nice friendly people

[Mandy]

I am currently on the first really big cruise I have done (3 months). Having listened to other boaters and read this forum regularly before I left, I had got the impression that boaters nowadays aren't like they used to be - helpful, friendly and non judgemental. Well I am here to say that in my experience during this first month they really are all those things. Everyone I have met so far have greeted me with a friendly smile and chatted when they had the chance. I have had people wait for me to arrive in a lock rather than nicking it for themselves. I moored at Coole Pilate (great name) and the next door boaters marked good moorings on the Llangollen for me in my book. In Nantwich a couple long term moorers chatted to me for an hour or so - rather than moaning about visitors mooring near them! All in all I have been really pleasantly surprised and wanted to share this good news with the rest of you. Oh and if you were any of those friendly boaters, then thank you!

[Laurie Booth]

You obviously haven't met me.

 

[Guest]

Mandy - clearly you don't understand - the purpose of this forum is only to come on and moan about the aggressive and rude people that populate our waterways, the place is infested with them.. good news stories, we don't need 'em

 

(ed. to add winky for avoidance of doubt.... )

 

PS - I'm sure when we cruised the T&M we have passed your boat a few times though when it's being moored ??? Fradley - but I don't think we ever spoke so I can't claim to be one of the friendly folk....

Edited June 24, 2012 by MJG

[Robbo]

It's nice to be nice.

[Guest]

I have to agree that we mainly meet nice people on the cut. Unfortunately I have recently helped somebody on the canal (voluntarily) who is the second rudest person I have met in my life, and regrettably ended up losing my temper and telling them to stuff it. I do think there is more rudeness about today than say 40 years ago, and am not sure of the reason for this (shite they watch on television perhaps?), but am pleased to say that most people on the cut are still friendly and helpful. I sincerely hope that people find me helpful (except in the case stated above of course; I will be nobody's doormat.)

[Athy]

I have to agree that we mainly meet nice people on the cut. Unfortunately I have recently helped somebody on the canal (voluntarily) who is the second rudest person I have met in my life,

Sorry to hear that. Is he (or she) a member of this Forum?

[Radiomariner]

I have to agree that we mainly meet nice people on the cut. Unfortunately I have recently helped somebody on the canal (voluntarily) who is the second rudest person I have met in my life, and regrettably ended up losing my temper and telling them to stuff it. I do think there is more rudeness about today than say 40 years ago, and am not sure of the reason for this (shite they watch on television perhaps?), but am pleased to say that most people on the cut are still friendly and helpful. I sincerely hope that people find me helpful (except in the case stated above of course; I will be nobody's doormat.)

 

 

Second Rudest? That has just whetted my appetite for more information!

Agree. Boaters are in general a friendly and helpfull bunch.

SWMBO sometimes gets accused of being anti-social but thats 'cos many have not mastered the art of differentiating her "friendly" grunt from her "hostile" grunt!

 

Edited to add. You can tell she's not here, can't you

Edited June 24, 2012 by Radiomariner

[sueb]

When we started boating , many years ago, you were invited into the nearest boat for a drink & cake . This doesn't happen now. We have spent 5 days being moored with some very pleasant people but have only chatted over a tiller when rain permits.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Boaters as a group, I think, contain about the same proportions of friendly normal folk, grumps, snobs, idiots and rogues as any other engaged in a particular activity. I try not to judge anyone until I've met and talked to them a few times, but still to my shame find myself making assumptions (usually wrong) based on the appearance of a boat.

 

And then there are fishermen of course..........

[Radiomariner]

Boaters as a group, I think, contain about the same proportions of friendly normal folk, grumps, snobs, idiots and rogues as any other engaged in a particular activity. I try not to judge anyone until I've met and talked to them a few times, but still to my shame find myself making assumptions (usually wrong) based on the appearance of a boat.

 

And then there are fishermen of course..........

 

 

Ah! Thats from a different angle!

[Danica]

I know it's impossible to generalise but in my limited experience, I have found boaters to be the happiest, friendliest and most helpful group of people around.

 

On my first solo trip I came to a swing bridge and was puzzled cos I was under the impression that I could only moor on the toepath side and I needed to be on the other side to operate it. Anyway, I moored up and knocked on a lone boat which was moored up on the other side of the bridge. The bloke who answered couldn't have been more helpful, gave me advice on how to manage single handed and what he tended to do and what he'd seen others do, then said he'd put some shoes on and do the bridge for me :-)

 

Next one came up and as I was slowing down, another moored up boater asked if I was mooring up or going through ? when I said I was going through, he grabbed his key and ran barefoot ahead of me to do the bridge for me :-)

 

I forgot to say that a couple of minutes into my 'journey' I was blown aground in the marina, after much advice and arm waving advice from my neighbours, I was unable to free myself. A long line was quickly thrown out to me, tied to the front, I got pulled from the shallows and I was on my way :-)

On my return a couple of days later, friendly, unsolicited advice was given to me about what to do and how to avoid it happening again, the consensus being not to think I was immune to the effects of a side wind !!

 

In general, I think that this forum mimics life as the vast majority of people are friendly, helpful, knowlegeable in different or specific areas, enthusiastic and generally interested in what people have to say.

 

There are also a very small minority who are none of the above, but fortunately, that's their problem and not mine :-)

Edited June 25, 2012 by Danica

[Zayna]

This thread is such a comfort. When we hired (to see if I actually liked it), we were met with nothing but kindness and friendly folk, and it really sealed the deal for me and made me want our own narrowboat even more. Likewise on this forum, so much help and information, nothing is too much trouble.

 

Of course there will always be the exception, there are some folk who are only happy when they're miserable.

 

I'm really quite nervous about the months ahead, but so far there have been many many shoulders to lean on, and it makes me feel so much better. I have absolutely TONS to learn, I don't like being the 'new girl', but folk on here and people I have met along the journey so far have made me feel like family.

[Albion]

This thread is such a comfort. When we hired (to see if I actually liked it), we were met with nothing but kindness and friendly folk, and it really sealed the deal for me and made me want our own narrowboat even more. Likewise on this forum, so much help and information, nothing is too much trouble.

 

Of course there will always be the exception, there are some folk who are only happy when they're miserable.

 

I'm really quite nervous about the months ahead, but so far there have been many many shoulders to lean on, and it makes me feel so much better. I have absolutely TONS to learn, I don't like being the 'new girl', but folk on here and people I have met along the journey so far have made me feel like family.

 

Don't worry about it. All the 'experts' on here were novices once.......though quite a few years ago in many cases.

Roger

[Guest]

Sorry to hear that. Is he (or she) a member of this Forum?

I don't believe she is a member here. Even so I don't want to bad mouth somebody on a public forum, so it is best left there. I will say the woman was a real life, female version of Basil Faulty and will be a chapter in my forthcoming book. I've already said too much

 

When we started boating , many years ago, you were invited into the nearest boat for a drink & cake . This doesn't happen now. We have spent 5 days being moored with some very pleasant people but have only chatted over a tiller when rain permits.

I agree with much of that. People are far more insular now, for which I blame television. I still maintain 99% of people are nice though, and the unpleasant ones are put on this earth to make the nice ones stand out.

 

Second Rudest? That has just whetted my appetite for more information!

Agree. Boaters are in general a friendly and helpfull bunch.

SWMBO sometimes gets accused of being anti-social but thats 'cos many have not mastered the art of differentiating her "friendly" grunt from her "hostile" grunt!

 

Edited to add. You can tell she's not here, can't you

Buy my ebook, there's a string of 'em in there