headed for the middle arch. I tend to favour going through the middle arch normally, even though we can fit under the arches either side. Unbeknown to us to the right hand side of the arch headed upstream, was a larger than us, white crusier. Did not see the make or name but had 6 or so people on board. We followed the paddle steamer through and saw the crusier appear from the right trying to come through as we were. He went astern, in good time, seemed no hassle. As we passed he lent over the stern of his boat and screamed at us and in response to my "we are going downstream, whats the issue? he shouted "why dont you use the other arch" I thought it was fairly aggressive and unnecessary (hardly a near miss) seemed like a little river rage to me :-)

So was I in the wrong, should I use the smaller arch even though I could not see him and was following another boat through. At the time I thought I am in the right. I have right of way as headed downstream. Am I unreasonable, forgetting the right or wrong. I dislike incidents like this on the river. I always hold off when headed upstream, dingy or cruiser or skiff makes no difference. Or have I misunderstood the etiquite or rules of the river?

Comments welcomed please
 
Sounds like a right plonker, especially as you were in the right regardless of whether you could see him or not. I am like you, quite happy to go with the flow, so to speak, and why are some people in such a rush? I am quite happy to let whoever go through if I am heading upstream and take the time to take in more of the surroundings, for all of the 30 seconds or so it would take. Could also be a case of bullying as suggested with big boat small brain syndrome...
 
AFAIK you may have been right, as you were headed downstream, and therefore at the mercy of a tail current.

That makes sense to anybody with a day or more experience!

However, and I'm not intimate with the bridge concerned, if there was a perfectly servicable arch you could, or should have used, perhaps you might have done so.

No need for frayed moods from the other oik though, FFs there's a 5mph limit, we ain't going anywhere fast!

Knowing you and your usually impeccable manners, I'm on your side on this occasion!
 
Thanks guys, they were my thoughts, river is a place for fun and relaxation. Banks holiday seems to have brought out the worst in boating, speed with no care for the wildlife or other boats, moored or underway. Impatient muttering at locks and some boats that seem to stay in the Marina car park all year, come out at bank holidays and then abuse everyone lol.

I like to think I am a considerate river user. I make mistakes as do we all and always ready to apologise if in the wrong. Still to be fair its been two years since I was shouted at on the river so it remains a place to get away from the crazy, stressfull world for me, bet he has fun on the M25 as well lol
 
Thanks No regrets and if I had seen the guy I would of. However following a huge paddle steamer my view was a tad obscured and I did not expect a boat to be hiding that close to the arch by the pillar to the side where no one could see him and suddenly lurch into view Anyway despite that tiny incident it was good to see the river so busy and gtear to see boats rafted 4 up at Henley and the steel barges down at Bisham
 
Sadly, we're seeing more and more of this. People cruising too close, too fast, turning without any consideration for anyone else. As others have said we're not going anywhere fast. If you have to behave like that then 'park' your boat up and get back in the car!:mad:
Nickcred, did you get the name of the boat?
 
No question you were in the right, don't no why some peeps go on the river clearly they don't relax but I suppose we are all a bit guilty sometimes.

Henley bridge is a bit unique, the arches are relatively narrow and for some reason the side arches look much lower than the centre arch, although I'm sure there is not much diffference. I know I can get under the side arches but for some reason I always head for the centre one because it's a bit wider and gives you a bit more margin for error. Guess it can be a bit annoying if you have to give way to a boat that clearly could have used one of the side arches, but as we know when sitting at your own helm its a bit more diffcult to judge.
 
pande said:
Sadly, we're seeing more and more of this. People cruising too close, too fast, turning without any consideration for anyone else. As others have said we're not going anywhere fast. If you have to behave like that then 'park' your boat up and get back in the car!:mad:
Nickcred, did you get the name of the boat?
Click to expand...

No did not get the name and dont remember the make, not a big issue just wanted to check I was behaving correctly on the river, glad to see that it seems I was

cheers all
 
nickcred said:
........I did not expect a boat to be hiding that close to the arch by the pillar to the side where no one could see him and suddenly lurch into view
Click to expand...
No, and if he had any sense, he would have stood back from the arch so he had a clear view. He proceeded without knowing that his way ahead was clear. He might even have encountered a second paddle-steamer rather than a small cruiser! Plonker. You were right on all counts.
 
It never ceases to amaze me -

that people using the river think that because the traffic speed is so much less than when motoring, that in consequence there is no need to consider other users, or the best techniques to use, or any knowledge of the rules of the road / navigation.

Over the long weekend we had:-

A hire boat pulled out under my nose, waved when I gave a long blast, and kept on coming, ditto when I gave him five blasts. He hit the boat in front of him.

The same hire boat followed us into Mapledurham right on my tail and had to go hard astern when we missed the bollard.

A small white sports cruiser did a 180 degree turn in front of me (leaving the pub at Pangbourne) turned back to wave at some friends in the pub and proceeds to cut me up on my inside as I attempted to come alongside the lock layby. There was nothing I could do at that speed other than to nudge him. I received a hale of abuse and a finger. He later assaulted me (slightly) in the lock. He seemed to think it was OK to jump a lock queue just by pushing in. Unfortunately for him he did it on the wrong side. He decided that I had the wrong type of boat and therefore was fair game.

Coming down fro Hambledon a large Sealine (or whatever) flybridge, dissatisfied with the 5+ mph that everyone else was doing, motors past tight to the far bank, round a blind corner and holds station against craft coming upstream.

Now all the above show no concern for other users, ignores the accepted rules and practices, and are potentially dangerous.

I'm sure these folks don't get much out of boating encapsulated as they are in their own private, selfish, world.

To me part of the fun is working (albeit remotely) with other users, trying to guess what manoeuvre they are going to do next, which side of the lock they are going to use, exchanging pleasantries and so on.

It saddens me that these folk miss out on all of this.

Ah, the joys of Bank Holiday weekends!
 
nickcred said:
Hi All

Coming through Henley on Saturday afternoon we were headed downstream and approaching the arched bridge. The paddle steamer was in front around 30 ft and was headed for the middle arch. I tend to favour going through the middle arch normally, even though we can fit under the arches either side. Unbeknown to us to the right hand side of the arch headed upstream, was a larger than us, white crusier. Did not see the make or name but had 6 or so people on board. We followed the paddle steamer through and saw the crusier appear from the right trying to come through as we were. He went astern, in good time, seemed no hassle. As we passed he lent over the stern of his boat and screamed at us and in response to my "we are going downstream, whats the issue? he shouted "why dont you use the other arch" I thought it was fairly aggressive and unnecessary (hardly a near miss) seemed like a little river rage to me :-)

So was I in the wrong, should I use the smaller arch even though I could not see him and was following another boat through. At the time I thought I am in the right. I have right of way as headed downstream. Am I unreasonable, forgetting the right or wrong. I dislike incidents like this on the river. I always hold off when headed upstream, dingy or cruiser or skiff makes no difference. Or have I misunderstood the etiquite or rules of the river?

Comments welcomed please
Click to expand...

Just on a point of interest.....You were going down stream....so if not the centre arch then as per normal rules you might take the right arch so to pass upriver boats port to port below the bridge.

You did say that the Pl**ker was sitting to your right when you exited the bridge from the centre arch didn't you????????????
 
and that reminds me

On Sunday we returned upstream to Henley for an early dinner, there were some rowing races going on opposite and up from the AYTC. When walking back to the boat, probably around 7 or 7.15 we watched in horror as a what I think was a large Stevens Velt, possibly an 1120, headed straight towards one of the two rowing boats moored in stream with a young lady in each on the course. There was also a large yellow sign mid stream advising all boats of the events and how to proceed downstream.

Shouting was useless, as it was already hitting one of the boats, as my mouth opened and the young lady was forced to push herself away from their hull with her hands. No damage done luckily.

Panic on the Stevens from ladyhelming the boat , apologetic shouts and then they went into Astern for a fair distance, almost taking out a smaller cruiser who was forced to swing wildly to port to avoid another collision. It was a fairly frightening (for all concerned I am sure) piece of boating that I have seen for a good while on the river. Luckily no injuries or damage as far as I am aware.
 
Bilgediver said:
Just on a point of interest.....You were going down stream....so if not the centre arch then as per normal rules you might take the right arch so to pass upriver boats port to port below the bridge.

You did say that the Pl**ker was sitting to your right when you exited the bridge from the centre arch didn't you????????????
Click to expand...

No sorry he was to his right of the arch so to my left as I came down stream.
 
Blimey, sounds like dramas all around, I like to just go with the flow like everyone else on the forum seems to, so annoying when you get other boats who just don't get it, the whole point of boating is to just chill out and abide by the relatively few rules we have to abide by, and if necessary abide by that greatest of British traditions, form an orderly queue for the locks.
 
I was out over the bank holiday heading down to Cookham. Got a friendly wave from someone at the ATYC but could not quite make out who it was.

The river and the locks were pretty busy but most people were well behaved and relaxed. It does seem though that a busy river with the prospect of long waits at some of the locks brings out the worst in some. They really need to get another hobby. The next time someone shouts at you, whoever is perceived to be in the right or wrong (who really cares!) just shout back, "boating is relaxing isn't it".

Going off thread for a minute, is it just me or do the lock keepers seem to be making an extra effort to be friendly this year? They have never been unfriendly, but seem to me to be trying that bit harder.
 
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