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Bother at farmer's bridge


Smelly

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There is, so I am told, a gang of drunken people who have taken against boaters at the bottom of the Farmer's bridge flight. Apparently a crew of US tourists bought them a load of groceries yesterday only for them to be found; full, floating in the canal today, and they've threatened a boat today.

 

They'll probably be scared off soon but if you're travelling that bit and draw attention be cautious!

 

Dan

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There is, so I am told, a gang of drunken people who have taken against boaters at the bottom of the Farmer's bridge flight. Apparently a crew of US tourists bought them a load of groceries yesterday only for them to be found; full, floating in the canal today, and they've threatened a boat today.

 

They'll probably be scared off soon but if you're travelling that bit and draw attention be cautious!

 

Dan

 

Where be that?

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We saw them - we came through on the 21st, into this big floating sea of giant cider bottles - they are drinking these huge bottles of cider and chucking the empties in. We figured out that one of them is sleeping rough with his dog next to one of the tunnels.

 

Didn't get any bother from them - smiled and said hello soon as we saw them. The guy with the dog came and helped me work the lock. I knew what was coming next. He asked for money for food for the dog, I gave him a beer, a couple of quid and some dog food (just to make sure the dog ate).

 

There were quite alot of street drinkers in Brum, we noticed, but Tottenham is far worse. So I guess I've got a thick skin.

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There is, so I am told, a gang of drunken people who have taken against boaters at the bottom of the Farmer's bridge flight. Apparently a crew of US tourists bought them a load of groceries yesterday only for them to be found; full, floating in the canal today, and they've threatened a boat today.

 

They'll probably be scared off soon but if you're travelling that bit and draw attention be cautious!

 

Dan

 

Unfortunately this is not a new problem. I used to operate camping boats from Birmingham during the early to mid 1980's and Farmers Bridge locks provided a quiet and secluded place for all sorts of vagrants, many of whom frequent the Salvation Army hostel just below the bottom lock (and it is still there).

 

I think vigilance is required when passing through any urban area and the situation is likely to get worse when the schools summer holidays start in a few weeks.

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Unfortunately this is not a new problem. I used to operate camping boats from Birmingham during the early to mid 1980's and Farmers Bridge locks provided a quiet and secluded place for all sorts of vagrants, many of whom frequent the Salvation Army hostel just below the bottom lock (and it is still there).

 

I think vigilance is required when passing through any urban area and the situation is likely to get worse when the schools summer holidays start in a few weeks.

 

Am surprised that we've had no trouble in the two months we've been away. Was expecting our trip through Brum to be a sea of missiles, but it wasn't. Nothing, not even a cross word. Barely anyone about, so few people on the towpaths, infact.

 

But of course it wasn't the school holidays.

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BW have been quite proud of the fact that since they've been maintaining a presence & keeping the area tidy it's been a dis-incentive to the drunks but with the funding cuts it's fallen by the way side and we're back to the old ways.

 

I've never had any bother from school kids during my time in Brum but that, as you say, is a timing issue.

Edited by Smelly
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Erm ---- why ?

 

 

Mike.

 

 

Oh, just going by London standards, that's all....

 

Actually, perhaps I should stop reading narrowmindedworld, they make every town and city sound like South Central LA.

 

Anyway, I'm from Tottenham, what do I know about anti social behaviour? :lol:

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Oh, just going by London standards, that's all....

 

Actually, perhaps I should stop reading narrowmindedworld, they make every town and city sound like South Central LA.

 

Anyway, I'm from Tottenham, what do I know about anti social behaviour? :lol:

 

I knoiw it's all been discussed before and will be again, but there are perennially interesting issues in this topic. I wouldn't claim for a moment that we don't have our statistical sample of prats in Birmingham -- what gets me going is the presumption that we (or any other city) have a much bigger proportion than elsewhere. This (again, I'm sure, like many other of our bigger conurbations) is a cracking place to bring up children, with so many opportunities and diverse cultural inputs open to them; opportunities that will keep a fair proportion off the towpath. I tend to think that where you are more at risk of the 'missile' experience can be in the smaller places and rural village areas, where so many of the children are bored witless, as they simply have no -- or extremely few -- facilities. I don't get the picture that very many of todays children find a 'Famous Five' lifestyle particularly to their taste.

 

I do agree about the negative stereotyping perpetrated in some quarters and I would like to know what proportion of their 'knowledge' is simply tired hearsay. I think wherever they are on the system, children who misbehave are often just bored (and sometimes under the influence of the handful of genuinely rotten apples) and it really would be a positive step if BW were able to arrange a programme to get at least some of those who hang around the canal properly involved with it. Part of the trouble now, of course, is that we are so hemmed in by safety legislation, childcare rules and goodness knows what, the effort and cost of any such schemes are prohibitive at the outset.

 

Anyway -- I'll take note, and next time I'm in Tottenham, I'll don my hard hat !

 

MIke.

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Well, I've always been with Steve Haywood on this one. Kids have always chucked missiles at boats, my partner reckons it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be - they have games consoles and ipods to amuse them now.

 

Worst incidents my partner ever experienced were years ago.

 

As for Tottenham, they don't tend to chuck stones, they tend to entertain themselves by stabbing each other instead. :lol:

Edited by Lady Muck
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Anybody who reckons there are serious potential problems with boating through Brum now obviously never tried it 30 to 40 years ago for comparison.

 

Back then serious boating guides strongly advised that effectively nobody on the BCN should risk spending a night anywhere other than in the immediate vicinities og Cambrian Wharf, Gas Street, etc. You planned your Birmingham journeys around this, and legged it like mad to try and be at supposed safe havens overnight.

 

So far in recent years we have had one very minor stone throwing incident in Birmingham - nothing worse. I think had we engaged with the kids involved, rather than looking at them as if we thought something was going to happen, even that would have been avoided.

 

Oh, just going by London standards, that's all....

 

No problems in central London so far. I was unexpectedly hit unpleasantly hard by a banana lobbed from a bridge near Uxbridge, but nowt more serious than that.

 

Most of our potential problems, (but generally dangerous rather than threatening), have been in far more rural locations, but close to large conurbations. People diving into locks you are working through, or climbing on the roof, have repreesnted more trouble than we have seen in London, Birmingham or Leicester. Perhaps we have just been lucky ?

 

I certainly don't things have got worse - there are far fewer no-go areas now than there used to be IMO.

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Anybody who reckons there are serious potential problems with boating through Brum now obviously never tried it 30 to 40 years ago for comparison.

 

Back then serious boating guides strongly advised that effectively nobody on the BCN should risk spending a night anywhere other than in the immediate vicinities og Cambrian Wharf, Gas Street, etc. You planned your Birmingham journeys around this, and legged it like mad to try and be at supposed safe havens overnight.

 

So far in recent years we have had one very minor stone throwing incident in Birmingham - nothing worse. I think had we engaged with the kids involved, rather than looking at them as if we thought something was going to happen, even that would have been avoided.

 

 

 

No problems in central London so far. I was unexpectedly hit unpleasantly hard by a banana lobbed from a bridge near Uxbridge, but nowt more serious than that.

 

Most of our potential problems, (but generally dangerous rather than threatening), have been in far more rural locations, but close to large conurbations. People diving into locks you are working through, or climbing on the roof, have repreesnted more trouble than we have seen in London, Birmingham or Leicester. Perhaps we have just been lucky ?

 

I certainly don't things have got worse - there are far fewer no-go areas now than there used to be IMO.

 

I think that's right. There were more trouble spots some years ago as I recall in Birmingham and Manchester.

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Missile throwing has taken a new twist around here - no longer do they chuck stones or half empty beer cans but now the kids throw money at us . I have picked up 10p , 50p and £1 coins off the boat roof in the last couple of weeks . Not sure if the kids feel sorry for us or they have more money than sense .

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Missile throwing has taken a new twist around here - no longer do they chuck stones or half empty beer cans but now the kids throw money at us . I have picked up 10p , 50p and £1 coins off the boat roof in the last couple of weeks . Not sure if the kids feel sorry for us or they have more money than sense .

 

Just a complete lack of understanding of the whole concept of money.

 

Please refer to the scroungers thread for details!

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Barely anyone about, so few people on the towpaths, infact.

Surprised to hear you say that. We have been around the BCN a lot this last month and I have been pleased to see how many people are around and about. Absolutely loads of joggers, walkers, cyclists everywhere...even on the Soho loop and down near Camphill. Even the Saltley flight at 7am on a Monday had an endless procession of people, all friendly.

 

We did notice the people loitering in the bushes at Aston Junction, in the gardens on the approach to the bottom lock and asleep in the caves by the bottom lock. We were told that the quite incredible levels of rubbish floating on this pound is from these people.

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For what its worth we have been through Brum on a number of occasions and never had any trouble, other than one noisy night at the top of the Wolverhampton 21. I agree with the other posters, if you treat people as you would like to be treated usually you get no bother. Perhaps we have been lucky? We do have an advantage though my Mrs is from Brum and thus speka the lingo. Oh and she can be pretty scary! (hope she dosnt read this).

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Started at Thurmaston on Wednesday 24th and arrived Paddington Basin on Wednesday 1st. Not a spot of bother. A few lads swimming in the locks just south of Leicester but I say good luck to them. I would do the same if we were not running to a deadline!

 

Nick

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but now the kids throw money at us . I have picked up 10p , 50p and £1 coins off the boat roof in the last couple of weeks . Not sure if the kids feel sorry for us or they have more money than sense .

 

It's a regular thing around here. The kids go in the sweet shop whilst awaiting the school bus, spend what they can of their pocket money and then toss the loose change down the gutter drains. I guess mum gives them more cash every time they ask..... :lol:

 

There is even a local 'character' lurks about at bus time for the pickings.

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It's a regular thing around here. The kids go in the sweet shop whilst awaiting the school bus, spend what they can of their pocket money and then toss the loose change down the gutter drains. I guess mum gives them more cash every time they ask..... :lol:

 

There is even a local 'character' lurks about at bus time for the pickings.

Would the local character be Hairy Neil? :lol:

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Missile throwing has taken a new twist around here - no longer do they chuck stones or half empty beer cans but now the kids throw money at us . I have picked up 10p , 50p and £1 coins off the boat roof in the last couple of weeks . Not sure if the kids feel sorry for us or they have more money than sense .

 

When I was a Birmingham based camping boat steerer during the early 1980's there was a particular problem with gangs of youths at Lifford Lane swing bridge, Kings Norton. These youths would open the bridge (without being asked) and then pull it closed against the boat as you went through, a real problem when I had to get my butty through as well. My tactic was to throw a handful of pennies onto the deck of the bridge as I went through. This would get the kids scrambling around looking for the coins, and by the time they found out there was less than 10p my butty was clear and we were gone. They never seemed to learn and I got away with this for several years, sometimes passing through the same bridge twice in a day and recognising the same kids !

 

Then there was 'glue sniffers bridge' at Selly Oak (narrows under railway bridge)......................................., I could go on

Edited by pete harrison
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