dnks34

I bet the BA are reading this thread and sitting back feeling smug as the event they authorised has produced the desired response and muddied relations with (some) Toll Payers (whom they clearly dont give a damm for) even further, disillusion us some more ready for hitting us with the next Toll increase. If there was any common sense on the executive payroll at the BA a more suitable location might well have been suggested.

I could tell some stories about the battles that have gone on on our boat when myself and another family member are onboard together. He has come a cropper a few times by not taking my advice but I just tell myself we are all human and not one of us perfect, then if I ever do anything daft in his presence ive covered myself!

The folk who dont know what they are doing are easy to spot and usually thankfull of help, its those who think they know what they are doing but clearly dont that are more dangerous. I agree, assume nothing!

Is it so drivers cant see the fear in their eyes?

I followed a 7 series BMW back from Bury St Eds on the 143 on Saturday and he was wandering all over the road, coming up behind him at roundabouts I could see him looking down into his lap, twice he almost veered into on coming traffic on the stretch up to the McDonalds roundabout at Gillingham. Obviously more interested in his phone.

funkymonkey is who we used 8 years back, no problems at all with them they supplied excellent vinyls to us.

I think if you realise your responsible for your own safety rather than expecting other drivers/cyclists/pedestrians to take care of it for you then you should make a good cyclist. Can we start a thread about dangerous drivers as I see so many of those I sometimes wonder if the driving test has been introduced in Suffolk.

I only ride a bike after ive been to the pub, and its usually someone elses

Cyclists ought to be made to have third party insurance as a minimum but thats a whole other debate!

Nowadays anyone who owns a boat and pays a Broads Toll is being absolutely nailed down by the Broads Authority and then continually screwed down with further “inflation” rises year on year. Its just unfair that another party can come along and use the navigable waterway in this respect for seemingly nothing, uproar and rightly so in my opinion.

I have to say that is my main concern apart from my cost-toll-ba issue. I would imagine anyone who is prepared to pay the entrance fee and go for it must be a fairly determined and experienced swimmer but, How can a risk assessment quantify what can be the unknown quantity of a novice hire boat skipper with the possibility of having a few sherberts on a slightly breezy day!

I can see the reason for preferring them painted but our Vinyls have been on 8 years and look as good as the day I applied them. Modern vinyl really does stand the test of time.

Appologies for that on my part but I do feel some folk are always out to force the devisive, I didnt intend anything personal.

Its the same as Batrabill making my opinion out as invalid because its “negative” or whatever it was. Thats what people who cant see sense do when people wont agree with them all the time.

Doesnt sound like the BA are getting anything out of it? I imagine if the group did use the likes of whitlingham for the event they may well have to pay for the privelage. But please correct if wrong

I look at this in 2 ways, from a safety point of view and as a Toll payer. Others may not see it from the same position but if its clear we are not going to agree as is always going to be the case whats to be gained from getting all het up about it. Those of us inclined will make our views known directly to the BA and they will do what they will do. Whatever argument is put forward this type of event is not part of the Broads Tapestry and in my own opinion it has no place becoming so.

At least they are paying a Toll

I do wonder that had the NSBA been involved from the outset (im only reading here that they were not) would the venue have needed to be rethought to begin with! Its one thing those of us with the relevant experience raising our concerns here, the event can carry on regardless we have no say but the NSBA on the other hand may have had more of an input, could it be why they were not consulted? I wholeheartedly agree about Whitlingham, why not use facilities that are geared up for it and already exist? The road access for the first 2 BA moorings upstream of WRC also involves the open your self level crossing type affair, both just around the corner from me.

I was just about to say the same. There must be other more suitable locations in Suffolk/Norfolk anyone who knows anything about the Broads would see this wasnt a good idea in navigable areas. If it had to be the Waveney the upper reaches would have been far better in my opinion, the WRC isnt exactly any easy place for a “coach” to get to either.

Batrabill, I dont think any of us here hold any animosity toward Mel or her event, most of us just dont believe the Waveney is the right or appropriate location. I still stand by my comment concerning boat owners being capitalised on forgeting the obvious safety concerns most of us have this in my opinion is not an appropriate use of any part of the Toll budget and it being a commercial enterprise (even though im sure much of the funds raised will go to charities) it makes it seem even more wrong.

It might have been said already but has Beccles Sailing club been informed. It can be a difficult area to negiotiate when they are racing without swimmers in the water!

+1 for Ezydog, we have found them to be excellent.

I am certainly not against everything thankyou and I dont agree you can devalue my opinion by making a statement that is categorically untrue. I hope it goes off without incident and everyone involved enjoys the day but it doesnt mean I have to think its a sensible place to do it.

Our safety concerns put to one side what may be coming over as negativity is caused by the BA themselves. If they hadnt capitalised on boat owners in the crude way they have we probably wouldnt feel so agrieved when they see fit to hand over the facilities we pay to maintain willy nilly to another group that doesnt, as I said I dont want to appear sellfish but something doesnt seem very fair about that.

What about old fishing line snags. The things ive dragged out of the Waveney by the WRC in the past. Imagine braid wrapped around a swimmers ankle or a snagged up treble stuck in someones trunks with a barb on tethering them to a log or something, it could happen.